Policy Director
Vanessa Constant is a marine scientist, specializing in coastal ecology and protected areas.
Prior to her role as Policy Director of the NOPC, Vanessa was a Program Officer with the Ocean Studies Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, where she led a range of activities from fisheries management to ocean science for sustainable development. She was also a co-author of The MPA Guide and Lead Scientist with the Our Ocean Accountability Project at Oregon State University, evaluating the accountability, transparency, and status of ocean conservation commitments. Additionally, while serving as a John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellow in the U.S. Senate, Vanessa advanced a progressive ocean, energy, and environment portfolio.
She holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Integrative Biology from Oregon State University and a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources and Marine Biology from Cornell University.
Vanessa lives in Washington, DC and enjoys baking, hiking, farmer’s markets, and anything that gets her near, on, or in the water!