Dr. Kathryn Matthews, PhD

Dr. Katie Matthews joined Oceana in January 2016 as their Deputy Chief Scientist, and stepped into the Chief Scientist role three years later. Oceana is an international organization focused solely on oceans, dedicated to achieving measurable change by conducting specific, science-based policy campaigns with fixed deadlines and articulated goals

Dr Matthews is responsible for ensuring that Oceana’s advocacy is informed by the best and most current scientific understanding, as well as tracking emerging issues, advising on strategic direction, and supporting the nearly 50 staff scientists across the organization.

Her varied work environments have included Arctic ice caps, Capitol Hill, international treaty negotiations, and the waters of the eastern tropical Pacific. After 10 years in research, she returned to Washington DC, her hometown, to work as a legislative fellow in the U.S. Congress and then for the Office of Marine Conservation in the U.S. State Department. Katie continued her science-based policy work with the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation and then with The Pew Charitable Trusts, where she ran a marine conservation and sustainable fisheries grantmaking program. She also serves on the Society for Conservation Biology’s Board of Governors, heading its Marine Section’s board of directors as president (2017-2019).

She has an M.Sc. and Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in Earth and Environmental Science, and in her free time enjoys running, reading, and traveling.

Sub-specialties: the ocean, fisheries, marine conservation