Whitley Saumweber

Dr. Whitley Saumweber is senior associate of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He has worked extensively across the federal government, academia, and private sector developing practical approaches for integrating marine science with pressing policy needs. He has been a visiting fellow with Stanford University’s Center for Ocean Solutions and served as President Obama’s associate director for Ocean and Coastal Policy in the White House Council on Environmental Quality. In this latter capacity, he led the development and implementation of President Obama’s agenda for marine conservation and stewardship on behalf of the White House. This included leading teams responsible for the creation of multiple marine reserves of global significance; development of the first U.S. seafood traceability program to combat illegal fishing; directing our National Ocean and Arctic policies; and oversight of national sustainable fisheries policy. Previously, Dr. Saumweber has served as a senior adviser to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) administrator, worked as an adviser to the late Senator Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI), overseen a national research and monitoring program at the NOAA, and worked as an ocean scientist and educator. Dr. Saumweber holds a Ph.D. in biological oceanography from the University of Rhode Island.
Areas of Expertise
All content by Whitley Saumweber
Filter by
Ocean Security Forum 2023
Event by Whitley Saumweber , Rod Schoonover , Dr. Kelly Kryc , Dr. Maxine Burkett , and Rear Admiral Jo-Ann F. Burdian — January 18, 2023
Ocean Security Forum 2021
Event by Whitley Saumweber , Secretary Carlos Del Toro , Monica Medina , Admiral Karl Schultz , Paul Woods , Beth Lowell , Duncan Copeland , Dr. Jared Dunnmon , and Dr. Ian Ralby — December 16, 2021
Oceans of Opportunity: Southeast Asia’s Shared Maritime Challenges, Session Three
Event by Gregory B. Poling , Whitley Saumweber , John Edgar , Laura David , Jurgenne Primavera , John McManus , Amanda Hsiao , and Jay Batongbacal — June 21, 2021
Oceans of Opportunity: Southeast Asia’s Shared Maritime Challenges, Session Two
Event by Gregory B. Poling , Whitley Saumweber , Secretary Roy Cimatu , Deo Onda , Sandra Whitehouse , Dini Trisyanti , Antonio Carpio , Tara Davenport , Xiao Recio-Blanco , and Jay Batongbacal — June 14, 2021
Covid-19 at Sea: Impacts on the Blue Economy, Ocean Health, and Ocean Security
Commentary by Whitley Saumweber , Amy K. Lehr , Ty Loft , and Sabrina Kim — April 10, 2020
A Conversation with U.S. Senator Tom Udall on Addressing Plastic Waste
Event by Sarah Ladislaw , Whitley Saumweber , and Senator Tom Udall — February 28, 2020
Second Annual Ocean Security Forum
Event by Whitley Saumweber and Jonathan E. Hillman — January 7, 2020
An Ocean of Change: How Climate Change is Upending our View of Maritime Sustainability, Sovereignty, and Security
Event by Whitley Saumweber , Amy K. Lehr , and Heather A. Conley — October 8, 2019
UN Report Paints a Bleak Outlook for the World’s Oceans and Coastal Areas
Critical Questions by Whitley Saumweber and Sarah Ladislaw — September 27, 2019
Fishing in the National Defense Authorization: Unpacking Maritime SAFE Act
Critical Questions by Whitley Saumweber — August 14, 2019