Four New Members Join National Marine Sanctuary System’s Business Advisory Council

June 2021

NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries is pleased to welcome four new members to the National Marine Sanctuary System’s Business Advisory Council. The council brings together experts on key sectors, projects, or issues to provide advice and recommendations to the director related to the management and conservation of sanctuary resources.

The new members are:

• Greg Klassen, tourism development strategist partner, Twenty31 Consulting Inc.


• Richard Loomis, executive strategic advisor


• Betsy López-Wagner, principal and chief strategist, López-Wagner Strategies


• Stephanie Vatalaro, senior vice president of marketing and communications, Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation

In April, the council elected Dave Bulthuis, president of Pure Fishing N.A. as Chair, and Taishya Adams, policy director at Outdoor Afro as Vice Chair.

The council also created two working groups. One will focus on marketing and outreach efforts to highlight the role national marine sanctuaries play in building strong local economies; the other will identify how industry can support NOAA’s efforts to improve equity, access and inclusion in sanctuaries.

The council’s next meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 7, 2021, from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET. The meeting will be held virtually using Google Meet. To participate, please use the website provided below. If you are unable to participate online, you can also connect to the public meeting using the phone number provided.

Website: meet.google.com/sag-dmgx-gyj

Phone: +1 (650) 449-9427‬, PIN: 327 074 887‬#‬‬‬