August 19, 2025
Sailors for the Sea Japan Announces the Appointment of Dr. Jane Lubchenco as Honorary Advisor
Sailors for the Sea Japan is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Jane Lubchenco as our Honorary Advisor. We strongly believe that Dr. Jane Lubchenco’s deep knowledge of the marine environment and its relevance to people’s lives will guide us in spreading the importance of ocean conservation to the world.
David Rockefeller, Jr., the honorary chairman of Sailors for the Sea Japan, and his wife, Susan, Board of OCEANA, the affiliated organization, welcome Dr. Jane Lubchenco. David stated, “We are delighted to welcome Jane as our honorary advisor. She is not only my dear friend, but also a gem of the science-policy world. Jane and I both served on the Pew Oceans Commission together from 2000 to 2003. This century needs her wisdom and courage to restore and sustain our planet for the generations to come.”
“We are extremely honored and thrilled to welcome Dr. Jane Lubchenco to the team,” said Dr. Minako Iue, Chair and CEO of Sailors for the Sea Japan. “Her experience as a global scientist, her leadership in many governmental roles – as the Under Secretary, the Envoy, and the Deputy Director – and her deep commitment to wise stewardship of the marine environment will be invaluable as we continue to thrive in promoting its importance to society domestically and internationally.”
On her appointment, Dr. Lubchenco stated, “I am honored and thrilled to join Sailors for the Sea Japan at this crucial time for ocean conservation. New discoveries are revealing how central the ocean is to our lives, making wise stewardship of the ocean more important than ever. Sailors for the Sea Japan is a highly respected voice that I’ve admired since its beginning. I look forward to supporting the team, leveraging my experience and expertise, and working together to restore the beauty and the bounty of the ocean and use it wisely.”
About Dr. Jane Lubchenco *1,2
Dr. Jane Lubchenco, University Distinguished Professor at Oregon State University, is a marine ecologist with expertise in the ocean, climate change, and interactions between the environment and human well-being.
She served on the Board of Directors for the U.S. National Science Foundation from 1996-2006. She was the U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and an inaugural member of President Obama’s Science Team from 2009-2013. From 2014-2016, she was the first U.S. State Department Science Envoy for the Ocean, serving as a science diplomat to China, Indonesia, South Africa, Mauritius, and the Seychelles. From 2021-2025, she served as the Deputy Director of Climate and Environment within the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy during the Biden presidency.
Dr. Lubchenco is one of the “most highly cited” ecologists globally, with eight of her publications recognized as “Science Citation Classics.” She believes in using science and engaging society to craft solutions to society’s biggest challenges. She has a distinguished history of collaborations with industry, communities, civil society, academia, and faith-based organizations to address climate change, reform fisheries, restore coastal habitats, and promote resilient communities. She believes we can harness science and creativity and work with nature to achieve healthy and resilient oceans, productive landscapes, vibrant communities, and people.
She co-founded three organizations that train scientists to be better communicators and engage more effectively with the public, policymakers, media, and industry (COMPASS, the Leopold Leadership Program, and Climate Central). She co-founded an integrated research/monitoring/outreach program, called PISCO (the Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans), the National Ocean Protection Coalition, and the MPA Project, which seeks to advance smart use of effective Marine Protected Areas.
She has served as the President of numerous professional scientific societies and on multiple national commissions. She has led or contributed to multiple regional, national, and international scientific assessments on climate change, biodiversity, Marine Protected Areas, the ocean, and the intersection of science and society. Most recently, she co-chaired the Expert Group (2018-2021) and then served as President Biden’s delegate for the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, a pioneering partnership across 19 serving heads of state or government to harness science and action to protect the ocean effectively, produce from it sustainably, and prosper equitably.
Dr. Lubchenco received a B.A. in biology from Colorado College, an M.S. in zoology from the University of Washington, and a Ph.D. in ecology from Harvard University. Her academic career as a professor began at Harvard University (1975-1977) and continued at Oregon State University (1977-2009) until she was appointed NOAA Administrator. Following her resignation from NOAA, she was the 2013 Haas Distinguished Visitor in Public Service at Stanford University, then Oregon State University’s University Distinguished Professor.
Source: *1 https://www.janelubchenco.com/bio-and-quotes.html
*2 https://events.berkeley.edu/gradiv/event/288269-science-in-the-white-house-integrating-solutions
David Rockefeller, Jr., the honorary chairman of Sailors for the Sea Japan, and his wife, Susan, Board of OCEANA, the affiliated organization, welcome Dr. Jane Lubchenco. David stated, “We are delighted to welcome Jane as our honorary advisor. She is not only my dear friend, but also a gem of the science-policy world. Jane and I both served on the Pew Oceans Commission together from 2000 to 2003. This century needs her wisdom and courage to restore and sustain our planet for the generations to come.”
“We are extremely honored and thrilled to welcome Dr. Jane Lubchenco to the team,” said Dr. Minako Iue, Chair and CEO of Sailors for the Sea Japan. “Her experience as a global scientist, her leadership in many governmental roles – as the Under Secretary, the Envoy, and the Deputy Director – and her deep commitment to wise stewardship of the marine environment will be invaluable as we continue to thrive in promoting its importance to society domestically and internationally.”
On her appointment, Dr. Lubchenco stated, “I am honored and thrilled to join Sailors for the Sea Japan at this crucial time for ocean conservation. New discoveries are revealing how central the ocean is to our lives, making wise stewardship of the ocean more important than ever. Sailors for the Sea Japan is a highly respected voice that I’ve admired since its beginning. I look forward to supporting the team, leveraging my experience and expertise, and working together to restore the beauty and the bounty of the ocean and use it wisely.”
About Dr. Jane Lubchenco *1,2
Dr. Jane Lubchenco, University Distinguished Professor at Oregon State University, is a marine ecologist with expertise in the ocean, climate change, and interactions between the environment and human well-being.
She served on the Board of Directors for the U.S. National Science Foundation from 1996-2006. She was the U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and an inaugural member of President Obama’s Science Team from 2009-2013. From 2014-2016, she was the first U.S. State Department Science Envoy for the Ocean, serving as a science diplomat to China, Indonesia, South Africa, Mauritius, and the Seychelles. From 2021-2025, she served as the Deputy Director of Climate and Environment within the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy during the Biden presidency.
Dr. Lubchenco is one of the “most highly cited” ecologists globally, with eight of her publications recognized as “Science Citation Classics.” She believes in using science and engaging society to craft solutions to society’s biggest challenges. She has a distinguished history of collaborations with industry, communities, civil society, academia, and faith-based organizations to address climate change, reform fisheries, restore coastal habitats, and promote resilient communities. She believes we can harness science and creativity and work with nature to achieve healthy and resilient oceans, productive landscapes, vibrant communities, and people.
She co-founded three organizations that train scientists to be better communicators and engage more effectively with the public, policymakers, media, and industry (COMPASS, the Leopold Leadership Program, and Climate Central). She co-founded an integrated research/monitoring/outreach program, called PISCO (the Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans), the National Ocean Protection Coalition, and the MPA Project, which seeks to advance smart use of effective Marine Protected Areas.
She has served as the President of numerous professional scientific societies and on multiple national commissions. She has led or contributed to multiple regional, national, and international scientific assessments on climate change, biodiversity, Marine Protected Areas, the ocean, and the intersection of science and society. Most recently, she co-chaired the Expert Group (2018-2021) and then served as President Biden’s delegate for the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, a pioneering partnership across 19 serving heads of state or government to harness science and action to protect the ocean effectively, produce from it sustainably, and prosper equitably.
Dr. Lubchenco received a B.A. in biology from Colorado College, an M.S. in zoology from the University of Washington, and a Ph.D. in ecology from Harvard University. Her academic career as a professor began at Harvard University (1975-1977) and continued at Oregon State University (1977-2009) until she was appointed NOAA Administrator. Following her resignation from NOAA, she was the 2013 Haas Distinguished Visitor in Public Service at Stanford University, then Oregon State University’s University Distinguished Professor.
Source: *1 https://www.janelubchenco.com/bio-and-quotes.html
*2 https://events.berkeley.edu/gradiv/event/288269-science-in-the-white-house-integrating-solutions
