Katie Westfall Email & Phone Number

San Diego, Ca, Us

Silver Spring, Maryland, United States

Oversee EDF’s efforts to achieve sustainable, profitable, and resilient fisheries, with a particular focus in the United States. Manage project budgets, including making strategic decisions about spending. Direct the work of the U.S.-focused resilient fisheries team, including consultants across the country, in service of the overall portfolio’s success. Oversee efforts to advance cooperative research in a highly migratory species fishery to test more climate-ready, adaptive fishing practices and fisheries management using real-time data. Manage and build partnerships with fishing industry organizations, technology providers, scientists, NGOs, and policymakers to achieve current project goals and in the development of new strategic initiatives. Contribute knowledge of climate resilience issues and solutions to EDF leadership and across teams. Lead and support fundraising efforts, including drafting proposals, cultivating relationships with donors and foundation officers, and tracking and reporting on grant progress. Interface with EDF senior management, board trustees, and key funders as a program leader and content expert.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Collaborated with fishermen, industry representatives, supply chain actors, policymakers, and researchers to improve the resilience, sustainability, and economic performance of Highly Migratory Species (HMS) fisheries, including swordfish, tunas, and sharks. Led the development of HMS and other policy-related reports, blogs, op-eds, and webinars. Tracked U.S.-Mexico seafood and fisheries policy and advise EDF Mexico on engagement and communications. Served as an advisor on HMS fisheries science and policy as a member of the HMS Advisory Panel, a member of the Coastal Sharks Panel of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and a technical advisor for the ICCAT Advisory Committee.

Worked with stakeholders to develop, implement, and defend sustainable federal fisheries policy. Successfully partnered with seafood supply chain actors to protect the science and conservation provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Also led and managed EDF's efforts to develop and implement a strategy to conserve HMS, focused on reducing shark bycatch and ensuring the success of a pioneering bycatch quota program for Atlantic bluefin tuna.Helped to develop the vision for the EDF’s Smart Boat Initiative; led the initiative’s strategic planning; and developed content for communications products (e.g. presentations, reports, earned media, etc.). Oversaw and managed ocean technology-related policy work, including engagement on federal legislation, National Marine Fisheries Service regulations and policy directives, and federal appropriations; worked with a broad coalition to secure over $4M for the implementation of electronic logbooks for for-hire fishing vessels.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Served as a policy advisor for Congressman Jared Huffman, who represents Northern California (encompassing a third of the state’s coastline), on issues related to: natural resources and environment; fisheries and oceans; wildlife and endangered species; forests, public lands, and national parks; tribal affairs; and science and technology.

Led and managed Save The Waves’ environmental campaigns to protect coastal and marine areas from point source and non-point source pollution, coastal armoring, unsustainable coastal development, and public access closure. Developed and launched the Unidos por Aguas Limpias (United for Clean Water) campaign, a national coastal cleanup campaign in Chile. Managed the World Surfing Reserves Initiative, a campaign to identify, designate, and preserve outstanding waves and their surrounding environments around the world. Worked with a coalition to find and advocate for sustainable solutions to coastal erosion issues in San Francisco’s Ocean Beach through the Save Sloat! Campaign.

Designed, launched, and managed the Otay River Conservation Program at WiLDCOAST, an effort to conserve and restore the Otay River Valley, a 9,000-acre area of open space near the U.S. Mexico border. Oversaw every aspect of the program, including strategic planning, program consultants, advocacy, communications, and outreach to engage local communities in conservation and restoration activities. Also oversaw the Habitat Heroes Program, an environmental education program that serves South Bay elementary students grades 3-6. To support our conservation efforts, Raised over $1.6M for stewardship and restoration projects and managed all program grants.

Assisted in the development and launch of social marketing and community outreach campaigns on a variety of conservation and public health issues such as stormwater pollution prevention, used oil recycling, and reducing the consumption of contaminated fish.

• Wrote feature, news, and travel pieces for various publications and published articles and photos in Transworld Business Magazine, Transworld Surf Magazine, Surfshot Magazine, Surfer’s Journal, and UCSD Alumni Magazine.

Master Of Environmental Science And Management, Coastal Marine Resources Management

B.A., Political Science, International Relations, Political Science, Spanish Literature

• National Society of Collegiate Scholar Award Recipient (2006) • Eleanor Roosevelt College Outstanding Academic Performance Award.

International Studies Abroad Program