Julie Packard

Julie E. Packard (born 1952/1953) is an American ocean conservationist and philanthropist. She helped create the Monterey Bay Aquarium in the early 1980s and is its executive director, a position she has held since its opening in 1984. She speaks at conferences and symposia related to ocean conservation, and writes online about current issues. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and is a recipient of the Audubon Medal. Early life and education Packard grew up in the Santa Clara Valley in Northern California, where she rode horses and explored nature on the extensive grounds of San Felipe Ranch each weekend. With her father, David Packard, the co-founder of Hewlett-Packard, she planted a vegetable garden every year. Packard spent much time outdoors, and was always very curious; as a student at University of California, Santa Cruz, her biology professor said she "was able to synthesize and ask great questions. She had a wide-open, inquisitive mind." Her most fond experiences as a student were early mornings wearing hip waders, combing through algae and animals of the intertidal zone. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in biology in 1974, and a Master of Arts in 1978, focusing on marine algae. Career Packard joined other members of her family in the undertaking to create Monterey Bay Aquarium. Her sister, Nancy Burnett, also has a degree in marine biology, and her father helped design the facility's infrastructure. Packard became the aquarium's executive director by the time the aquarium opened in 1984. As part of her role at Monterey Bay Aquarium, Packard was instrumental in the creation of the sustainable seafood advisory list, Seafood Watch, and its endeavor to prevent the import of seafood harvested through slavery. Packard chairs the board of directors of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, and is also a trustee of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. She received the Audubon Medal from the National Audubon Society in 1998 for her work in conservation and environmental protection, became a member of the American Philosophical Society in 2004, and was elected as a fellow to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2009. Packard received a lifetime achievement award from the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, the Ted Danson Ocean Hero Award from Oceana in 2004, and was named a California Coastal Hero in 2009 by the California Coastal Commission and Sunset magazine.