Captain Jim “Homer” Holm
Founder, Operations Director
Captain Jim “Homer” Holm has been U.S. Coast Guard licensed since 1979, working for over 30 years in the maritime trades on various configurations of sail and motor craft including private luxury yachts, grand prix racing sailboats, marine research vessels, square-rigged training ships and fast rescue boats.
Captain Holm has crossed the Atlantic Ocean, sailed into the Mediterranean, North and Caribbean Seas, transited the Panama Canal, crossed the Pacific Ocean from California to Hawaii and back numerous times, and voyaged among many Pacific islands including Hawaii, French Polynesia, Fiji, Vanuatu, Australia, New Zealand and the Marshall Islands.
Captain Holm’s management experience includes developing and operating acclaimed non-profit marine education programs for clients including O’Neill International and the Monterey Bay Aquarium, serving over 50,000 kids and 5,000 adults over the last fourteen years. He has also been a successful fundraiser for people with Autism.
As Co-founder and Director of Operations for “Clean Oceans International”, Captain Holm is tasked with identifying and developing the technologies that will play a key role in removing destructive plastic marine debris from the world’s oceans.
Captain Holm feels extremely fortunate to reside on the beautiful central coast of California where an abundance of marine education resources and an awareness of environmental issues has provided him the perfect platform to share his knowledge and passion for the health of the sea. He is excited to discuss marine environmental and educational issues and invites inquiries through your favorite medium.
Rob Mazurek
Strategic Planning
Robert Mazurek started Conservation Planners in 2005 in order to fill a vital need for independent, strategic, and full service conservation planning. He has 10 years of proven experience creating adaptive and dynamic plans to achieve sustainable ocean ecosystems in mixed-use environments. He has over 20 years experience in marine science communications focused on educating decision makers and the general public.
Recently, Robert developed a communications plan, a “lessons learned” report, and a comprehensive funding strategy for the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation’s successful MPA Education and Outreach Initiative.
Robert has also spent the past three years advising the Resources Legacy Fund Foundation and the California Department of Fish and Game in the implementation of California’s Marine Life Protection Act. Specifically, Robert took the lead on creating a statewide management planning framework and regional partnership protocols for the state’s network of marine protected areas, which will be the largest in the world.
Previously, Robert was the Management Plan Coordinator for the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve and spearheaded every aspect of the agency’s conservation assessment and goal development. Using these new goals, he created an integrated program strategy, a five-year action plan, and a ten-year management plan. He then successfully guided this plan through a complex two-tiered Federal/State environmental review process.
Robert also spent six years at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and helped design and launch the Aquarium’s nationally successful Seafood Watch Program. As part of this effort, he analyzed and evaluated the sustainability of fisheries throughout the world, worked with fishery scientists and fishermen to create a marketplace for sustainable seafood, and helped lead the program’s communications and outreach effort.
Robert is the former Deputy Director of communications for California State University, Monterey Bay and was in charge of all internal communications and science-related external communications. He has written dozens of articles in magazines such as Popular Science, New Scientist, and the Smithsonian.
For over eight years Robert has served on the Executive Committee of the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation’s Board of Directors. He was also recently appointed vice-chair for the City of Santa Cruz Water Commission.
Brian Foss
Brian earned his BA in Economics from the University of Southern California and then spent several years in the US Coast Guard and California Air National Guard.
Brian’s rich maritime background stems from experience as Harbormaster, Port Director and consultant to the Santa Cruz Port District. He launched Brian Foss Maritime Consulting in 2009 and continues Government and Environmental consultation services today.
As a member and former chairman of the California Marine Affairs and Navigation Conference (CMANC), a consortium of ports and harbors, Brian is highly involved in maritime advocacy. Additionally he co-chairs the CMANC environmental committee, which tracks environmental issues pertaining to the marine industry.
Brian is the current chairman of the California Maritime Infrastructure Authority (CMIA), overseeing bond finance facilitated by the organization. An advocate for marine environmental issues, he also enjoys swimming, cycling, paddle boarding and creative writing.