‘Aulani Wilhelm is the Senior Vice President for Oceans at Conservation International, currently on loan as Assistant Director for Ocean Conservation, Climate and Equity at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Her work bridges culture, community and science to drive innovations in ocean policy and conservation. ‘Aulani has played a pivotal role in shaping the emerging field of large-scale ocean conservation, leading the establishment of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument and World Heritage Site in Hawaiʻi. Ms. Wilhelm is also the founder of Big Ocean, a network of the world’s largest marine managed areas. She also co-led the Blue Nature Alliance, a global partnership to catalyze the conservation of 18 million km2 of ocean. ‘Aulani was director of ocean initiatives for NOAA’s Office of Marine Sanctuaries, and a social innovation fellow at Stanford University. A long-time member of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, ʻAulani has been privileged to be a crew member on Hōkūleʻa, the Hawaiian voyaging canoe that has helped lead the revival of oceanic wayfinding and non-instrument navigation across the Pacific.
