Big Blue 2026 Speakers
[Intro copy needed]
Day 1 Emcee [need to update with correct person]
Chris Gloninger
Big Blue Emcee
Chris Gloninger
Big Blue Emcee
Chris Gloninger is a Senior Climate Scientist at Woods Whole Group.
Day 1 "Big Blue" Speakers
John Pappalardo
CEO, Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance
John Pappalardo
CEO, Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance
John Pappalardo has spent his entire career working to protect the traditions of Cape Cod’s oldest industry and to create new opportunities for the next generation of fishermen. He has been the CEO of the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance since 2010. Before that, he served for a decade as the organization’s policy director.
At the heart of Pappalardo’s work is the pursuit of new solutions to managing our marine environment. One enduring goal is to bring local fishermen’s knowledge and experience to bear on policymaking.
Whether he is engaged in fisheries management policy work or scientific projects, community education or local economic development, Pappalardo is particularly interested in the power of public-private partnerships. He sees these as key to improving the quality of public policy decisions and to the creation of more flexible fisheries policies— policies that make good sense in the communities they are meant to protect. Championing a more holistic, modern approach to fisheries, through ecosystem-based fisheries management, has become increasingly important as climate change significantly alters the ocean ecosystem.
A native New Englander, Pappalardo came to Cape Cod after completing a B.A. at Seton Hall University. While working as a commercial clammer, he became interested in the plight of the region’s small boat fishing industry and determined to advocate for its future.
Along with participating on several local, regional and national boards, Pappalardo is one of the original members of the Cape Cod Blue Economy Foundation.
Profile photo by Julia Cumes.
Henry St. Julien
Speaker
Henry St. Julien
Speaker
Henry St. Julien is the Director of Diversity Equity Inclusion Belonging. He has 31 years of experience in education; 9 years in Falmouth.
Janet Rocha
Speaker
Janet Rocha
Speaker
Janet Rocha is the Department Chair of Career Technical Education at Falmouth Public Schools.
Day 2 Emcee [Need to update with Jeni's information
Chris Gloninger
Big Blue Emcee
Chris Gloninger
Big Blue Emcee
Chris Gloninger is a Senior Climate Scientist at Woods Whole Group.
Day 2 "Green Tomorrow" Speakers
Haley Cote
Speaker
Haley Cote
Speaker
Haley Cote is Cheif of Staff of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce.
Andrew Gottlieb
Panelist
Andrew Gottlieb
Panelist
Andrew Gottlieb is currently the Executive Director at the Association to Preserve Cape Cod. Andrew has more than 40 years of environmental protection experience in government, was 5 elected to terms on the Mashpee Select Board, and as Chief of the Office of Commonwealth Development, he coordinated Massachusetts’s energy, housing, environmental and transportation policies.
Katy Acheson
Big Blue Host, Organizer
Katy Acheson
Big Blue Host, Organizer
Katy Acheson is the Executive Director of the Cape Cod Blue Economy Foundation, Inc.
Paul Niedzwiecki
Speaker
Paul Niedzwiecki
Speaker
Paul Niedzwiecki is the CEO of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce and Cape Cod Blue Economy Foundation, Inc.