MRAG AMERICAS - Key Persons
Amanda Stern-Pirlot joined MRAG Americas in 2014 and is now our Vice President: Science and serves on our Executive Team. Amanda provides technical oversight of all projects, ensuring MRAG Americas maintains a strong science- and evidence-based ethos. She also oversees our growing portfolio of fisheries certification projects under the MSC, RFM, and FISH Standard for Crew standards. Amanda is an M.Sc. graduate in Marine Ecology and Fisheries Biology from the University of Bremen, Center for Marine Tropical Ecology (ZMT). Throughout her career, she has worked with many scientists, conservationists, fisheries managers and producer groups on international fisheries sustainability issues. With the Institute for Marine Research (IFM-GEOMAR) in Kiel, Germany, she led a work package on simple indicators for sustainability within the EU-funded international cooperation project INCOFISH. This was followed by 5 years in the Standards Department at MSC in London developing standards, policies, and assessment methods informed by best practices in global fisheries management. She was Resources Analyst of the Alaska pollock industry in the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council focusing on bycatch and ecosystem-based management issues, and managing the operations of the offshore pollock cooperative. She has co-authored publications on fisheries sustainability in the developing world and the functioning of sustainability standards as an instrument for transforming fisheries to a sustainable basis.
Job Titles:
- Senior Manager
- Sourcing Auditor
Benjamin Hannah joined MRAG Americas as a Seafood Sourcing Auditor in 2019. He is now a Senior Manager in our Certification Division covering Chain of Custody certification. He plays a central role in the maintenance of MRAG Americas' accreditation as a Conformance Assessment Body. Other activities include completing MSC, ASC, and RFM CoC audits. Benjamin graduated with a BS degree from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, in May of 2018. His studies were focused on Marine Science where he worked on bivalve mollusks and aquaculture. Benjamin originates from a commercial fishing family and has spent the majority of his life commercially fishing and practicing sustainability.
Job Titles:
- Social Accountability / Auditor and QMS Manager
Carolina Vargas Hernandez joined MRAG Americas in 2021 and is now a Social Accountability Auditor and QMS Manager in our Certification Division. She is responsible for developing our Social Accountability and Auditing Program in Fisheries Supply Chains, leading certification audits under the Fairness, Integrity, Safety, and Health (FISH) Standard for Crew, supporting Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs) to meet Human Rights and Social Responsibility policy, and providing support on other projects with social compliance components. Carolina has over 12 years of experience in social compliance, sustainability consulting and auditing across different sectors with a history in commitment to social and environmental stewardship, such as Apparel: Sumerra, Social & Labor Convergence, IT: Responsible Business Alliance (RBA), Agriculture: Equitable Food Initiative (EFI), Sedex - SMETA and FISH Standard for Crew. She has trained and provided technical and capacity-building support for auditors, suppliers, and scheme owners in the Americas. She has completed more than 500 audits for Responsible Supply Chain Audits against Social and Security schemes across the industries (Agriculture, Manufacture, Food, Tech, Transportation, Warehouses, 3PL). Her certifications and completed courses include APSCA Certified Social Compliance Auditor (CSCA), Social & Labor Convergence Verifier (SLCP), Responsible Business Alliance (RBA), Equitable Food Initiative (EFI), SMETA Auditor, PVH, ISO 14001, and SA8000.
Job Titles:
- Program Officer for SSIAD
- Program Officer for the Seafood Sustainability Initiatives and Auditing Division
- Program Officer SSIAD
Clara Robison joined MRAG Americas in 2022 as a Program Officer for the Seafood Sustainability Initiatives and Auditing Division (SSIAD). She works on the ISSF portfolio and the Whole Foods shellfish audits, as well as on developing new work streams. Clara is originally from Jacksonville, FL and currently resides in North Carolina, where she was previously working as an Environmental Health Specialist for the NC Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Marine Fisheries. Her hobbies include hiking and volunteering in her local community. Clara holds her M.S. in Marine Science from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science at William & Mary, and a B.S. in Coastal Biology, with a Minor in Psychology, from the University of North Florida.
Job Titles:
- Business Manager
- Business Manager and Is an Integral Part of the Executive Team
- Business Manager VIEW BIO
Debra Welsh joined MRAG Americas in August of 2021 as the Business Manager and is an integral part of the Executive Team. She is responsible for managing the financial and business systems of the company and overseeing related administrative processes. She prepares financial information, including key performance indicators, for presentation to the Executive Team and consults with senior management on company financial performance. Debra has over 25 years of accounting experience. She received her undergraduate accounting degree from Binghamton University; and her MBA from the University of Colorado at Denver. In her off-work hours she enjoys reading and relaxing with her family on the lanai.
Job Titles:
- Member of the MRAG Americas Team
- President
Dr. Andrew (Andy) Rosenberg is President of MRAG Americas, working closely with the Executive Team on company business strategy and operations. Over four decades as a leading expert in renewable resource management, Andy has served in senior positions in government, academia, and non-profit institutions as a scientist, policymaker, and advisor. For the past ten years he has been the founding director of the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists. He has also been Chief Scientist for Conservation International and Professor of Natural Resources and the Environment and Dean of the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture at the University of New Hampshire. From 1998-2000, Andy served as the Deputy Director of NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) where he dealt with policy decisions on science and resource management issues nationwide as well as the administration of the agency. He was also a principal agency spokesperson before Congress, the public, and technical audiences. Before becoming NMFS Deputy Director, Andy was the NMFS Northeast Regional Administrator, where he negotiated and implemented the recovery program for New England and mid-Atlantic fisheries, implemented marine mammal recovery programs and endangered species protections throughout the northeast. He also has served as the U.S. lead representative in several international fishery management organizations such as NAFO, NASCO, and FAO. Andy has also served as a lead author and member of numerous high level science and policy boards and commissions including the US Commission on Ocean Policy, the Third US National Climate Change Impacts Assessment, The National Academy of Science America's Climate Choices Study, the First World Ocean Assessment, the International Transboundary Waters Assessment and many more.
Job Titles:
- Member of the MRAG Americas Team
- Vice President
Dr. Graeme Parkes has more than thirty years of professional experience in fisheries evaluation, monitoring and management, resource assessment, fishing capacity management, and fisheries certification systems. He has worked within the MRAG family of companies since 1994, occupying senior management positions both at MRAG Ltd. in London and MRAG Americas in the US. As Vice President: Project Management, Graeme serves on the Executive Team and is responsible for for defining and developing project management processes, and policy to ensure alignment with MAG Americas' corporate strategy and goals. Graeme has a Masters in Oceanography from Southampton University and a Ph.D. in fisheries science from Imperial College, London, specializing in the assessment and management of groundfish resources in the Antarctic. He was a member of the UK delegation to the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) for 20 years and the UK Representative to the CCAMLR Scientific Committee in 1999, 2010 and 2011. He was also a member of the EU Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) between 2007 and 2010.
Job Titles:
- Senior Scientific Advisor
- Senior Scientific Advisor to
Dr. Mangel has been a Senior Scientific Advisor to MRAG Americas for more than 20 years. He is Professor of Biology Emeritus in the Theoretical Ecology Group, University of Bergen, and Distinguished Professor of Mathematical Biology Emeritus in the Department of Applied Mathematics University of California Santa Cruz. He directed the Center for Stock Assessment Research (a partnership between UCSC and the NMFS Santa Cruz Laboratory to train students and post-docs in the quantitative methods needed for stock assessment) from 2000-2016. Prior to coming to UCSC in 1996, he worked (1977-1980) for the Center for Naval Analysis (a Federal Contract Research Center conducting operations and systems analysis for the US Navy) and at the University of California Davis (1980-1996). At UCSC, he conducted research on quantitative methods for fishery management, the population biology of disease, and developing models to predict the Population Consequences of Disturbance (PCoD) with a focus on marine mammals. Dr. Mangel has held Fulbright and Guggenheim fellowships and is a fellow of the California Academy of Sciences, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He has held visiting positions at the Hebrew University (Scheinbrun Professor), University of Oxford (Member, Wolfson College), the Weizmann Institute (Varon Professor), Florida State University (William R. and Lenore Mote Eminent Scholar Chair in Fisheries Ecology and Enhancement, twice) and Ben Gurion University (Dozor Professor). Dr. Mangel has worked on fishery problems since graduate school, when he and Colin Clark developed models for the tuna purse seine fishery. In addition, he wrote one of the first papers applying Bayesian methods to stock assessment (Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 42:150-163, 1985) and applied such methods to the recovery of California sardine, was the first invited outside expert to the Scientific Committee for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (1986-1989) and was subsequently a member of the US delegation to the scientific committee (1991) and to the working groups of the scientific committee (1996, 1997), convened and chaired the steering committee concerning principles of wild living resource conservation (published as Ecological Applications 6:338-362, 1996 and a focal document for the Marine Life Management Act), served on the Committee of Scientific Advisors of the US Marine Mammal Commission for six years, and was a member of the Ecosystem Advisory Panel, the Scientific Advisory Panel for West Coast Marine Reserve Planning, and the team that conducted a review of the harvest policy used by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council. He served the NERC Special Committee on Seals from 2004-2011. Dr. Mangel was the independent expert witness for Australia in the case in the International Court of Justice "Whaling in the Antarctic: Australia v. Japan, New Zealand Intervening" in which the Court determined that the Japanese Special Permit Whaling program was not for purposes of scientific research.
Job Titles:
- Principal Scientist, Fisheries Technical and Certification Divisions
Dr. Valle joined MRAG Americas in 2010 and is now a Principal Scientist working on projects in our Fisheries Technical and Certification Divisions. Monica has over 20 years of experience in sustainable management and conservation of marine fishery resources. She is specialized in fish and shellfish population dynamics, stock and ecosystem-based assessments, design and evaluation of fishery management strategies, risk analysis, and fishery simulation modeling. Her work involves the full planning, development, and leadership of marine conservation and fishery management projects. She is also a certified Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Assessment Team Leader and has participated in the assessment of several fisheries, ranging from queen conch and spiny lobster in the Caribbean to highly migratory tunas in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Monica received a B.S. in Biology from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and a PhD. in Marine Biology and Fisheries from the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami (RSMAS-UM). She worked with CIMAS-UM and NOAA Fisheries as a post-doctoral stock assessment scientist, and provided scientific advice to FAO, CITES, CARICOM, ACP Fish II, the CFMC-NOAA and other international organizations for the management of tropical marine species in the US, Latin America, and the Caribbean. In Mexico, she coordinated a United Nations (UNIDO) coastal management project within the Gulf of Mexico Large Marine Ecosystem program.
Dr. Nick Hahlbeck joined MRAG Americas in April 2022 as a Fishery Assessment Analyst. He works in our Certification Division on assessments and consulting projects related to sustainability standards, including MSC and RFM. Before joining MRAG Americas, Nick was a researcher, leading efforts in the field and behind the computer to answer practical questions about fish ecology, climate change, and bycatch. His experience spans commercial, recreational, and subsistence fisheries in marine and freshwater ecosystems, and has involved collaboration with universities, state and federal agencies, tribes, nonprofits, and anglers. Nick holds a B.S. with majors in Biology and Marine Science and minors in Mathematics, Computer Science, and Chemistry from the University of Miami, and a Ph.D. in Fisheries Science from Oregon State University.
Job Titles:
- Senior Consultant
- Senior Consultant ( Ret ) VIEW BIO
Dr. Robert (Bob) Trumble retired from MRAG Americas in 2017. He joined MRAG Americas in 2000 as Senior Research Scientist and became Vice President in 2005. As a marine scientist for over 50 years, Bob has wide-ranging experience in marine fish science and management, fishery habitat protection, and oceanography. As Senior Consultant (Retired) he contracts with MRAG Americas and with various other clients. He has performed project planning, assembled research teams, and conducted research, with a focus on improving management of aquatic ecosystems and the resources and fisheries they support. His projects have included manager of certifications for Marine Stewardship Council and other sustainability and traceability assessments; oversight of observer programs; preparation and review of fishery management and habitat management plans; development bycatch management and control; preparation of environmental assessments; and conducting workshops on fishery issues. Dr. Trumble has extensive experience working with government agencies, commercial and recreational fisheries groups, Indian tribes, and national and international advisory groups. Dr. Trumble received a Ph.D. in Fisheries from the College of Fisheries, University of Washington. Dr. Trumble enjoys kayak fishing as much as his busy retirement schedule allows.
Job Titles:
- Office Administrator
- Office Administrator VIEW BIO
Eileen Bautista joined MRAG Americas in January 2022 as Office Administrator. She oversees our St. Petersburg headquarters and is assistant to Graeme Parkes and Debra Welsh. Eileen has over 25 years' experience as a senior executive administrator including a 15 year background in the interior design field as an expeditor. She lived in Miami for 25 year where she owned a successful pet sitting business. Eileen has worked in Manhattan, Los Angeles, and Miami. She enjoys landscaping and gardening.
Erin Hrastar joined MRAG in November of 2020 as a Seafood Sourcing Audit Coordinator, delivering independent audit services to the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF). After nine years of living and working in the Virgin Islands where she was a business owner and volunteer for St. John's National Park, Ms. Hrastar is now working for MRAG Americas, based in St. Petersburg, FL. Ms. Hrastar earned a BA from Colorado State University and is proficient in several different facets of business including budget and bookkeeping, communications, product acquisition, and inventory.
Job Titles:
- Senior Manager
- Senior Manager, Fisheries Certification
Erin Wilson joined MRAG Americas in 2015 and now works as a Senior Manager in our Certification Division. Erin has over 10 years of experience working with marine fisheries, and has collaborated on a multitude of projects that focus on conservation and sustainability in both a biological and social science aspect. She is currently serving on several different assessment teams as team leader and team member under the various certification schemes, including the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM). She also provides routine audit services for social compliance and fishery improvement projects (FIPs). Prior to joining MRAG Americas, Erin worked as a Natural Resource Specialist and Biological Technician for the Oregon Marine Reserves with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). She received a M.Sc. in Marine Resource Management from Oregon State University and a B.S. in Zoology from Colorado State University, along with a Spanish minor.
Job Titles:
- Fishery Administrator and CoC Support
Haley Tomberlin joined MRAG in 2022 as a Certification Administrator in our Certification Division. She is also a CoC Auditor. Haley graduated with a B.S. in Elementary Education with a concentration in Mathematics from the University of Maine at Farmington. She was a teacher for 3 years including 8th grade Science. Before teaching, Haley worked as a Licensing Specialist for the State of Maine Department of Marine Resources. Haley grew up in Maine and relocated to Florida after graduating college. When she's not working, she enjoys cooking, going to the beach, and spending time with her dog Annie.
Job Titles:
- Executive
- Executive Vice President
- Member of the MRAG Americas Team
Jennie Harrington joined MRAG Americas in 2003 and is now our Executive Vice President and serves as a member of our Executive Team. Prior to this, Jennie was Director of our Supply Chain Certification Division from 2020-2022. As Vice President, she continues to provide oversight of CoC projects in our Certification Division. Jennie has 20 years' experience in fisheries and aquaculture as well as in supply chain certifications and program management, including 15 years' experience conducting, managing and reviewing MSC, ASC, and RFM chain of custody audits, training a large team, and managing overall program operations. Additionally, Ms. Harrington has contributed to the quality assurance process for the Chain of Custody Certification Program. During her tenure at MRAG Americas she has participated in many fishery and supply chain consultations involving the Marine Stewardship Council's principles and criteria, scientific research, compilation of data from fisheries around the United States, fishery information management systems, independent program reviews and workshop organization, facilitation and documentation. She is ISO 9001 Lead Auditor Certified. Prior to joining MRAG Americas, Ms. Harrington received an M.S. in Zoology from the University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH and a B.A. in Biology and Psychology from Middlebury College in Middlebury, VT.
Keith Stern-Pirlot joined MRAG Americas in 2019 and is now a CoC Auditor in our Certification Division. He is an MFA graduate of California Institute for the Arts with a degree in Critical Studies and is a practicing artist with an interest in cultural theory. He grew up with a love of the aquatic world, having spent much of his youth diving, surfing and sailing. In addition to chain of custody auditing, he manages our Russian Chain of Custody Program and enjoys working for the benefit of our world's aquatic ecosystems.
Marcie Malone joined MRAG Americas in 2014 and is now a Program Coordinator in our Certification Division. Marcie has an extensive background as a senior executive administrator. As a goal-oriented self-starter, her past experience dealt with in-depth research projects, creative problem solving and a positive, can-do attitude. Drawing on her skill set and always maintaining a professional demeanor, she has helped facilitate solid, trusting relationships with current and future clients, multiple agencies, as well as staff and peers. It is her foresight combined with her passion for growth and learning that helps the MRAG MSC Chain of Custody program run smoothly and efficiently.
Ms. Michealene Corlett joined MRAG Americas in March 2018 now works as the QMS and Fisheries Assessment Manager in our Certification Division. As the quality systems manager she is responsible for the application and improvement of MRAG Americas' quality management system ensuring compliance with ISO certification requirements. Michealene also provides support and collaborates on several fishery projects including Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) assessments. She received a B.S. in Aquatic and Fishery Science with a minor in Quantitative Science from the University of Washington. Prior to joining MRAG Americas Michealene worked at the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife cooperating with inner agency and Tribal managers to monitor Pacific salmon populations in the Lake Washington basin. She has an extensive background in project management, and regulatory compliance and implementation. Her prior work as a project manager fostered strong client relations and the ability to work with a variety of stakeholders on sometimes contentious issues.
Job Titles:
- Director Fisheries
- Director Fisheries Monitoring Division
Mr. Bryan Belay leads MRAG Americas' Fisheries Monitoring Division. He joined MRAG Americas in 2004, having helped us successfully bid the Kodiak Island Marine Mammal Observer Program. He oversaw the successful implementation of the 2005 AMMOP in Kodiak, coordinated the 2005 IFQ fishery for Techsea International, and helped MRAG acquire its North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program and ADF&G Crab Observer Program certifications. Bryan worked with MRAG to manage the Hawaii Longline Observer Program from 2006 to 2009. In 2009 MRAG expanded into the Northeast, providing monitors for the Northeast At-Sea Monitoring Program. In 2012, Bryan helped MRAG win the Northeast Fisheries Monitoring contract, expanding the Northeast program from Maine to North Carolina. Bryan managed a team of 13 coordinators and up to 70 observers during peak seasons. In 2009, Bryan began managing the IATTC Transshipment Observer program, placing observers on Freezer Carrier Vessels in the Pacific Ocean. Bryan continues to recruit, train and place observers on vessels in the Pacific.
Job Titles:
- Director of Our Seafood Sustainability Initiatives and Auditing Division
- Director, SSIAD
- Director, SSIAD VIEW BIO
Oleg Martens is Director of our Seafood Sustainability Initiatives and Auditing Division (SSIAD). His primary focus is on sustainable seafood initiatives and internal audits. In this role he assists clients in carrying out supply chain assessments, which lead to the development and implementation of meaningful and verifiable sustainability commitments. Additionally, he provides technical assistance to various projects ranging from US fisheries data interoperability to Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) traceability. Prior to joining MRAG Americas in 2016, he was a Senior Programs Officer with World Wildlife Fund's (WWF) US Food Team. In this role he helped advance the Market Transformation Initiative, which supports Fortune 500 companies in determining how they can use their purchasing power to leverage improvements in the growing and harvesting of soft commodities. Oleg also worked on illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing issues, most notably through the buildup and launch of the Global Dialogue for Seafood Traceability (GDST). Before joining WWF, Oleg worked as a Fisheries Specialist for the World Bank, where he provided technical assistance to Bank clients. This ranged from overseeing field teams to managing the project cycle and enforcing safeguards. During his time there he conducted fieldwork throughout Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Pacific Island States, and Latin America. Oleg holds a Master Environmental Management degree from Duke University and a Bachelor of Sciences degree from Eckerd College.
Susan Alcorn joined the MRAG America's Seafood Sourcing Certification team in 2015 as a contract auditor. Now, as a regular staff member, she conducts chain of custody auditing for the MSC, ASC and RFM standards as well as private sustainability sourcing standards. Susan's ability to work with our Russian clients helped our client base increase substantially. Her auditing expertise was also instrumental to the process of achieving RFM certification. Susan holds a BS degree in Microbiology from Oregon State University. In her spare time, Susan enjoys gardening, hiking and travel.