Meet Emily Hess - Programs and Communications Manager
There’s something a little cosmic about Emily Hess joining the Fisheries Trust as its new Programs and Communications Manager.
After all, Hess—who oversees everything from the Community Seafood Program to the newsletter that might’ve led you here—has been drawn to Monterey Bay since she was a Utah native, getting her first dose of the ocean visiting Pajaro Dunes as a kindergartener.
Now her whole family calls Monterey Bay home, including her toddler and parents.
Between then and now, she learned to scuba dive, studied science illustration and marine ecology (at CSU Monterey Bay and Seattle Pacific University, respectively), and worked for the likes of Real Good Fish and Catalina Island Marine Institute.
So while she loved working most recently in marketing and management at a local winery, which comes in handy for the seafood and wine advice below, her pairing with the Trust fits like a hermit crab in its adopted shell.
“To be involved in the local fisheries world again, and part of an amazing team doing mission-driven work,” Hess says, “really does feel like a homecoming.”
As with another recent addition, new operations manager Marilou Inzunza, the Trust 1) is thrilled to have Hess empowering its mission, and 2) requested a little more about her, in her own words:
What draws you to this work?
I have always been passionate about sourcing locally and supporting small businesses. As an ocean enthusiast with a background in marine science, the work I get to do with the Trust is really fulfilling.
It’s a combination of all of my previous positions with communication, visual graphics, and program logistics, all supporting a cause and a community I care about.
What are some of your favorite ways to interact with the ocean?
I am a scuba diver, but my favorite activity in the Bay is paddle boarding. I love to bring my snorkel gear with me and hop in whenever I want to check something out or just kick around, and then I can hop back on my board and keep moving.
It’s a way of interacting above and below the surface and all along the coastline, and it involves moving my whole body. I also just love jumping in and floating. It is very therapeutic to just be in the water, get salty, and exist in the moment there.
What do people sometimes miss about the importance of thriving local fisheries?
I think when people think of thriving fisheries, particularly from a scientific perspective, the human aspect of the fishermen and their families gets lost. Healthy fish stocks are so important for a healthy ocean ecosystem, and for food security—especially as marine food sources become increasingly important—but thriving fisheries also support thriving fishermen. The fishing community around Monterey Bay has a lot of history, and is currently going through many struggles that merit equal attention.
How has being a new mom affected how you approach your life and work?
Obviously it has been a huge transition in the way I budget and value my time, and I definitely view life and how we spend that time through a different lens.
I want to introduce her to all of the activities and aspects of why we love living in Monterey, and want the community and environment that facilitates those experiences to remain intact for her future. I love taking her hiking and biking, and can’t wait to get her on the water more as she gets bigger.
It gives me more drive in my work too. I am hyper-productive during my work time so I can be present during my time with her.
On top of that, a big part of working with the Fisheries Trust is trying to dedicate invested energy towards a bright and productive future for our fisheries and the communities they support, so that my daughter’s generation and beyond get to enjoy the same bounty of resources.
How did competing at a very high level in tennis serve you in other areas of life?
Time management. Having played tennis in college where practices were 3 hours a day, I had to be really proficient with my time management to be able to get my schoolwork done and maintain a high GPA, and those skills have served me so well in all aspects of my life, particularly now as a working mom.
It also made me very competitive in just about everything I do, which my family finds very entertaining.
Speed round (which means: short answers are great): What are some of your favorite seafood preps?
There is a tomatillo sauce I make that I love to roast fish in, but other than that I typically keep things super simple and let the seafood shine—salt, pepper, and lemon juice are typically all I need.
What are some of your earliest memories of the ocean?
I was born and raised in Utah so I remember my first trip to the beach when I was 5 or so and we came out to Pajaro Dunes. I have always loved just playing in the waves and being in the water for as long as possible.
Who are among your ocean heroes?
Powerhouse lady scientists come to mind first, [namely] Sylvia Earle and Isabella Abbott. Jacques Couteau and Ed Ricketts are also very influential figures to me.
What ranks among your sneaky superpowers (besides tennis)?
I’m an artist. I love watercolors and my graduate degree is in science illustration, so I am drawn to any connection between art and science, but I particularly love fish illustrations.
What's some good wine advice for complementing seafood?
General rule of thumb is to pair a sparkling wine with a fried fish dish, a dry white wine (like a Sauv Blanc or a Pinot Grigio) with a lean white fish dish, a fuller bodied white (like a Chardonnay or Viognier) with a fuller, oilier dish, and a light-bodied red (like Pinot Noir or Grenache) with a fattier, big meaty flavor fish like tuna.
If you could have three sea creatures to dinner—and all guests can talk, like Ariel and Sebastian—who do you invite?
1) An octopus, because they are so intelligent. I feel like they would drive really great conversation. 2) A gray whale, because as global travelers, they could share stories of things they’ve seen along the way. 3) A cleaner shrimp—just a cool animal, and it would help keep my kitchen clean.