‘Aulani Wilhelm is on loan from Conservation International to serve 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 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, and as founder of Big Ocean, a network of the world’s largest marine managed areas. In her capacity at CI, she co-led the Blue Nature Alliance, a global partnership to catalyze the conservation of 18 million km2 of ocean. Prior, ‘Aulani was director of ocean initiatives for NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, and a social innovation fellow at Stanford University.
A long-time member of the Polynesian Voyaging Society, ʻAulani was privileged to be a crew member on Leg 27 of the historic three-year worldwide voyage of Hōkūleʻa, the Hawaiian voyaging canoe that has helped lead the revival of oceanic wayfinding and non-instrument navigation across the Pacific. She holds a master’s degree from Stanford University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California.