Areas of Expertise

• International Relations
• U.S. Federal Policy
• Climate Change
• Coastal Community Development
• Marine Protection

Susan Ruffo served as the former managing director of international initiatives at Ocean Conservancy, where she is focused on stopping the flow of plastics into the oceans. Previously, Susan led the Vibrant Oceans portfolio for Bloomberg Philanthropies, supporting simultaneous reform of local and industrial-scale fisheries and development of financial strategies to ease transition to sustainable fishing.

Susan came to Ocean Conservancy with considerable international and government experience, having served as the associate director for climate preparedness at the White House Council on Environmental Quality. There she led implementation of the climate preparedness pillar of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan and worked with state, local, and tribal leaders to better prepare the United States for the impacts of climate change. Susan has also worked at The Nature Conservancy and as a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State, serving in China, Argentina and Nigeria and in Washington, D.C. Susan holds degrees in Economics and Political Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Education

• Massachusetts Institute Of Technology
• Bachelor of Science in Economics
• Bachelor of Science in Politics

My Favorite Thing About the Ocean

Mystery and variety of life, and the way it touches almost everyone – providing everything from basic human needs to inspiration and joy.