Our Team
We unite coastal voices and fishing communities to sustain our most vital ecosystems, supporting responsible practices that lead to long-term conservation.
Staff
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Founder & Executive Director
Anupa grew up fishing for reds and trout along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Now, as an avid waterwoman who fishes, surfs, paddles and dives, and with a strong scientific and policy background, Anupa is a respected and effective advocate for environmental justice and conservation issues. Through her work to advance meaningful ocean protection, she consistently saw the needs and interests of fishing communities misrepresented or underrepresented in decision-making. This is what inspired Fish On—a new kind of fishing interest organization working to bring clear and honest information to fishing communities across the United States and push for meaningful solutions so that everyone has access to a coast that is healthy, thriving and full of life.
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Communications Manager
Joy is a California-born communications professional, storyteller and third-generation angler with a background in sports communications. Her work centers on building connection through clear, consistent and community-minded storytelling, a foundation she now brings to Fish On. Born and raised in Southern California and later living on the North Coast, Joy developed a deeper appreciation for California’s coast and a passion for keeping it abundant, resilient and available to all. As an angler, Joy connected with Fish On’s belief that fishing communities are an important part of conservation. In her role, she hopes to help anglers feel welcomed, informed and connected to protecting the future of fishing.
Advisory Board
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Advisory Board
Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš is the Founder and Executive Director of Azul, a grassroots organization that works with Latinxs throughout the Americas to protect the ocean and coasts. Launched in 2011 as the first U.S. organization devoted to elevating Latinx voices in marine conservation and justice, Azul interweaves cultural fluency and grassroots organizing for people-centered policy outcomes. Gutiérrez-Graudiņš is one of five women founders of the Ocean Justice Forum, launched in 2021.
Her thought leadership is visible from local to global-level panels and summits to the opinion and editorial pages of publications including the Washington Post and the United Nations. She serves as a member of the California Coastal Conservancy’s governing board and is a member of the IUCN’s California Expert Assessment Group for the Green List. Marce is also an award-winning marine conservation advocate and has delivered expert congressional testimony to the House Natural Resources Committee’s Legislative Hearing on the Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act of 2021. She is also the co-author of Neglected — Environmental Justice Impacts of Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution, published by UNEP, an integral resource in the age of negotiations toward a Global Plastics Treaty.
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Advisory Board
Kaspar Kazazian is the co-founder of California Surf Fishing. In 2016, he discovered his passion for recreational shore fishing. He believes that fishing can be a wonderful outlet for many people.
Spending countless hours fishing our coastline, Kaspar has seen first-hand how marine protected areas have supported our local fish populations. He is a believer that appropriate conservation policies can improve fish populations, ultimately uplifting anglers.
Kaspar has an MS in Mechanical Engineering and has taught at the university level.
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Advisory Board
Cory Lowe is a 13-year veteran of Backbone Media, building brand presence and leading public relations campaigns for numerous leading active lifestyle brands. For nearly 10 years, he has been deeply involved in Grundens, a top fishing brand. Cory also has a history with environmental consulting and conversation issues and is excited about bring a fresh perspective to the fish and water advocacy space.
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Advisory Board
Gary Kazazian started fishing the surf in 2016 with his brother Kaspar Kazazian. While initially keeping the majority of legal sized fish he caught, he has since developed a profound appreciation for the ocean and conserving its treasures. Gary has a Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, and is also the author of a how-to surf fishing book that focuses specifically on Southern California waters. The book, as well as his deeply held values related to surf fishing, can be found on the website that he runs with his brother.
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Advisory Board
Lisa Suatoni has committed her career to applying rigorous science in the crafting of progressive policy in ocean conservation. In her role at NRDC, she focuses on the ocean-climate nexus: how does climate change impact ocean ecosystems, marine life, and the people who depend on it, and how can ocean policy best offset those harms? Suatoni is also an expert in sustainable fisheries policy. In addition to her work at NRDC, she is the Timothy B. Atkeson environmental lecturer in law at Yale Law School, where she co-directs the Yale Environmental Protection Clinic. Suatoni has a PhD in ecology and evolutionary biology from Yale University. She is based in the New York City office.
Ambassadors
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Angie is a shore-based angler who loves fishing the Los Angeles coastlineAs a dedicated catch-and-release angler, Angie enjoys learning as much as she can about each new species she catches. For Angie, time spent along the shore is medicine for the soul and a reminder of the respect, love, and dedication needed to protect the ocean and its inhabitants.
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Austin is Los Angeles-based and has lived in Southern California his entire life. He loves fishing along California’s coastline, and his favorite species to catch from shore is the California Corbina.
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Steven is a San Diego-based angler who grew up surf fishing from Malibu to Seal Beach. These days, he enjoys taking his kayak out of La Jolla in search of yellowtail and traveling down to Baja California to experience fishing there. Whether talking about fishing regulations or fishing in general, Steven is always open to connecting with others who care about the water and the fish that live there. You can find him at @stevensfishingadventure.
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Zain is based in Chino Hills and fishes Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, and Long Beach. His boat was built in 1967, and he still takes it out every weekend.