User:Twparker/David Wilmot (Activist)

David Wilmot (born March 14, 1961) is the President and Co-Founder of Ocean Champions, the first-ever national political organization focused solely on oceans and their wildlife. He also served as Executive Director of the Ocean Wildlife Campaign (OWC) for eights years and has authored and co-authored numerous ocean science and conservation articles. Under his leadership Ocean Champions has helped to elect over 50 dedicated ocean champions to Congress and has helped defeat some of Washington's biggest opponents of ocean conservation.

Biography
David received his MS and BS from the University of Georgia where he also Co-Founded Students for Environmental Awareness. David traveled to the west coast to study the recently discovered deep-sea hydrothermal vents and received his PhD in marine biology from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego. David continued his environmental work while at Scripps (worked with two fellow graduate students to ban Styrofoam on campus and local beaches) and it became clear his passion was advocacy. David gained experience with ocean policy and the workings of Washington, D.C. during a National Sea Grant Marine Policy Fellowship at the National Research Council’s Ocean Studies Board. David and his wife Maureen have two children, Avery and Duncan Wilmot.

Ocean Champions
David Wilmot is the President and Co-Founder of Ocean Champions, the first-ever national political organization focused solely on oceans and their wildlife. The mission of Ocean Champions 501(c)(4) and its connected political action committee, Ocean Champions PAC, is to build the political power necessary to ensure thriving oceans and coasts.

In 2004, David led Ocean Champions PAC to become the first ocean conservation organization to actively campaign for candidates for federal office. Under his leadership Ocean Champions endorsed and financially supported fourteen candidates for the United States House and Senate (5 Republicans and 9 Democrats), and eleven of those candidates won, including two brand new members.

In 2006, 16 “ocean champions” won their election or re-election to the U.S. Congress and Ocean Champions played a role in defeating “Ocean Enemy #1” California congressman Richard Pombo.

In 2008, Ocean Champions supported 34 candidates and 28 of them won (82%). In 2010, Ocean Champions supported 30 candidates and 23 of them won (76%), and played a role in defeating Richard Pombo ocean again.

Through electoral and legislative efforts Ocean Champions’ is playing a unique and leading role in reshaping the relationship of the ocean conservation community with Congress.

Ocean Wildlife Campaign (OWC)
David also served as Executive Director of the Ocean Wildlife Campaign (OWC) for eight years, building this coalition of six national and international organizations into the leading voice for the conservation of large ocean fishes and he was instrumental in designing and running campaigns that led to important legislative and public policy victories. Successes during his tenure at OWC include the introduction of a law banning shark-finning in all U.S. waters and the establishment of an international recovery plan for north Atlantic swordfish that has already brought the fish back from severely overfished status. David served as the Executive Director of National Audubon Society’s Living Oceans Program for two years, while continuing to serve as Director of the OWC. He oversaw the development and initial implementation of the Living Ocean Program’s strategic plan, while leading the program’s science, policy, and political efforts.

Boards and Committees
Prior to taking on the challenges of directing the OWC, David was at the National Research Council's Ocean Studies Board. He first came to the Ocean Studies Board upon receiving a National Sea Grant Marine Policy Fellowship and as a Research Associate there he directed marine science and policy projects, including a study that developed a national research agenda for marine biodiversity. Since then David has served on advisory committees including serving as a member of the United States International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) Advisory Committee for 6 years and on the U.S. delegation to ICCAT on numerous occasions. In addition, he has served on various panels including the National Marine Fisheries Service’ Highly Migratory Species Advisory Panel. He currently serves on the board of directors of Ocean Champions and the Surfrider Foundation in addition to his presidency at OC.

Publications
David has authored or co-authored numerous ocean science and conservation articles including the groundbreaking 2003 report, Turning the Tide: Charting a Course to Improve the Effectiveness of Public Advocacy for the Oceans. This in-depth foundation-sponsored effectiveness study identified the “hallmarks of success” of noteworthy public advocacy organizations, explained how these hallmarks are integrated into winning strategies, and made recommendations that chart a new course for ocean advocates. The report's primary conclusion was that the ocean conservation community needed to "participate fully in the political process" to be more effective. Full participation means working directly to elect good candidates and defeat bad ones. The Turning the Tide findings led David and environmental attorney Jack Sterne to found Ocean Champions and Ocean Champions Voter Fund in 2003.

While earning his doctoral at Scripps Institute of Oceanography, David published a number of scientific articles, such as “Oxygen and Nitrogen-Dependent Sulfur Metabolism in the Thiotrophic Clam Solemya reidi” found in The Biological Bulletin. He is also the author of various committee statements, such as his February 8, 2000 statement to the Committee on Resources and Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife, and Oceans. He presented this to the house during his position as the Executive Directors of the Living Oceans Program in the National Audubon Society.