Karen McLeod

As Director of Science for COMPASS, I create and capitalize on opportunities to transform the science-policy dialogue. Working closely with the scientific community on a range of topics, I develop and implement strategies to assess and advance the state of the science, spark new collaborations, and create novel syntheses, all with an eye to informing policy. Over the past decade, I have focused on the science of ecosystem-based management, ecosystem services, ecosystem health, and coupled social-ecological systems. With Heather Leslie (Brown University), I co-edited Ecosystem-Based Management for the Oceans (Island Press, 2009). Before trading in my fins for a phone headset, I spent thousands of hours underwater in the Bahamas, French Polynesia, and Florida Keys studying the ecology of coral reef fish.

I hold a PhD from Oregon State University (OSU), and MS from the University of South Florida, and a BA from Franklin and Marshall College. I am a courtesy faculty in the Zoology Department at OSU and serve on the Science Advisory Team of the California Ocean Protection Council. In my free time, you’ll find me running, hiking, camping, and enjoying Oregon with my husband and two young daughters.