Shaped by the islands and waters of Hawaiʻi where she was born and raised. ʻAulani has spent her career bridging culture, community, and science to drive innovations in ocean policy and governance. At the core of her work has been direct engagement of communities in decision making and implementation of solutions. ‘Aulani has played a pivotal role in shaping the field of large-scale ocean management, leading the establishment of the
Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument and World Heritage Site in Hawaiʻi and co-founding Big Ocean.
Prior to joining Nia Tero, she served as the Assistant Director for Ocean Conservation, Climate and Equity at the
White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and Senior Vice President for Oceans at Conservation
International where she co-founded the Blue Nature Alliance and the Coral Reefs of the High Seas Coalition. She
holds a MS from Stanford University and a BA from the University of Southern California.
Chief Executive Officer Nia Tero