Designating America's First Indigenous-Nominated National Marine Sanctuary
The decades-long campaign to designate the first Indigenous-nominated national marine sanctuary in U.S. history required a communications effort as ambitious as the designation itself.
I led the digital campaign on behalf of the Chumash Tribal Council and ocean climate organizations for the final push, producing video content, designing graphics (for LinkedIn, Twitter/X, & Instagram), and writing social copy that helped drive public momentum toward the finish line. NOAA received more than 110,000 public comments on the designation, over 98% in support, and building that kind of groundswell demanded content that could translate a complex, decades-in-the-making policy victory into something emotionally resonant for a broad audience.
When the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary was officially designated on November 30, 2024, it marked not just a conservation milestone but the fulfillment of a vision first nominated by the Northern Chumash Tribal Council in 2015.
A link to the assets and press kit I developed can be found here.
Celebrating America's Underwater National Parks
I oversaw a media campaign for the launch of the National Marine Sanctuary postage stamps, a collaboration between the U.S. Postal Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration celebrating the beauty and ecological importance of America’s protected ocean and Great Lakes waters. I developed messaging, coordinated press outreach, and secured coverage in national and regional outlets to elevate public awareness of the sanctuary system. The campaign culminated in a high-profile launch event in Santa Cruz, bringing together NOAA leaders, local officials, and ocean advocates.
