Alexis Jackson, Ph.D.

Alexis Jackson serves as the Associate Director of TNC's California Oceans Program. She leads an interdisciplinary team focused on conducting policy research, informing strategic planning efforts and advancing policy priorities around reducing plastic pollution, restoring kelp forest ecosystems, advancing sustainable fisheries management and promoting island resilience. She played an instrumental role in drafting and securing passage of California’s landmark single-use plastics legislation (SB 54) and was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to serve on the California Ocean Protection Council.

Prior to joining The Nature Conservancy, Alexis worked for The Pew Charitable Trusts coordinating their scientific and policy engagement at the tuna-based regional fishery management organizations (RFMOs). Previous to that, Alexis worked for NOAA Fisheries in the High Migratory Species Management Division as a fishery management specialist helping draft regulations and conduct ecological and economic analyses for amendments to the 2006 Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan for tunas, sharks and swordfish. Alexis holds a B.S. in ecology and evolutionary biology from Yale University and a master's and a Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz.