Katharine Leigh

Kat is the leader of SmallScaleOA which aims to use public blockchain technology to incentivize traceable, transparent seafood as well as inclusive, low-cost coastal research on a hyper-localized scale.

She has held positions in fisheries management, electronic health records project implementation, administrative marketing, and scientific visioning for both the private and public sector at such places as Cornell University, The Nature Conservancy, the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), and Epic Software Systems. She currently splits her time between The Nature Conservancy's Palmyra Atoll, Global Science, and Indo Pacific Tuna Programs. With these Programs, she explores potential new partnerships and research collaborations to encourage ocean conservation; facilitate data-sharing; and support sustainable, community-based fisheries management. Kat’s love of Marine Ecology and Economics transcends traditional academic and social boundaries, merging into the fields of International Development and Data Management. She is dedicated to the promotion of comprehensive sustainability, and the alleviation of marine resource inequalities. By focusing on the incentive structures at the interface between government, business, institutions, research, and the general public; Kat aims to facilitate equity, accessibility, practicality, and resiliency within Indonesia’s small-scale fisheries.

When not working on SmallScaleOA or for the Conservancy, Kat stays busy championing various grassroots projects, as well as her social venture, KomunikasIndonesia (KI). In her spare time, Kat -an avid runner and skier- likes to stay active, get outdoors, and explore new places. Whether it’s water, dirt, or snow, Kat is always down for an adventure!

[Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.]