Jacqueline Savitz

Former chief policy officer at Oceana and current business development director at Council Fire, Jackie Savitz, is a co-founder of Global Fishing Watch. In her three decades as a conservation professional, Savitz has designed, implemented and led numerous successful initiatives related to conservation policy, facilitating progress to slow climate change and improve fisheries management.  

With a background in marine and environmental science, Savitz’s work at Oceana forged a strong foundation in environmental and sustainability policy, touching on issues that range from climate change and fisheries transparency, to offshore energy, shipping, toxic chemical management, community engagement and more. Spanning more than twenty years, her public-facing role at Oceana included several TED presentations as well as dozens of high-level panels and testimonies before the United States Congress, individual U.S. state legislatures, trade associations and other decision makers. Leading a number of high-profile campaigns, Savitz has been quoted by hundreds of news agencies and has appeared on numerous news and opinion programs including CNN’s “John King, USA,” “The Rachel Maddow Show” and “The O’Reilly Factor.” 

Savitz earned her master’s degree in environmental science from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science and a bachelor’s degree in marine science and biology from the University of Miami in Florida.