Silver Spring, MD - The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation (NMSF), the private, non-profit partner to NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, announced today that Jason Patlis has been selected by its Board of Trustees to serve as the new President and CEO.

“We are excited and very fortunate to welcome Jason aboard. His vast experience and expertise will allow the Foundation to continue serving as a strong partner to NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, and remain a prominent voice in marine conservation,” said Bob Talbot, Chairman of the Board for the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.

Mr. Patlis has more than 19 years of experience in law, policy, finance and management. Working in both the public and private sectors, domestically and internationally, he has specialized in the development and implementation of environmental laws and policies, with specific expertise in marine conservation, climate change, and foreign assistance.

"I am honored to have this opportunity to lead the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and build on its tremendous success. I look forward to working with its partners to educate, engage, and enable the public in our effort to preserve and protect our nation’s special underwater places,” said Mr. Patlis. “With President Obama’s recent call for a national ocean policy, and reauthorization of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act pending before Congress, this is an important and exciting time for the Foundation to emphasize the vital role national marine sanctuaries play in maintaining a healthy marine ecosystem.”

Prior to joining the Foundation, Mr. Patlis most recently served as Vice President and Managing Director for U.S. Government Relations at the World Wildlife Fund. He has worked on both sides of the Capitol, serving under Chairman Sherwood Boehlert as Deputy Staff Director for the House Science Committee, and previously working as Counsel on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee under the late Senator John Chafee, handling fish and wildlife issues for the committee. Mr. Patlis spent more than five years in Indonesia, first as a Fulbright Senior Scholar conducting research on Indonesia's legal framework governing natural resources, coastal management and indigenous rights, and subsequently as a consultant to projects under the World Bank and USAID. Mr. Patlis began his legal career as an attorney in the Office of the General Counsel at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), where he worked extensively on issues relating to the Endangered Species Act and protected resources.

Mr. Patlis is widely published in both law and policy journals, and has given numerous presentations in the U.S. and overseas. Mr. Patlis received his J.D. from Cornell University School of Law in 1992, and his B.A. in English from Haverford College in 1985.