The Oceans and Fisheries Partnership

John Parks leads the USAID Oceans team to achieve program objectives to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, conserve marine biodiversity, and address human welfare concerns. For twenty-five years, John has worked with partners to design and implement marine resource management solutions that strengthen the environmental sustainability and human security in coastal communities around the world, particularly in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands.

Rebeca Fontanilla-Andong manages USAID Oceans’ national and learning site activities in the Philippines, working closely the Philippines Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and other national partners to implement program activities. Rebeca has extensive experience facilitating regional coordination, helping organizations work in cooperation throughout Southeast Asia to achieve program objectives. Before joining USAID Oceans, she served as Regional Project Manager of CORIN-Asia where she supported the coordination of autonomous CORIN-Asia organizations across Southeast Asia to strengthen capacity to reduce poverty.

Lauren implements USAID Ocean’s communications and outreach activities in conjunction with the Senior Communications and Outreach Manager. She has nearly ten years of experience in international development and has worked on a diverse array of projects ranging from soccer-based youth development programs in South Africa, to bystander intervention among college students in the US, to combating tuberculosis in the Asia-Pacific Region. She has a Master’s Degree in Global Public Health with a focus on communication.

Len Garces leads the implementation of USAID Oceans’ regional, national and learning site activities for the integration and implementation of an Ecosystems Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM). Len has over 25 years of experience working on coastal fisheries issues in Southeast Asia. Prior to USAID Oceans, Len worked with WorldFish to support coastal fisheries management program implementation, monitoring and evaluation, research, resource assessment and management.

Fini Lovita manages USAID Oceans’ country and site-based learning site activities in Bitung, Indonesia, working closely with local partners, government and industry members to implement program activities. Fini’s previous work includes coordination for Mangroves for the Future Indonesia for International Union for Conservation of the Nature, consultation to Conservation International Indonesia, and more than five years of support to the World Wide Fund for Nature Indonesia on the issues of marine, coastal and fisheries management, and eco-labeling certification systems.

Farid Maruf leads USAID Oceans’ Catch Documentation and Traceability (CDT) initiatives, designing activities that support regional partners to develop, implement, and expand electronic CDT systems. Farid oversees the program’s Information and Communications Technology Specialists in Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia, and works closely with the program’s technical leads to ensure CDT efforts further fisheries management, human welfare, and partnership objectives. Farid has over 25 years of experience in the development and implementation of information and communication technology systems. Farid’s background includes program design and implementation, technical and business modeling, as well as public-private sector partnership development throughout Southeast Asia.

Tim Moore leads USAID Oceans’ efforts to engage members of the public and private sectors to support Partnership objectives. Tim is based in Burlington, Vermont with Resonance Global, and works to engage partners around the globe, including nongovernmental organizations, technology and design experts, industry members, and governmental representatives. Previously he led the USAID Maximizing Agricultural Revenue through Knowledge, Enterprise Development and Trade Project, part of the U.S. Government’s Global Hunger & Food Security Initiative’s Feed the Future. The project promoted sustainable use of aquaculture and fishery resources in ASEAN by building multi-stakeholder partnerships and developing regional sustainability tools.

Arlene Nietes-Satapornvanit, known for short as “Jigsz,” leads USAID Oceans’ human welfare and gender initiatives, working across program activities to address issues in gender equality and labor rights. Jigsz has over 30 years’ experience in social and technical aquaculture research, urban environmental management, integrated tropical coastal zone management, and in addressing gender and labor issues in aquaculture and fisheries across the region.

Sheena Marie Nolasco assists in coordinating activities at the USAID Oceans program learning site in General Santos City and its surrounding municipal fish landing sites and communities, as well as provides support to the program communications and outreach team. Prior to USAID Oceans, Sheena worked with the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) for more than 6 years. Her career milestone with BFAR was in the position of Fisheries Inspector performing quarantine and regulatory functions, including on-site inspection and verification of fishery commodities for export.

Rena supports the implementation of project activities in Indonesia, particularly in the human welfare and gender intervention activities, working with USAID Oceans' partners in addressing gender issues in the national level and especially in the learning site in Bitung, Indonesia. In her free time, Rena works with a local organization collaborating with local and international NGOs in promoting environmental care through education, conservation and campaign. Rena also has experience in finance and tourism working with local tourism stakeholders under the Ministry of Indonesian Tourism./p>

Joey Pedrajas supports the implementation of project activities that use an Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) at regional, national, and local levels under USAID Oceans. Joey has over a decade of experience working on addressing coastal fisheries issues and conducting socioeconomic fisheries research in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. Prior to USAID Oceans, Joey worked to support international NGOs and government agencies on fisheries and environmental management planning, coastal and marine governance, and monitoring and evaluation.

Araya Poomsaringkarn supports USAID Oceans’ public-private partnership engagement, working closely with partners, subcontractors, and grantees. Araya manages and monitor ongoing strategic partnerships and identifies, develops, and manages new partnerships with private and public sector actors to achieve USAID Oceans’ objectives. Araya received her Master’s Degree in International and Development Economics from Yale University, and has previously worked in venture capital, sustainability and climate change, and environmental consulting to Thai food and fisheries companies with Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) Bangkok.

Jasmin is a freelance consultant who has spent the majority of her career in the area of marine resource management in Malaysia and in the Coral Triangle region. She worked with several leading organizations such as Sea Resources Sdn Bhd, the Malaysian National Oceanographic Directorate, World Wildlife Fund for Nature (Malaysia), and the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) Regional Secretariat. The past years saw her working on gender equity in coastal and marine resource management through the CTI Women Leaders’ Forum and the USAID Oceans and Fisheries Partnership Program. Having worked and met with many inspirational women, in her free time, she joins forces with a local women NGO aimed at creating new sustainable businesses. Jasmin is also a mother of four and proud to call Malaysia, home.

Frengky Sihombing supports the management and implementation of program activities at the country level and at the learning site in Bitung, Indonesia, as well as provides support to the program communications and outreach team. Prior to assuming the country coordinator role, he served as a learning site assistant. Previously to USAID Oceans, Mr. Sihombing worked with the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF) as a communications division assistant and as CTI Human Resource Department and office management staff. Frengky also has experience in the field of tourism under the sea in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism. He has a B.A. in Marine Science from Sam Ratulangi University (UNSRAT) in Manado, Indonesia.

Supol Singhapoom leads USAID Oceans’ M&E initiatives, working closely with the team to manage the program’s M&E plan, monitor program activities, and share findings with program staff and stakeholders to inform implementation strategy. Supol has over 30 years of experience in monitoring and evaluation, and previously provided M&E support to Plan International and Pact Thailand, among other organizations.

Sang Udayana supports the Regional CDT Specialist in the implementation and management of the Indonesia learning site’s CDT initiatives. Sang obtained a B.A. degree in Information Management from the Institute of Informatics and Computer Science of Surabaya, Indonesia, which he has put to use in the IT sector the past 15 years, including IT Administrator for several 5 star hotels in Bali and as a Project Manager for Fleet Management for the Express Group, purported to be the second largest transportation company in Indonesia.

Michael Kidd manages USAID Oceans’ operations, finances, and leads the project’s Administrative team. Michael holds over 35 years’ experience in international U.S. government administrative and financial management operations. Michael has supported projects in sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe, North, Central and East Asia, South Pacific, and the Caribbean.

Ms. Bussaracum Chamchoy has over 18 years of experience in finance and administration. Ms. Chamchoy supports the USAID Oceans team in the management of activity administration and finance, grants, and human resources. Ms. Chamchoy assists in the strategic oversight and implementation of project grants, ensuring their compliance with U.S. government regulations and policies. Prior to joining USAID Oceans, she provided finance and operations management support to several international NGOs based in Bangkok, Thailand.

Arif Ilahi undertakes a wide range of administration and finance support assistance tasks required for the implementation of program activities in the Bitung learning site in Indonesia, based from the Coral Triangle Center in Manado, North Sulawesi. Prior to joining USAID Oceans, Mr. Ilahi worked to support administration and finance efforts with a number of teams and projects in Indonesia.

Benjie Montilla undertakes a wide range of administration and finance support assistance tasks required for the implementation of program activities in the General Santos City learning site in the Philippines. Prior to joining USAID Oceans, he worked with University Research Company where he was responsible for logistics, procurement, administration and finance. He has also previously worked in administration, finance positions with international and local NGOs, including USAID-funded projects.

Pakkaphong Pakdeepipath provides administrative support to the USAID Oceans team, managing daily office operations, event and meeting coordination, procurement, and finance management. Pakkaphong has over 11 years of experience in office administration, working with organizations such as the Rockefeller Foundation.

Rosalind (“Saling”) Sichon works in direct collaboration with Philippines-based staff and USAID Oceans’ Administration and Finance Manager to manage all in-country financial and administrative operations. Saling comes to the USAID Oceans program after serving as Finance Coordinator on USAID ECOFISH, and has over 15 years of experience in finance and administration positions with local and international NGOs in the Philippines.

Smita Yamsangsung provides administrative support to USAID Oceans activities and staff, including event and meeting coordination, daily operations management, and administrative support to senior management. Smita has experience in administrative, secretarial, financial and support services for management team members of international institution, petroleum company, and NGO.

In 2019, USAID Oceans established an EAFM Technical Advisory Team (TAT) of knowledgeable and recognized regional fisheries management experts to provide technical guidance and scientific support principally to the project's EAFM grantees on their development of IDS dashboard applications to use eCDT data to improve fisheries management at both learning sites in the Philippines and Indonesia.

Dr. Robert S. Pomeroy is a Professor and Sea Grant Fisheries Extension Specialist from the University of Connecticut-Avery Point Campus Groton, USA. Prof. Pomeroy has a PhD from Cornell University (Resource Economics, Marketing, International Agriculture). His areas of professional interest include natural resource and environmental economics. Prof. Pomeroy has worked as a Senior Scientist at the International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management (ICLARM) from 1991-1999 and Principal Scientist at the World Fish Center (June 2005- June 2016). He has worked on co-management and development projects in Asia, Africa, Caribbean and Latin America. He is affiliated with Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute, Asian Fisheries Society, Asian Fisheries Social Science Research Network, and the International Association of Aquaculture Economics and Management.

Dr. Luky Adrianto is Associate Professor in Social-Ecological System of the Oceans (SESO Labs), Department of Aquatic Resources Management, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, IPB University. He is now the Dean of Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences (2015-2020) and getting mandate also as the President of Indonesian University Networks for Fisheries and Marine Sciences for the same period of 2015-2020. He has been working for more than 15 years in the field of coastal and marine resources management, including fisheries. Since 2010, he has been acting as Regional Task Force in Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) for the Partnership of the Environmental Management of the Seas of East Asia, supporting the capacity building program for Cambodia, Thailand, and Timor Leste. He is also coordinating the Center of Excellence Sustainable Development Goals 14.

Dr. Michael D. Pido is Dean of the Graduate School and a Professor at the Palawan State University, Puerto Princesa City, the Philippines. Dr. Pido obtained an MSc in Rural Resources and Environmental Policy (University of London, UK) and a PhD from James Cook University, Australia. Professional interests include integrated coastal and river basin management, socioeconomic monitoring, fisheries co-management, rapid/participatory appraisals, and protected area management. He previously worked with Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff (1981-1990) and two international organizations (UNDP/GEF/IMO Regional Programme on Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia/PEMSEA: 2000-2002 and WorldFish Center/ICLARM: 1991-1995). He is a member of Rotary International and IUCN Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy.

Mr. Silvestre is a recognized fisheries and coastal resources research, policy and management expert in Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines. He has over 40 years of work experience in his field of expertise. He was a member of the faculty of the College of Fisheries, University of the Philippines from 1978 to 1988; was a Research Scientist at ICLARM, now WorldFish Center (1988-2002); and managed various USAID-funded fisheries research and management projects under Tetra Tech (2002-2018). He earned his B.S. Marine Fisheries degree from UP in 1978 and his M.S. Marine Science degree (Major in Biology and Living Resources) from the Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science, University of Miami in 1984. He has published and/or edited over 90 scientific articles, volumes and books during the course of his career.

Dr. Alex Tilley is fisheries scientist based at WorldFish HQ in Penang, Malaysia. He obtained his PhD in Marine Biology from Bangor University in the UK. His research focuses on small-scale fisheries in developing countries of Asia, Africa and the Pacific. Alex is interested in developing and testing technologies and approaches to illuminate and visualise the contribution of small-scale fisheries to global food and nutrition security, and how those data can be leveraged to improve well-being, gender equality, and inclusive governance of aquatic foods. He was responsible for designing and implementing PeskAAS, the open-access, near-real-time national fisheries monitoring system of Timor-Leste for which he won 2018 and 2019 Inspire Challenge awards from the CGIAR Big Data Platform.