American Fisheries Advisory Committee Members

Matt Alward, AFAC Chair

Commercial Fisherman | Commercial Fishing Industry Supply Chain, At Large Representative

Homer, Alaska

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Matt started fishing as a crew member in 1994 for herring, salmon, and halibut in the Gulf of Alaska. He purchased his first boat in 2004 where his kids grew up on the back deck seining for salmon in Lower Cook Inlet and Kodiak where he still fishes. Matt started building and repairing purse seine nets in the winter of 1995 and started his own business doing the same in 2007. Matt has been deeply involved in fishery advocacy and policy for the last decade. He is currently president of United Fishermen of Alaska and serves on the boards of many fishing organizations as well as several advisory committees, at local regional and national levels.

Term Expires September 1, 2026

Beth Casoni, AFAC Vice Chair

Executive Director, MA Lobsterman’s Association | Seafood Harvester or Processor Representative, Region 2

Marshfield, Massachusetts

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Beth Casoni is a pro-active participant in many areas involving the commercial fishing industry with her primary focus on the commercial scup and lobster industry. Beth is deeply involved in the commercial fisheries collectively with her own personal experiences as well as being with the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association for 15 years and has been the Executive Director for the last 9 years. Beth is the boots on the ground representative for the commercial fishermen and will always give them the shore side support needed to ensure their continued success on the water.   

Beth currently sits on the MA Fishermen’s Working Group for Offshore Wind, MA Ocean Planning Committee, MA Ocean Acidification Commission, MA Seafood Marketing Commission, Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team, and many more working groups.  

Term Expires September 1, 2025

Beau Braymer

Research Vessel Captain | Fisheries Science Community or Relevant Fishery Management Council Representative, Region 6

Muskegon, Michigan

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Beau is a contractor for NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) as part of the vessel operations division. His primary duties at GLERL are R/V Captain, scientific diver and support of all scientific operations on the waterfront. Prior to working with NOAA in the Great Lakes Beau spent five years in south Florida working for an oceanographic environmental consulting firm, Continental Shelf Associates (CSA). As Operations Supervisor at CSA he was involved with many different oceanographic projects both within the USA and abroad. Some examples are, remote sensing surveys, habitat assessments, coral reef restoration projects, environmental baseline assessments and long term monitoring programs. Being in an operational support role has allowed me to be involved in a wide range of scientific programs both directly and indirectly supporting fisheries science. Beau is a Michigan native who was raised on the waters of the Great Lakes where he has spent most of his life fishing its lakes and rivers. He has extensive knowledge of the recreational and commercial fisheries throughout the basin. This knowledge has increased over the past decade while working in support of NOAA’s mission which has afforded Beau the experience of working with many different communities on every Great Lake.

Term Expires September 1, 2025

Mark Alexander

New England Fishery Management Council Member | Fisheries Science Community or Relevant Fishery Management Council Representative, Region 2

Waterford, Connecticut

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Mark Alexander has been a New England Fishery Management Council member for over 11 years. He served first as Connecticut’s state official designee from late 2008 to early 2018 and is now in his first term as Connecticut’s obligatory appointee. During his council tenure, he has served in many roles including chair of the council’s Research Steering Committee. Mark began his career as a marine fisheries biologist with Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Marine Fisheries Program in 1982, and retired in 2018 as the Assistant Director of the Fisheries Division, where he oversaw the Marine Fisheries Program. His career also involved him with the Atlantic State’s Marine Fisheries Commission where he was a member of the Management and Science Committee and later served as Connecticut’s administrative commissioner. He was also engaged in the commission’s Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics Program since its inception -- serving early on as chair of the Commercial Technical Committee and then later as chair of the ACCSP Coordinating Council. His very early fisheries experience includes shrimp boat deckhand, oceanographic observer on menhaden purse seiners and research diver. Mark received his B.S. in marine biology from Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, LA and his M.S. in marine environmental science from the Marine Sciences Research Center, State University of New York at Stony Brook.

Term Expires September 1, 2026

Julianne Curry

Commercial Fisherman | Seafood Harvester or Processor Representative, Region 1

Kodiak, Alaska

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Julianne Curry is a born and raised fourth generation Alaskan and fourth generation commercial fisherman who started in the seafood industry at the age five on her family’s fishing boat. With over 15 years of policy and regulatory experience in Alaska’s commercial fisheries, Julianne is committed to Alaska’s seafood industry and protecting access for commercial harvesters and processors by advocating for sustainable fisheries management and healthy coastal communities. Prior to her current role as the Public Affairs Manager for Icicle Seafoods, Julianne was the Executive Director and lobbyist for United Fishermen of Alaska, the statewide commercial fishing trade association representing 37 member organizations and over 500 individual members.

Term Expires September 1, 2026

Phil Fernandez

Business Executive, Retired | Fisheries Science Community or Relevant Fishery Management Council Representative, Region 1

Holualoa, Hawaii

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Phil Fernandez is a lifelong fisher and a co-founder and president of the Hawaii Fishermen’s Alliance for Conservation and Tradition (HFACT). Phil is chairperson of the State of Hawaii's Marine and Coastal Zone Advocacy Council and a member of the Fisher's Working Group of the Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources. He serves as an advisory member to the philanthropic Hawaii Community Foundation's Marine 30 x 30 Fund. Phil also served as advisory member to the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and the Papahanaumokuakea National Marine Monument. He was also a member of the Hawaiian Monk Seal Recovery Team. Phil lives on the Big Island of Hawaii, and is a part time commercial fisher.

Term Expires September 1, 2024

Lori French

Director of Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations | Seafood Harvester or Processor Representative, Region 4

Morro Bay, California

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Lori French is a longtime fisherman's wife in Morro Bay, California. She is a director of PCFFA, past President and Director of Central Coast Women for Fisheries, as well as past Treasurer of Morro Bay Commercial Fishermen's Organization. She has held and holds seats on many boards in the Morro Bay area so there is a commercial fishing face present. Lori was the creator of the Faces of California Fishing- a grant funded public outreach for commercial fishing. In the past, she has worked with Oregon State University on a crab fishermen's safety study. Lori holds a B.S. from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in Poultry Industry/Animal Science. In her spare time she takes over the family avocado orchard and egg business when her husband is out fishing. She also is the author of Fish Wife Life/Our House stories which appear in Fishermen's News and National Fisherman magazine.

Term Expires September 1, 2026

Pete Granger

WA Sea Grant, Retired | Fisheries Science Community or Relevant Fishery Management Council Representative, Region 4

Bellingham, Washington

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Pete has an extensive background in the commercial seafood industry, having fished commercially in Puget Sound and Alaska and processed, sold and marketed seafood products for several companies and served as executive director for several fisheries trade associations working on government relations and policies regarding the fishing industry. He served as Director of the University of Washington Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program for fifteen years. Pete continues to fish commercially in Puget Sound as a reef-net salmon fisherman at Lummi Island near Bellingham, Washington.

Term Expires September 1, 2024

Marcos Hanke

Charter Boat Captain | Fisheries Science Community or Relevant Fishery Management Council Representative, Region 3

Humacao, Puerto Rico

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Marcos Hanke currently resides in Humacao, Puerto Rico. He was born in Porto Alegre, Brazil and moved to Puerto Rico 32 years ago. He is a graduate of Coastal Marine Biology, UPR- Humacao. A lifelong recreational fisherman, he has been the owner and operator of a charter boat in the East area of Puerto Rico for over 30 years. He is Chair of the Caribbean Fishery Management Council and member of several advisory panels on national and international fisheries issues, as well as a participant and collaborator in several research projects. Former instructor of Fishery Resources classes at the UPR-Humacao. In recent years, he has been helping university students during field projects, in addition to helping the fishing community on issues related to sustainable management and development of new fishing opportunities for better use of fishing resources.

Term Expires September 1, 2025

Jessica Hathaway

Fishing Industry Consultant | Recreational or Commercial Fisher/Experience Growing Seafood Representative, Region 2

Portland, ME

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Jessica Hathaway is a senior consultant for Ocean Strategies, a public affairs firm specializing in fisheries, seafood and working waterfronts. She is a board member of Global Ocean Health, served as editor of National Fisherman magazine for 16 years and as a member of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute’s Communications Committee.

Term Expires September 1, 2024

Laxman Kanduri

Professor, City University of New York | Fisheries Science Community or Relevant Fishery Management Council Representative, Region 5

Princeton, New Jersey 

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Laxman is a professor at the City University of New York and comes to AFAC with thirty five years of teaching food science, technology and safety, consultant to the food industry; Serving as a Recognized Processing Authority (Association of Food and Drug Officials, AFDO) by providing services to fresh and processed seafood. snack food, acidified foods, low-acid canned foods, pickles, condiments, sauces and salad dressings, fermented foods, soups, bakery, juice and beverage products.

Term Expires September 1, 2026

Mike Leonard

Vice President of Government Affairs, American Sportfishing Association | Recreational or Commercial Fisher/Experience Growing Seafood Representative, Region 5

Fredericksburg, Virginia

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Mike Leonard is the Vice President of Government Affairs for the American Sportfishing Association (ASA), the trade association representing the nation’s recreational fishing industry. He oversees ASA’s policy work on a wide range of federal and state issues involving fisheries management, conservation and trade. Mike began with ASA in 2009 as the association’s policy fellow. He has degrees in fisheries science and management from Virginia Tech (B.S. ’05) and Auburn University (M.S. ’08).

Term Expires September 1, 2024

Mark Palicki

COO, Fortune International | Seafood Harvester or Processor Representative, Region 6

Chicago, Illinois

Mark Palicki, a lifelong member of the restaurant and foodservice industries, serves Fortune International as Chief Operating Officer, overseeing the day-to-day administrative and operational functions of the business.  He works directly with the leaders of the operating companies and support office to provide direction. Joining Fortune in 2007 as the Vice President of Marketing, Palicki was promoted to President in 2019 and Chief Operating Officer in 2022. Palicki also supports the sustainability initiatives of Fortune Fish & Gourmet. Environmental consciousness is an integral part of every division within Fortune, from sales to production to customer education. 

Palicki attended the University of Houston, earning his bachelor’s degree in hotel and restaurant management in 1995. After graduating he crossed the country, landing in Hyde Park, NY, at the Culinary Institute of America. Palicki trained under a Master Chef and earned his associate degree in culinary arts. Today, Palicki calls on his business and culinary education, as well as his many years in food service, to lead the operations at Fortune Fish & Gourmet. Palicki also volunteers his time in the industry outside of Fortune, he is a founding member of SeaPact, sits on the National Fisheries Institute Board of Directors and represents Region 6 on the American Fisheries Advisory Committee.

Mark Palicki resides with his wife, Vivian, and their three children in the Western Chicago’s suburb where he grew up.

Term Expires September 1, 2024

Charles (Charlie) Phillips

Owner of Multiple Fishing Community Businesses | Seafood Harvester or Processor Representative, Region 5

Townsend, Georgia

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Charlie comes to AFAC with extensive knowledge and experience in the Atlantic and Gulf Coast fisheries. These include Sea Scallops, Whelks, Golden Tile, Wreck Fish, Rock Shrimp, Royal Reds, Snowy Grouper, Deep water Grouper, Dolphin, Mackerel and coastal shrimp. Former owner of commercial shrimping vessels and current owner of 5 snapper/grouper vessels. Owner of Phillips Seafood, which is a commercial dock, packing shrimp and snapper/grouper boats. Charlie is also the owner of Sapelo Sea Farms, which handles farmed and wild clams, along with oysters. Phillips Seafood and Sapelo Sea Farms market to both U.S. and Canadian markets. Sapelo Sea Farms has worked with the University of Georgia Marine Extension in aquaculture of several types of shellfish. Charlie was a member of the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council from 2009-2018 and termed out as Chairman.

Term Expires September 1, 2025

Kellie Ralston

Vice President for Conservation and Public Policy, Bonefish & Tarpon Trust | Recreational Fishing Industry Supply Chain, At Large Representative

Tallahassee, Florida

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Kellie Ralston, a fifth generation Floridian, serves as the Vice President for Conservation and Public Policy for the Bonefish & Tarpon Trust. Mrs. Ralston attended Florida State University where she furthered her interest in the natural and marine world and received her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in biology. She began her professional career working on water quality and Everglades’ restoration projects with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and then served as an analyst for the Florida House of Representatives' Water and Resource Management Committee. She then worked with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission where she was involved in policy development and stakeholder coordination for the Division of Marine Fisheries Management. Most recently, she served as the American Sportfishing Association’s Southeast Fisheries Policy Director, addressing fisheries, habitat and water quality issues in the Gulf and South Atlantic region.

Term Expires September 1, 2025

Ronald Rogness

Director of Industry Relations, Partnerships and Fishery Analysis, Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers | Recreational or Commercial Fisher/Experience Growing Seafood Representative, Region 6

Wasau, Wisconsin

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Ron Rogness joined the Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers (GAPP) as Director of Industry Relations, Partnerships and Fishery Analysis in February, 2023. Ron Rogness previously served as an economic advisor to GAPP. Prior to this, Rogness was Vice President of Sustainability and Corporate Relations for American Seafoods Group in Seattle, Washington. Ron also spent eleven years in seafood purchasing for Long John Silver’s Restaurants and then, after LJS was purchased by Yum! Brands, served seven years in seafood purchasing and government affairs for the Unified Foodservice Purchasing Cooperative, the exclusive supply chain manager for Yum! Brands U.S. restaurants. Ron started his career in the seafood industry in 1980 as a commercial fisherman, first in Washington State and later Alaska. After graduate work in fisheries economics at University of Alaska, he served as staff economist for the North Pacific Fishery Management Council in Anchorage Alaska. Following three years with the Council, Ron spent five years as staff economist and West Coast Government Relations Representative at the National Fisheries Institute.

Term Expires September 1, 2026

Vernon Sato

Aquatic Biologist, Retired | Food Distribution, Marketing, Retail, or Food Service, At Large Representative

Kailua, HI

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Sansei Vernon T. Sato learned fishing while growing up in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. The nearshore fishery has changed dramatically over the years. Formal education includes a Bachelor’s in Biology and a Master’s in Botanical Science. Mentors introduced many opportunities to study phytoplankton and other microalgae which led to a career in aquaculture research. Vernon has produced phytoplankton for oyster, clam, shrimp and finfish research as well as commercial production hatcheries. Monitoring the development of ecosystems in ponds and raceways has led to a greater understanding of the balance of organisms that contributes to healthy culture systems. These observations have been applied towards improving the protocols in hatcheries. The attack on September 11, 2001 ended the mullet hatchery and Hilo Mullet Stock Enhancement Program that Vernon managed for the Division of Aquatic Resources, State of Hawai‘i. Since retiring Vernon has used his insights on ‘ama‘ama, Mugil cephalus, as well as other native Hawaiian species to bring seafood production back to loko i‘a, the ancient Hawaiian fishponds. The focus has been to merge scientific knowledge with cultural aspects of loko i‘a to better understand how these ancient systems rivaled the productivity of some forms of modern agriculture. One result was the book Keeper of Moli‘i Pond about the modern history of a continuously operating, 600 year old fishpond. The effort continues to find, train and educate members of the next generations to build upon this work. Vernon also serves on the Technical Committee for the Center for Tropical and Subtropical Aquaculture (CTSA) Regional Aquaculture Center. 

Term Expires September 1, 2024

Rebecca Skinner

Executive Director, Alaska Whitefish Trawlers Association | Recreational or Commercial Fisher/Experience Growing Seafood Representative, Region 1

Kodiak, Alaska

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Rebecca Skinner was born and raised in Kodiak, Alaska, and is a member of the Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak and former Tribal Council member. Skinner owns a private law practice and is Executive Director of Alaska Whitefish Trawlers Association. Trawl harvesters land approximately 70% of total fish volume in Kodiak annually, maintaining Kodiak’s rank within the top five ports by volume of fish landed in the United States.  Skinner serves on the Kodiak Aleutians Regional Advisory Council to the Federal Subsistence Board, International Pacific Halibut Commissions Conference Board, Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute Whitefish Committee, United Fishermen of Alaska board, and previously served on the Seafood Harvesters of America board, spent six years on the Kodiak Borough Assembly, and two years as president of the Southwest Alaska Municipal Conference. Skinner earned a Bachelor of Arts from Dartmouth College, a Juris Doctor and Master of Studies in Environmental Law from Vermont Law School, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

Term Expires September 1, 2025

Michael Stephens

CEO, BAMA Sea Products Inc | Seafood Harvester or Processor Representative, Region 3

St Petersburg, Florida

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Michael is the CEO of Bama Sea Products, Inc. in St. Petersburg, FL. His father started Bama in 1979 with two shrimp boats and a small packing facility in Bayou La Batre, AL. Over the last 45 years Bama has evolved into one of the largest seafood processors and distributors in the Southeast US, focusing on shrimp caught in the Gulf of Mexico along with other finfish and shellfish species. Michael has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and a juris doctorate degree from Stetson University College of Law.

Under Michael’s leadership Bama has created innovative products for some of the largest food distributors in the world, balancing consumer preferences, customer demands and the complex framework of U.S. food regulation. Michael’s legal qualifications and decision-making authority as CEO allow him to drive change in the seafood industry quickly and decisively. Through his work on the board of the Southern Shrimp Alliance, he is well-versed in fisheries regulation, management and advocacy. His representation of the broader U.S. seafood industry has allowed him to appear as a guest at President Obama’s January 2011 State of the Union address. Michael has also advised a Presidential Task Force, the Department of Customs and Border Protection, the Food and Drug Administration, the International Trade Commission, and the Department of Commerce on fisheries policies and initiatives.

Term Expires September 1, 2024

John Supan

Owner, Sea Farms Consulting LLC | Recreational or Commercial Fisher/Experience Growing Seafood Representative, Region 3

Covington, Louisiana

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John Supan’s professional career spans 45 years in the Gulf region specializing in oyster biology, culture, sanitation, and management. He retired at the end of 2017 from the Louisiana Sea Grant College at LSU after 35 years of distinguished service as professor, oyster specialist and director of Sea Grant’s Oyster Hatchery on Grand Isle, Louisiana. Oyster hatcheries, nurseries, culture of single oyster cage culture and spat-on-shell for fisheries and restoration, and Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) for oysters have been his focus the past 33 years, while serving as Secretary-Treasurer of the Louisiana Oyster Dealers & Growers Association since 1985. He currently is an active production partner/owner with Navy Cove Oyster Company, Fort Morgan, Alabama, and sole proprietor of Sea Farms Consulting LLC, which primarily sells components and complete bottle nursery systems to commercial and research interests

Term Expires September 1, 2026

Derek Orner

Fisheries Expert, NOAA | National Marine Fisheries Service Federal Employee, At Large Representative

Arnold, Maryland

Term Expires September 1, 2024