“Employing long-term vision and insight to foster resilient businesses.”
Roxanne Nanninga is an executive leader, entrepreneur, strategic advisor, and sustainability expert whose career has been defined by a commitment to helping organizations navigate complexity while creating durable value for people, business, and the planet. With approximately two decades of professional experience spanning multinational corporations, early-stage technology companies, nonprofits, environmental organizations, and advisory work, Roxanne brings a rare combination of commercial insight, scientific understanding, regulatory expertise, and global supply chain knowledge. Her work has consistently focused on addressing the structural challenges that influence long-term organizational resilience, particularly in food systems, consumer products, offshore industries, manufacturing, and the rapidly evolving blue economy.
Roxanne’s career began with a foundation in science, education, and environmental research. After earning her undergraduate degree in Biology from Linfield University, she gained early experience studying ecosystems, forestry practices, and environmental impacts before moving into science education. Her work as a shipboard educator with the Around the Americas expedition proved especially formative. During a 28,000-mile sailing circumnavigation of the American continents, Roxanne delivered ocean science education in both English and Spanish across North and South America, developing the communication skills and global perspective that would later become hallmarks of her executive leadership.
Her interest in the intersection of international trade and environmental policy led Roxanne to Duke University, where she earned a Master of Environmental Management with a concentration in Economics and Policy and an International Development graduate certificate. That interdisciplinary education helped shape her ability to translate complex scientific, regulatory, and social issues into practical business strategies. Rather than viewing sustainability as a separate corporate initiative, Roxanne developed a philosophy centered on integrating risk, resilience, responsible sourcing, financial performance, and long-term value creation into core organizational decision-making.
Her entrepreneurial instincts came to the forefront when she founded TRUfish, a company built to address seafood fraud with innovative detection solutions using DNA testing and predictive analytics. As Founder and CEO, Roxanne guided the venture from concept through early commercialization, secured government and university grant funding, developed proof-of-concept pilots with commercial customers, and built advisory relationships across science, technology, and industry. The experience provided a foundational understanding of innovation, product development, financing, sales, stakeholder engagement, and the realities facing companies who are focused on market transformation.
Roxanne subsequently expanded her influence at Environmental Defense Fund, where she served as a seafood markets and supply chain specialist. In that role, she worked at the intersection of science, policy, and commerce, leading multi-stakeholder initiatives designed to strengthen fisheries management and responsible sourcing. Her work required collaboration across businesses, NGOs, policymakers, scientists, and other market participants, reinforcing her ability to build coalitions around difficult challenges where progress depends on aligning parties with different incentives and perspectives.
Her transition to Thai Union placed Roxanne inside one of the world’s largest CPG seafood companies and gave her the opportunity to scale sustainability initiatives across complex international operations. As Senior Director of Sustainability, she established programs related to the company’s responsible sourcing policies, covering climate strategy, traceability, labor rights, environmental responsibility, packaging, and regulatory compliance. She oversaw due diligence efforts across more than 75 international supply chains, implemented novel technologies including digital traceability and satellite monitoring systems, advised senior leaders and multinational customers, and helped establish the company’s first North American Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion initiative. Through this work, she demonstrated that sustainability leadership is most powerful when it is closely connected to operational risk, reputation, customer expectations, and corporate strategy.
Roxanne later served as Chief Sustainability Officer of XpertSea, an early-stage technology company focused on AI-enabled solutions for farmed aquatic animals. There, she developed regenerative and climate-smart strategies designed around technology and data, combined with improved financing and market opportunities. She managed interdisciplinary teams across engineering, product, science, and sales. Her work extended across markets including Ecuador, India, Vietnam selling to Canada, the US and Europe. This experience deepened her ability to connect emerging technology with practical commercial and sustainability outcomes.
Today, as Founder and Principal of Blue Biome Advising, Roxanne advises a diverse set of clients, including corporations, startups, investors and financial institutions, industry coalitions, and nonprofit organizations. She provides expertise on sustainability strategy, enterprise risk, climate exposure, human rights due diligence, responsible sourcing, sustainable finance, and supply chain oversight. Her clients and collaborators have included the International Finance Corporation, UNEP Finance Initiative, World Wildlife Fund, technology companies, venture capital firms, and global food businesses. She also designs executive workshops, convenes cross-sector partnerships, and helps leadership teams interpret evolving regulatory and disclosure expectations so that emerging environmental and social challenges become actionable strategic priorities rather than isolated compliance exercises.
Roxanne’s influence extends beyond corporate leadership through research, authorship, speaking, and advisory service. Her published work has addressed blue economy investment opportunities, carbon reduction in agriculture and aquaculture, and guidance for international policy and economic development in the ocean sector. She is also an experienced public speaker and facilitator, leading learning workshops and presentations focused on strategic partnerships, sustainability, responsible sourcing, and cross-sector collaboration.
Board and advisory service has become an increasingly important extension of Roxanne’s career. She currently serves in governance and advisory capacities with organizations including the Sustainable Change Alliance of Santa Barbara, the Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions, Epoch Blue, and the University of California Santa Barbara’s Bren School of the Environment Eco-Entrepreneurship Program. She has also served on the Steering Committee of the Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability and has mentored emerging entrepreneurs through Women in Ocean Foods. These roles reflect her ability to operate comfortably across commercial, nonprofit, academic, investment, and entrepreneurial environments while remaining focused on governance, strategic growth, and future readiness.
Roxanne is especially drawn to board opportunities because she sees persistent gaps in how organizations prepare themselves for long-term success. She believes boards can play a stronger role in integrating social outcomes, environmental risk, supply chain resilience, regulatory preparedness, and emerging market trends into corporate strategy. Her experience in supply chain management, sales, marketing, risk management, financing, sustainability, entrepreneurship, and strategic partnerships enables her to examine organizations from multiple angles rather than through a single functional lens. For early-stage companies in particular, she brings the perspective of someone who understands both the ambition of innovation and the disciplined governance required to turn promising ideas into lasting enterprises.
Internationally experienced across Europe, the United Kingdom, Spain, Thailand, Latin America, and other global markets, Roxanne brings cultural awareness and professional Spanish proficiency to organizations operating across borders. Her global perspective is complemented by a highly collaborative leadership style. Whether engaging executives, investors, entrepreneurs, scientists, policymakers, or community stakeholders, she is known for finding the common ground needed to move complex conversations toward meaningful action.
At the center of Roxanne’s leadership philosophy is her personal commitment to living with integrity and authenticity. She approaches business challenges with curiosity, courage, and a willingness to address issues that others may overlook until they become material risks. Outside of her professional work, she values the outdoors and maintains a strong personal connection to the natural systems that originally inspired her career. For Roxanne, effective leadership is ultimately about building organizations that are commercially strong, operationally resilient, socially responsible, and prepared to thrive in a changing world.
Character:
Roxanne leads with integrity, authenticity, and a strong sense of responsibility toward the organizations and communities she serves. She combines conviction with collaboration, approaching difficult decisions with openness, consistency, and respect for differing perspectives.
Knowledge:
She brings deep expertise in global supply chains, sustainability-related risk, regulatory compliance, sustainable finance, food systems, climate strategy, human rights due diligence, and responsible sourcing. Her experience across corporations, startups, nonprofits, investors, and industry coalitions allows her to understand both strategic imperatives and the operational realities required to implement them.
Strategic:
Roxanne excels at identifying emerging risks and opportunities before they become obvious, helping organizations incorporate sustainability, resilience, and stakeholder expectations into long-term strategy. Her ability to connect commercial priorities with regulatory, environmental, financial, and social considerations gives boards and executive teams a comprehensive framework for sound decision-making.
Communication:
A skilled public speaker, facilitator, educator, and executive communicator who can translate technically complex subjects into clear and actionable business language. Her collaborative communication style enables her to build trust across disciplines, cultures, and stakeholder groups while creating alignment around shared strategic objectives.
