Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy

Katie Gray supports the Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy Project’s work in the Mediterranean region. Since joining Pew in 2014, Gray has successfully campaigned to protect the waters surrounding the U.K. Overseas Territories of the Pitcairn Islands, Ascension Island, and parts of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. She also manages the activities of the project’s science advisory board, and she is a member of the Great British Oceans coalition. Before coming to Pew, Gray worked at Dow Jones as an assistant to the editors at The Wall Street Journal Europe and Financial News.

Bridget Hickey provides project support to achieve the Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy Project’s objectives focused on large-scale marine protected areas around the world. Before joining Pew, Hickey worked with organizations dedicated to marine habitat restoration, sustainable tourism, and donor stewardship. She holds a bachelor’s degree in marine science and biology from the University of Tampa.

Nicholas Kirkham works to create a representative system of marine protected areas and improved fishing conservation measures in Antarctica’s Southern Ocean. Before joining Pew, Kirkham published research on deep sea mining in areas beyond national jurisdiction and worked as a U.S. federal contractor providing environmental project support and data analysis on a groundwater remediation site. Kirkham holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from Utah State University, a master’s in marine systems and policies from the University of Edinburgh, and several National Environmental Policy Act certifications.

Kayleigh Michaelides works on cross-cutting initiatives for Pew’s marine habitat protection portfolio, including coordinating with key stakeholder groups and local and Indigenous communities. In addition, Michaelides supports the Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy Project’s regional marine protection efforts in the Eastern Tropical Pacific and campaign efforts in New Zealand. Michaelides holds a bachelor’s degree in marine biology from Auburn University and a master’s in marine affairs and policy from the University of Miami.

Aline Schaffar focuses on the Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy Project’s work in New Caledonia. She has been a consultant in marine biology, studying humpback whales, marine mammals, and turtles, and has published a wide range of scientific articles and reports. Schaffar holds a master’s degree in zoology from Massey University.

Samantha Suffety supports the Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy Project’s work in the Eastern Tropical Pacific and Western Pacific and the project’s engagement at international conferences and events. Before joining Pew, Suffety worked at the U.N. Environment Programme’s North America office, where she planned and implemented regional outreach initiatives and global campaigns, managed institutional partnerships, and supported the establishment of a partnership and business engagement unit. She holds bachelor’s degrees in environmental ecology and environmental science and a master’s degree in community sustainability from Michigan State University.

Luis Villanueva leads the Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy Project’s work in Latin America. In 2017, he was part of the team that partnered with Mexico’s government to create the Revillagigedo Archipelago National Park, the largest fully protected marine reserve in North America. Before joining Pew, Villanueva led collaborative marine conservation initiatives in the Gulf of Mexico, including efforts by the United States, Mexico, and Cuba to promote shark sustainability. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from ITAM in Mexico, a Master of Law and Economics from Erasmus University in the Netherlands, and a master’s in public administration from Harvard University.