Melissa Luna

Experience

• 

  Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI)

  Jun 2010 - Aug 2010

  Intern

  Used laser Raman techniques to determine pH of marine pore water from sulfide signals in deep-sea sediments. The results of the project were presented at the American GeophysicalUnion (AGU) fall meeting in December 2010.Brewer SoCal Expedition, R/V Western Flyer, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), July 2010:Completed a series of ROV dives exploring the geochemistry of deep-sea sediments around methane venting sites off the coast of southern California. Participated in video logging, core recovery and traditional pore water analysis and prep. Responsible for operating the in situ Raman system. Show less

• 

  Columbia University

  Aug 2010 - Jun 2011

  Laboratory Technician II

  Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory: Assisted in water sample preparation for projects studying the effects of arsenic contamination in groundwater in Bangladesh and Vietnam. Assisted in the preparation and identification of microfossils (foraminifera) used for oxygen and carbon isotope analysis in order to re-construct climate related changes within the structure of ocean water masses.

• 

  The Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF)

  Jun 2013 - Jan 2014

  Research and Field Assistant - Learning Project

  Based in the Philippines as part of the Learning Project evaluation team, I assisted in the design of community, national, and regional level survey instruments that were administered in six countries. I coordinated field logistics, interviewed senior government, non-government, and academic officials, as well as oversaw survey implementation in rural fishing villages in the Philippines. I managed large, multinational databases, encoded surveys, and transcribed and coded interviews using ATLAS.ti. The Learning Project was a collaborative effort involving USAID, World Wildlife Fund and The University of Washington to conduct an empirically grounded study, which analyzed stakeholder perceptions about how the Coral Triangle and its communities have benefited from the US CTI Support program. Show less

• 

  IUCN

  Feb 2014 - Feb 2015

  Environment and Gender Index (EGI) Fellow

  Led the development and was lead author of a collaborative project with Conservation International on the state of women in environmental decision making in three countries. Created, managed, and supervised the development of a global database on women’s environmental decision making. Duties included data collection, analysis, writing, fact sheet development, and engaging with and interviewing IUCN's stakeholders and partners. The EGI initiative is a project of the Global Gender Office that seeks to expose the inequalities that exist for women in the environmental sector, measure progress, and improve information to ultimately empower countries to take steps forward for gender equality and for the environment. Show less

• 

  University of Washington

  Jun 2014 - Oct 2014

  Field Assistant, Social-Ecological Resilience of Marine Reserves

  Conducted hundreds of social surveys around Puget Sound marine reserves, assisted with field operations, provided field methodological support, and transcribed interviews. The Puget Sound Marine Reserve project was a project out of the University of Washington led by Dr. Patrick Christie and Dr. Todd Stevenson. The project evaluated marine reserves and their contributions toward social and ecological resilience in Puget Sound. The study involved surveying community members, resource users, key informants, and policy makers at multiple sites throughout Puget Sound. Show less

• 

  Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE)

  Mar 2015 - Sept 2015

  Science Communications and Social Inclusion Advisor

  Served as a communicator to both a local and global audience for TIDE research and conservation projects. Responsible for updating TIDE's website, relevant social media pages, producing newsletters and articles, coordinating seminar events, conducting focus groups, as well as visiting local schools, villages, and fishing communities in Toledo to help integrate, explain, and improve TIDE's scientific and development projects. Facilitated workshops on gender integration in conservation, assisted in the incorporation of gender in TIDE management plans and projects, helped facilitate community meetings and helped improved social impact M&E of TIDE’s programs.I raised over $5,000 using a crowdfunding platform to support my internship overseas. Please check out the link to my campaign for more information. Show less

• 

  Independent Consultant

  Feb 2016 - Sept 2016

  Research Consultant

  WWF: Worked with a team of scientists at WWF US and the Luc Hoffmann Institute (LHI) to develop a communication strategy and outputs for a multinational study about the social and ecological impacts of marine protected areas. Provided input for website development and communication of research findings. Solely responsible for the design and production of infographic released at the World Conservation Congress in September 2016.WCS: Co-developed a preparatory study to provide inputs to guide the EU’s strategic approach to wildlife conservation in Asia (jointly responsible for the production of a regional marine biodiversity report covering the Coral Triangle and Bay of Bengal regions). Duties included identification of relevant literature and informants, qualitative interview analysis and transcription, collation of information, production of draft and revised reports. Show less

• 

  Playa Viva

  Sept 2016 - Sept 2018

  Social & Environmental Impact Manager

  Led social responsibility and environmental impact at Playa Viva, a regenerative development project, ensuring the company was delivering on its social and environmental sustainability commitments. I developed and oversaw the implementation of various community development and environmental sustainability initiatives, working with local, national and international partners. The initiatives and projects involved understanding the impact of business operations on the local community and local ecosystem, and developing a strategy and recommendations to support the hotel's regenerative mission and goals. In addition, I began creating a “Regenerative Standard” that will be used to measure the intangible successes of “impact” and used as a blueprint for other hotel members of the Regenerative Resorts collective looking to measure their own impacts. Show less

• 

  EnGen Collaborative, LLC

  Dec 2018 - Oct 2021

  Gender and Social Inclusion Consultant

  Provided support to various conservation-development projects, including research, policy and action plan development, as well as capacity building to ensure gender and other social dimensions are addressed in global environmental programming. Clients include/have included: - IUCN Global Programme for Governance and Rights- Blue Action Fund - Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism - Solimar International- Profonanpe Peru

• 

  FishChoice

  Oct 2021 - now

  Oversees implementation of the Human Rights and Social Responsibility Policy (HRSRP) and contributes to its revision and clarification, providing overall managerial support to the social responsibility program and related projects, alongside strategic contribution to the ongoing growth, evolution, and innovation of FishChoice social responsibility programs. Melissa supports the implementation, clarification and revision of the FisheryProgress Human Rights and Social Responsibility (HRSR) Policy, including developing guidance and resources to FIPs reporting on FisheryProgress. She also supports the implementation of FishChoice's other nascent social responsibility projects, involving collaboration with external partners to advance human rights and social responsibility in the seafood movement more broadly. As a FIP analyst, Melissa reviews FIP social and environmental data on FisheryProgress.org to ensure evidence is accurate, meets quality standards, and supports the results proposed by the FIP implementer. She also supports social responsibility efforts at FishChoice, including supporting FIPs implement FisheryProgress's Human Rights and Social Responsibility Policy.

  • Deputy Program Manager, Social Responsibility

    Jan 2024 - now

  • Social Responsibility Program Associate

    Jun 2022 - Jan 2024

  • Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) Analyst

    Oct 2021 - Jun 2022