The Steering Committee gathers representatives of aquariums from all continents.
The Steering Committee is composed of 16 members:
- Paul Van den Sande, Honorary Chairperson, Belgium
- Philippe Vallette, Chairperson, Senior advisor Nausicaá, France
- Representatives for Europe:
- Nadia Ounais, Vice President International Affairs, Musée océanographique de Monaco
- Max Janse, Aquarium Curator, Burgers’ zoo, The Netherlands
- Philippe Vallette, Chairperson, Senior advisor Nausicaá, France
- Representatives for People’s republic of China:
- Wang Liang, CEO Ocean Aquarium Shangai
- Zhang Xianfeng, Director, Institute of Hydrobiology, Wuhan
- Wang Shili, Professor, Qingdao Aquarium
- Representatives for Japan:
- Masa Iwata, General Curator, Aquamarine Fukushima
- Takuji Oyama, General Curator, Enoshima Marine Corporation
- Representatives for USA – Canada
- Julie Packard, Executive Director, Monterey Bay Aquarium
- Tom Schmid, President adn CEO, Columbus Zoo Family of Parks
- Clinton Wright, EVP and COO, Expert, Ocean Wise
- John Racanelli, President and CEO National Aquarium
- Jon Hoech, Vice President of Animal Care at the Monterey Bay Aquarium
- Representative for Latin America
- Mauro Tambella, Cons. Mundo Marino, Coordinator Ass. Latin Am. Aquariums
- Representative for Africa
- Michael Farquhar, Director Two Oceans Aquarium, Cape Town
With a training in biology and a doctorate in oceanology, Nadia OUNAIS has completed a scientific course that after various experiences in aquaculture, led her first to take the direction of the Aquarium of Monaco and thereafter to become operational director of the Oceanographic Institute. She was in charge of the Aquarium, the educational service, public conferences, exhibitions and scientific congresses.
Since March 2017, she has been appointed Vice-President of International Affairs at the Oceanographic Institute.
President of the European Union of Aquarium Curators (EUAC) for 9 years, founding member of the International Aquarium Network (IAN), Founding Member of the World Ocean Network, member of several other international organizations, author of dozens of scientific publications, and diver confirmed.
Appointed Knight in the Order of Saint-Charles by HSH Prince Rainier III of Monaco for his career in 2011.
Honored by the Trident Gold in 2012 by the International Academy of Underwater Science and Technology, the highest distinction of the aquatic world.
Of Tunisian origin, she was awarded in 2016 by the Tunisian head of government with the trophy of Radiant International Tunisian woman.
WANG Liang, Senior Vice President of the Singapore-based Straco Corporation Limited, General Manager of Shanghai Ocean Aquarium (the Group’s flagship project) and Director of Underwater World Xiamen (another facility of the Group), DBA (Doctor in Business Administration).
He is actively involved in aquarium industry at both regional and international levels, acting as Vice Chairperson of Aquarium Committee of Chinese Association of National Science Museums, Managing Director of Aquatic Wildlife Division of China Wildlife Conservation Association, and Steering Committee member of IAC/IAN.
Xianfeng ZHANG, born in February 196. Ph.D. and Professor on marine biology, past Director, Museum of Hydrobiological Sciences. Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences in Wuhan, China.
Since 1983, he started his research career on conservation biology of aquatic wildlife, including the baiji river dolphin and the Yangtze finless porpoise, other aquatic mammals and fishes.
Besides, he has special research interests on aquarium science and technology and activities on conservation and science education for water invironment. He has been working actively as a Steering Committee member of IAC/IAN since 2000.
Shili WANG, born in August 1960, is a bachelor of aquaculture and senior engineer. After graduated in 1982, she has been engaged in animal breeding and conservation research, science education and management in aquariums for a long time. After the established of China Aquarium Association in 1995, she has served as secretary, committee member, standing committee member and secretary-general. Edited and completed the first professional standard for aquatic animal handlers in China.
Since 2016, as a member of the IAC Steering Committee, actively participated in various tasks and promoted the participation of Chinese aquariums in IAC activities.
He graduated from the Faculty of Fisheries, Hokkaido University, and worked at the Yomiuri Land Marine Aquarium.
Since the opening of Aquamarine Fukushima in 2000, he has been a member of the Coelacanth Ecosystem Research Project.
He conducts expeditions for coelacanthin Africa and Indonesia.
Takuji Oyam studied at Tokai university school of marine science and technology.
Worked at Vancouver aquarium over 20 years, now working at Enoshima aquarium Japan as a general curator.
Julie Packard is founding executive director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium and a leading voice for science-based policy reform in support of a healthy global ocean.
Under her leadership, the aquarium has pioneered innovative exhibits and education initiatives, and engaged on ocean issues ranging from sustainable global fisheries and aquaculture to plastic pollution, climate change, and science-based conservation of marine wildlife and ecosystems, including sea otters, sharks and bluefin tuna.
She is a trustee of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, and chairs the board of the independent Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, a leader in deep ocean science and technology. A fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, she has received the Audubon Medal for Conservation, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award and the California Coastal Commission’s Coastal Hero award. She is featured in the National Portrait Gallery.
She serves on the Joint Oceans Commission Initiative, working to implement comprehensive reform of U.S. ocean policy. She has addressed ocean issues at international conferences, including the World Trade Organization and Global Climate Action Summit.
Packard earned bachelors and master’s degrees in biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, with a focus on marine algae.
Photo: Corey Arnold
Clint was born in a small seaside town on the East coast of England. He studied marine biology and environmental science at Portsmouth Polytechnic (University) then worked at aquariums and dolphinariums in England before being asked in 1990 to join the Vancouver Aquarium. He now has 40 years of broad-based global expertise in all aspects of aquarium operations that includes 30 years of progressive leadership experience, from Curator to executive Director and is thankful for the mentorship of previous directors Dr. Murray Newman and Dr. John Nightingale.
Clint is also grateful for the strong international aquarium community friendships he has experienced over the years whilst traveling and consulting on aquarium projects in North America, Europe, Mexico Japan and China.
His work outside aquariums with the Canadian government includes over two decades of field research support for studies on belugas, narwhals and sea otters. In 2002 he was also appointed Canada’s operational lead for the transport and care of an orphaned killer whale calf Springer that led to the successful reintroduction to her family off Vancouver Island.
Clint is an active accreditation inspector for the Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA), the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums (AMMPA). He has served as President of AMMPA and is currently past president of CAZA. He has been on the IAC steering committee since 2018.
As president and CEO of the National Aquarium, John leads a
diverse and talented team of employees and volunteers in pursuing
the Aquarium’s mission to inspire conservation of the world’s aquatic treasures and in welcoming 1.2 million guests annually.
In close cooperation with the Board of Directors, John sets the
vision and strategic goals that define how the National Aquarium will evolve to fulfill its mission in a rapidly changing world. Key
priorities include reimagining the Aquarium’s waterfront campus
as a public conservation space, creating North America’s first
dolphin sanctuary and continuously revamping the Aquarium
experience to maximize its effectiveness in engaging and inspiring
a new generation of “hopeful conservationists.”
John joined the National Aquarium in July 2011 after 10 years as founder of a San Francisco-based consulting firm that provided
expert counsel to nonprofit leaders nationally and globally. During that time, his firm worked with over 30 leading cultural and
conservation organizations—among them the Sylvia Earle Alliance/Mission Blue, International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Surfrider Foundation—as well as technology giant Google, where he assisted author and oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle in bringing the ocean into Google Earth, the most popular Earth
visualization tool in existence.
John also spent 16 years in leadership positions at U.S. aquariums. He was the first CEO of the Florida Aquarium in Tampa, where he built the facility, team and vision for Tampa Bay’s leading cultural attraction. He joined the world-renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium one year prior to its opening, serving for nine years on its leadership team as vice president of marketing and development. While in
college, John began his career as a diver and aquarist, experiences that he credits with giving him great appreciation for the work of everyone on the Aquarium team.
John Racanelli, President and Chief Executive Officer
Jon Hoech is the Vice President of Animal Care at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey California.
He leads a team of nearly 100 people that provide expertise in collecting operations, dive programs, husbandry operations, veterinary services, facilities systems, and applied water sciences.
He is involved in institution-wide long-range planning and decision making. He has been serving the Monterey Bay Aquarium for over thirty years and holds in great respect the individual plants and animals in the aquarium’s collection that function as ambassadors for their natural ecosystems. He is drawn to the wonders of nature, has a deep appreciation for all life forms, and enjoys sharing his passion with others.
I was born 63 years ago in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
I dedicated myself for 12 years to raising ornamental fish and I had my own aquarium.
Then I went to work at the Mar del Plata Aquarium, a large oceanarium where I had my first experiences with large aquariums and sharks.
In 2001 I joined Temaikén, at that time the largest aquarium in South America, where I participated first as Senior Aquarist and then as Aquarium Curator.
After 12 years, I started as a freelance Aquarium consultant, and participated in various projects and construction of Aquariums. To mention, the Underwater Adventure Aquarium in Lima, Peru; Vivamar in Chile, Imagination Aquarium in Lima, as Opening director at the Sea of Cortés Aquarium in Mazatlán, Mexico ,with Ocean Wise, Urku Center Aquarium ,and I continue in Mundo Marino, in San Clemente del Tuyú, Buenos Aires, Argentina and collaborations in many other projects in South América
I completed my Masters degree in Marine Biology at Rhodes University, South Africa, in 1994 with a focus on Intertidal Ecology.
I then worked as a research scientist in the Marine Biology Research Institute at the University of Cape Town for three years.
I joined the Two Oceans Aquarium in 1997 as an Aquarist responsible for the Kelp Forest exhibit and Water Quality.
Since then I have had the roles of Operations Manager, Assistant Curator, General Curator in 2003, and then CEO since 2016.
The Two Oceans Aquarium hosted the 8th IAC in 2012 and I was on the Organising Committee and the Chair of the Programme Committee so I know what Nausicaa is going through at the moment; very stressful but all worthwhile in the end.
When I am not at work I enjoy road trips and camping with my wife, son and daughter. I am a keen fisherman, woodworker, trail runner and kite boarder when I can find the time.