Seleni is a second-year MESM student from Belize pursuing a specialization in Coastal Marine Resource Management. Given her love for the ocean, the move to Santa Barbara from Belize was natural. Seleni is interested in small-scale fisheries reform in developing countries. More specifically, through a multidisciplinary approach ensuring conservation impact and with opportunities for scaling. Her goal is to better understand and contribute to the dynamic and innovative solutions including fisheries science and ecology, communities, livelihoods, market-based initiatives and policy.

Seleni graduated Cum-laude from the University of Belize with a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Management in 2012, and prior to joining Bren, Seleni served as the Conservation Coordinator at The Nature Conservancy in Mexico and Northern Central America for four years. Her sustainable fisheries management background includes the design of marine protected areas, economic alternatives, seaweed aquaculture, traceability and adaptive management framework. She has experience collaborating with a diverse group of stakeholders, government agencies, NGOs, local communities and the private sector. Maintaining her diverse interest, Seleni also has knowledge in sustainable forest management particularly REDD+ and carbon sequestration. She also served on the board of the Mesoamerican Society for Biology and Conservation, a professional and student society whose mission is to promote the exchange of information and research, for four years.

Seleni completed her summer internship as the Business and Markets Analysis intern with Future of Fish, where she conducted market analysis in global seafood markets and research that informs strategic decisions towards sustainable fisheries management in Mexico, Peru, Chile and Belize. Key activities included value chain mapping, markets analysis, stakeholder mapping and conducting interviews with experts and key stakeholders. Following her tenure as fellow, Seleni seeks to work at the intersection of investment, buisness, and fisheries management to advance sustainabilty of marine natural resources in Latin America.