Adjunct Professor
Education
MS, Biology, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
PhD, Fisheries Management, UC Santa Barbara
Bio
Jono is the Director of Ocean Science for The Nature Conservancy’s California Chapter. He leads a team that works across disciplines to address some of the world’s most urgent ocean conservation challenges, including ecosystem restoration, the elimination of overfishing, the reduction of wastewater and plastic pollution, and the protection of island ecosystems. His work focuses on designing transformative conservation strategies, testing bold ideas, and scaling proven solutions that support the recovery of ocean biodiversity. Jono has led the development of major conservation programs at the Conservancy, including FishPath and the Pacific Coast Ocean Restoration Initiative, both of which have delivered measurable benefits for nature and people. He continues to advance a community centered approach to conservation that balances the need for swift action with long term trust building and partnership development. Jono earned a PhD from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he also serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management. Jono lives in Goleta with his wife and two boys.