Heather Ludemann is an Ocean program officer at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. She supports grantmaking for the Foundation’s work to protect and restore the ocean, specifically focused on biodiversity and area-based conservation.   

Heather brings a background in science and policy and nearly two decades of experience working on marine conservation and fisheries management in the U.S. Her grantmaking and investment portfolio at the Foundation focuses on advancing the ability of marine ecosystems to sustain biodiversity and productivity as pressures and demands on these systems grow. She supports projects that lead to new knowledge and adoption of policies and practices that strengthen marine conservation. 

Prior to joining the Foundation, Heather was a Presidential Management Fellow at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). As a Fellow she served in the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and worked at NOAA Fisheries including short-term assignments in their Alaska and Oregon field offices. 

Heather has a bachelor’s degree in biology and environmental studies from Tufts University and a master’s degree in marine policy with a certificate in conservation biology policy from the University of Washington. Heather currently serves as co-chair of the CGBD Marine Conservation Program and is on the Board of Advisors for Funding Fish. In her free time, Heather spends as much time as possible outdoors, preferably in the mountains or on the ocean.