SOA Founder & CEO
Daniela is an award-winning social entrepreneur, thought leader, and internationally sought-after speaker on the entrepreneurial mindset, ocean innovation, technology, youth empowerment, and sustainability.
At the age of 19, Daniela founded Sustainable Ocean Alliance as a college-room idea at Georgetown University. Five years later, SOA has created the world's largest network of young Ocean Leaders in over 150 countries and launched the world's first Ocean Solutions Accelerator to support developing technological solutions to address the greatest threats facing our planet.
Daniela has been recognized for her work by former U.S. Secretary John Kerry, U.S. President Bill Clinton, and E.U. Commissioner Karmenu Vella. She is a World Economic Forum Global Shaper and a member of Friends of Ocean Action—a select group of leaders working to fast-track solutions to ocean challenges. She was awarded the 2020 Rising Star Visionary Award by the Silicon Valley Forum and named a 2019 Forbes 30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneur. Other awards and recognitions include Glamour Magazine's College Women of the Year, Zula's Top 5 Ocean Heroes of 2016, the Peter Benchley Ocean Award, and the Bustle Upstart Award. Daniela is a contributor to National Geographic and Sustainable Brands, and has been interviewed by Voice of America, New York City TV, and Ocean Radio. She has served as a keynote speaker at The Economist World Ocean Summit, the Global Climate Summit, The Global Convening of Mayors, The United Nations, U.S. Capitol Hill Ocean Week, Collision Conference, Sustainable Brands Conference, WE Day, and Davos 2019 - The World Economic Forum’s annual meeting.
Corporate Partner, WSGR
Robert (Bob) O'Connor is a corporate partner with Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. Bob's global practice focuses on the representation of high-growth enterprises, with an emphasis on those innovating in the energy, infrastructure, mobility, consumer products, and sustainability sectors, as well as the representation of venture capital and private equity firms, corporate venture groups, family offices, and impact investors that finance them.
Bob is credited with having founded the firm's energy and infrastructure practice in 2003 and co-leads the firm's industry initiative today, which includes a cross-disciplinary team that is widely viewed as being among the preeminent energy and infrastructure practices in the country. Nationally recognized as a thought leader in the sector, Bob is a frequent speaker at prominent industry events nationally, and he is a go-to strategic partner to universities, laboratories, and accelerators committed to technology commercialization directed at energy and infrastructure innovation.
Prior to founding the firm's energy and infrastructure practice, Bob founded and served as managing partner of the firm's Salt Lake City office, during which time Bob represented many of the leading venture capital and private equity investors and technology enterprises in the region, including Altiris (sold to Symantec), NPS Pharmaceuticals, Omniture (sold to Adobe Systems), and Overstock.com. Bob also serves on the board of directors of the WSGR Foundation, a philanthropic vehicle for the firm's partners to support charitable and other community organizations.
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Education and Outreach Coordinator, NOAA
Laura Francis has more than 30 years of experience in ocean and environmental science, education and outreach, working for the National Park Service, National Marine Sanctuary System and as a teacher and environmental educator. She leads a variety of projects and programs including professional development for teachers and creating education and outreach materials for the public designed to increase ocean awareness and stewardship.
Laura has been involved with impact investing and philanthropy since 2016 and manages the Sea Forward fund, which supports projects and programs that inspire ocean conservation and climate solutions. Laura earned her undergraduate degree at UC Berkeley in Zoology and her Masters at UC Santa Barbara in Deep Sea Biology. She is also on the board of the Community Environmental Council in Santa Barbara and is involved with the Santa Barbara Women’s Fund. She lives in Santa Barbara, California with her son.
Senior Executive VP, Bank of the West
Pierre Ramadier is Senior Executive Vice President, Group Head of Wealth Management for Bank of the West, a subsidiary of BNP Paribas. He is also a member of Bank of the West’s Executive Management Committee.
Ramadier began his career in 1986 in France with the Paribas Group. In 2000, he was responsible for establishing the first Private Banking Region within the Paris Retail Network, thus launching the new wealth business model for BNP Paribas. In 2003, Ramadier was named Head of Champs-Elysées, one of the main Retail Branch Groups in Paris. Three years later, Ramadier became co-Head of BNL Private Banking in Italy, where he launched the new private banking business model and ensured its integration within the BNP Paribas business line.
In 2010, Ramadier was appointed Head of the New Domestic Markets within BNP Paribas Wealth Management, during which time he launched and supervised Wealth Management activities in Morocco, Turkey, Poland, Ukraine, Egypt and Tunisia. Shortly after, Ramadier was named Head of the International Retail Markets, extending his responsibilities to USA and Germany, and developing wealth management through local Group Subsidiaries and Joint Ventures.
Managing Director, Sobrato Impact
Eric Brisson, a native of France, is an impact investor with a love for adventure, exploration and a passionate commitment to preserving our oceans while finding sustainable means to reduce the potentially catastrophic global impact of climate change. A mentor and family man, Eric has been proud of his role as an impact investor watching the businesses, nonprofits and other NGOs he seeks to invest in grow and evolve. He is known for his business acumen, love of all things nature, and his humble character. Transitioning from a highly successful career in the tech industry, Eric is laser-focused on supporting and investing with these NGOs, and businesses who connect with his purpose-based passion of responsibly caring for our earth’s natural resources.
Eric believes deeply in the concepts of stewardship and collaboration. It is widely recognized and accepted that no single organization alone can solve these complex environmental problems we, collectively, have created. Eric is co-founder of Resonance Philanthropies, Managing Director of Sobrato Impact and a board member of OnlyOne(Lonely Whale), Plastic Solutions Fund, Sustainable Ocean Alliance and The Global Terracycle Foundation. Despite his busy lifestyle helping grow these businesses in his portfolio, Eric maintains an active practice of spirituality and physical fitness to maintain his resiliency and serve as a role model with a global world view. Eric does this through meditation, reading and exciting physical activities, such as rock-climbing, sailing, skiing and paragliding in the beautiful outdoor environment he is dedicated to restoring and healing.
Eric has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science from Université Nice Sophia Antipolis and a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from Université Pierre et Marie Curie. Eric has built and scaled many companies, including as the CRO of a tech software company that was acquired by IBM. A true businessman, Eric is known for taking complex problems and finding quick, simple resolutions. His background allows him to strengthen the network of concerned global citizens, organizations, as well as governmental agencies that must work in a participatory partnership.
He resides in Northern California with his Wife and foundation partner Sheri and their two children.
