Area of Expertise

• International environmental law
• Marine protected areas
• Resource extraction and shipping
• Arctic indigenous communities
• Arctic environment

Whit fell in love with the water as a youth growing up on the lakes of Michigan and watching in awe at the scientific exploits of Jacques Cousteau. After studying international politics and environmental law, Whit moved to Alaska where he was able to spend weeks at a time sea kayaking some of the most wild and beautiful coastline in the world.

Upon completing a clerkship with an Alaskan Superior Court judge in 2001, Whit was hired to be the North Pacific Fish Conservation Program Manager for the Center for Marine Conservation. His first day at work coincided with the first day of the organization’s new name – The Ocean Conservancy! After working successfully for years to protect the Bering Sea and the Aleutian Islands, Whit went on to continue his Arctic conservation work at various other organizations. Whit was delighted to return to Ocean Conservancy (who had since dropped ‘The’ from our name) to lead the International Arctic Program, which focuses on work at the Arctic Council, the premier intergovernmental forum for the development of Arctic policy.

Education

• Masters of Science, University of Oregon
• Juris Doctorate, University of Oregon