Email: jnelson@pewtrusts.org

Address:
Alaska

Jay Nelson joined the Pew Environment Group in 2006 as director of the Global Ocean Legacy project, which works to create large no-take marine reserves around the world.

Previously, he directed a successful campaign to set aside the Northwest Hawaiian Islands as the world’s largest, fully protected marine reserve, for which he won recognition as Hawaii Conservationist of the Year. Nelson served for several years as a senior officer responsible for the marine conservation portfolio at Pew Charitable Trusts. He has more than three decades of experience in natural resource issues in various policy roles and as a wildlife biologist. He spent more than a decade with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, conducting research on marine birds in Alaska, California and Chile. Later, he worked for several conservation groups on forest protection, wilderness and marine protection campaigns. He was also special assistant to the governor of Alaska for fisheries and natural resources and was vice president, North American Oceans, for Oceana.

Nelson holds a bachelor’s degree in zoology from Oregon State University and a master’s in animal behavior from Northern Arizona University.