The Marine Science Institute welcomes Lisa Biasillo as its next Executive Director. With more than two decades of executive leadership across nonprofit and educational institutions spanning four continents, Lisa brings deep expertise in strategic planning, fundraising, constituent engagement, and experiential education—paired with a lifelong personal and professional commitment to environmental and marine science.
Most recently, Lisa served as Vice President of Education at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, where she led a large team of delivering experiential, place-based education programs that reach over 30,000 learners annually. Her career has taken her from leading Vienna International School in Austria to Green Hills Academy in Rwanda to Footprints International School in Cambodia—each role marked by meaningful organizational growth, strong community partnerships, and a consistent focus on place-based learning.
Lisa’s connection to the natural world extends well beyond her professional roles. A certified California Naturalist and Sierra Club volunteer, she is active in citizen science and marine natural history photography, for which she has been featured in academic and popular journals. She serves on the boards of the Association for Environmental & Outdoor Education and the Anza-Borrego Foundation. Her career has been defined by a core belief that direct, place-based engagement with local ecosystems is the foundation of meaningful environmental stewardship—a philosophy she now brings to MSI’s work on the San Francisco Bay.
To learn more about the Marine Science Institute, visit https://www.sfbaymsi.org.
