Bethany heads up the Marine Protected Area Team at the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), the UK Government’s expert scientific advisory body. She has over 13 years’ experience working in the marine sector, having held positions providing advice on MPAs and Offshore Renewable Consenting in Scottish and UK Government, Aberdeen Representative at OSRL, and over a decade at JNCC providing advice on offshore marine conservation.
A marine zoologist by background, she now works in the Overseas Development Assistance sector, exporting UK expertise on marine industry and emergency response management internationally to build capacity in developing countries to be better prepared to deal with maritime pollution incidents, protecting the marine environment and the livelihoods of those communities who rely on it. Her current focus is on regional initiatives in South Asia, Pacific and East Africa where she partners with local experts to provide a platform to showcase their knowledge and facilitate better collaboration and cooperation.