Letise LaFeir, Ph.D.
Chief of Conservation and Stewardship, New England Aquarium
Dr. Letise LaFeir serves as the chief of conservation and stewardship at New England Aquarium, overseeing animal care, Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, conservation learning, conservation policy, and community engagement. LaFeir most recently served as a day-one Biden-Harris administration appointee in the role of senior advisor to the under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and the administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Before holding that position, LaFeir was a program officer and later director of federal policy at Resources Legacy Fund; California ocean policy manager at Monterey Bay Aquarium; policy analyst and later national outreach coordinator for NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries; and director of government relations and education program coordinator at the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. She also spent one year as a Sea Grant Knauss marine policy fellow for now-retired Congressman Sam Farr of California.
In 2014, LaFeir founded and still co-owns Upwelling Consulting, LLC. During her career, she has been honored with several awards, has had numerous public speaking engagements, and has served on several professional advisory boards. In addition to authoring or coauthoring several scientific publications and a book of poetry, she is a certified scuba diver (Advanced and Nitrox) and has traveled to all seven continents and the seafloor. LaFeir holds a B.S. in aquatic biology and a B.A. in English (with honors in creative writing) from Brown University, and a Ph.D. in marine biology from the University of Delaware College of Marine Studies.