Bill spent his professional career in the information technology industry, starting in software development before transitioning to the business side. He moved into sales, selling systems to corporate clients, and later worked in communications as the commercial internet industry was taking off.  Bill  was part of the team that launched the hosting business at PSInet. He finished his career back in software with a startup focused on application security, which was later acquired by E&Y. He retired from his career in the technology industry in 2018. In his last position, Bill served as Vice President of Business Development where he helped build a software security consulting firm. Since his retirement, Bill spends his time volunteering with NC Oyster Trail, North Carolina Coastal Federation, the National Parks Service, the Manteo Preservation Trust, and enjoying life and sailing on the Outer Banks.

Dan Martino was a TV producer for a decade when he stumbled upon oyster farming while filming a show. The opportunities within the oyster farming industry were so apparent that Dan promptly changed careers and started his own farm, Cottage City Oysters, off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard with his brother Greg. With over a decade of farming under his belt, Dan and the Cottage City Oyster Farm have become international leaders within the 3D regenerative farming industry.

Author, The Oyster Book: A Chronicle of the World’s Most Fascinating Shellfish―Past, Present, and Future (Agate 2024), Dan guides readers through oyster history; husbandry; nursery, farming; creating a farm; selling and how to grow the perfect oyster. Available at Amazon or other fine book sellers or at the Cottage City Oyster website:  https://cottagecityoysters.com/new-products/theoysterbook.

Daniel Rodriguez is the Founder of Currently Wine Co., a disruptive wine brand with coastal and oyster-centric wines and an environmental give-back mission in a wine industry ripe for change. 

Over the previous 11 years, he has led the marketing function for 3 startup B2B tech companies. In 2021, he co-authored "Experience is Everything," a book about the future of customer service in an increasingly digital world.

Daniel cut his teeth in finance and consulting and has used that analytical rigor to build a high quality, youthful wine company. As a musician and songwriter he enjoys performing and uses his lack of stage fright as a keynote speaker, podcast host and webinar speaker. He has published articles in Forbes, CMSWire and contributed as a guest blogger on multiple mar tech blogs.

Because people buy with emotion, he believes in sustainability, environmental impact and building a customer community. 

Dorothy Leonard, Chair of the International Conference on Shellfish Restoration, is an internationally recognized expert in best management practices (BMPs) for restoring shellfish reefs and shellfish populations. A pioneer in the assessment of shellfish declines and methodology to restore reefs for ecological services and commercial harvest, she developed a BMP approach to reef restoration that uses recycled materials to reduce costs and ensure sustainability. Dot has over 40 years of research and management in the fields of coastal management, estuarine dynamics, water quality assessment, and public health.    

Specialties: Shellfish aquaculture and restoration. Public health related to molluscan shellfish, watershed management and water quality assessment and management.

Emily Wilder is an island-born entrepreneur and oyster fanatic with over a decade of supporting small food-oriented businesses, most recently with her own business Salinity. As an undergrad student at The Evergreen State College, Emily ran the school’s shellfish farm, helped the college shift their cafeteria food purchases toward more sustainable suppliers, and served as Vice Chair on the board of Olympia’s Slow Food chapter organizing farm-to-table dinners. Emily uses her MBA from Bentley University in Massachusetts to help people increase visibility of their well-intentioned projects and businesses via her online store Salinity and with individual consulting on websites, social media, and general marketing strategy. Her online grocery store features dozens of businesses on Whidbey Island and in the Pacific Northwest, specifically highlighting our native oyster species, the tiny Olympia oyster.

Oyster Program Director, NC Coastal Federation

Coordinates statewide Oyster Blueprint, a strategic document for oyster restoration and protection. Works with the 3 regional offices of the Federation and  partnering with over 30 state and federal agencies, university and NGO partners, industry stakeholders and fishers. The Blueprint focuses on building the state’s oyster resources through water quality protection, building new oyster habitats, growing the shellfish mariculture industry, sustaining wild harvest and engaging the public in the work.

-- Master of Science in marine biology from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

-- Bachelor of Science in marine and freshwater biology from the University of New Hampshire. 

-- Coastal scientist for the Wanchese office. 2008- 22 to restore wetlands, create oyster sanctuaries and living shorelines and build rain gardens. 

-- Regional Manager, Wanchese office, 2012-2022.

Creator and Host of The Oyster Ninja podcast;

Founder and Operator of S.S. Shucking Service, an oyster shucking catering service:

Nationally ranked oyster shucker, for speed and quality of shucking.

Henry Dubin is the owner of Cape Oyster Experiences.  He's a former tech sales leader who spent most of his career in San Francisco and Boston. 

Cape Oyster Experiences was hatched in 2020 after Henry got his recreational shellfishing permit on Cape Cod. He quickly realized how enjoyable it was hunting for wild oysters, then shucking, and sharing his catch with friends and family. Having spent years living in San Francisco and visiting hundreds of wineries in Napa Valley, the lightbulb went off that the Cape - with its natural beauty and its hundreds of unique oyster farms - is to oysters what Napa is to wine. There wasn't a great way for visitors and locals alike to roll up their sleeves and experience the magic of oysters first hand. Cape Oyster Experiences was born. Today, Cape Oyster Experiences is on a mission to share the joy of all things oysters with as many people as possible while promoting the world's most perfect food. 

Owner and Farmer at Stonington Farms Shellfish in Mystic CT. Listen to Episode 8 to hear his remarkable, heartfelt story about love, loss and love again, not to mention fabulous oysters!

Nicolette Mariano is the founder and principal oyster farmer of Treasure Coast Shellfish, a, oyster farm dedicated to cultivating high-quality oysters along Florida’s Treasure Coast. With a background in marine biology and a lifelong passion for the environment, Nicolette founded Treasure Coast Shellfish to create sustainable seafood solutions that benefit both the community and the local ecosystem. She founded Treasure Coast Shellfish on a shoestring, with little funds, no help and on the leading edge of the COVID pandemic. Starting by diving under the water to tend to her oysters, she has grown the company into the largest oyster farm on Florida's East Coast that also stands as a model of eco-conscious aquaculture. Nicolette remains deeply involved in all aspects of the business—from overseeing shellfish cultivation to engaging with the community on educational initiatives, her passion for conservation is at the heart of the company’s values. 

Trixie Betz (she/her/hers)
Outreach & Development Specialist
trixie@maineaqua.org

Trixie earned her B.A. in Spanish and Criminal Justice from the University of Maine in 2022. After graduating and moving to southern Maine, she was introduced to aquaculture through her work on an oyster farm in Brunswick, where she used her creative skills to tell the farm’s story through social media. Her current role is to manage the Maine Oyster Trail, an interactive, incentive-based digital trail linking oyster fans with farmers, restaurateurs, watermen, tour guides, and others involved in Maine’s oyster world. She also develops social media campaigns, sharp video production and other  methods of outreach. She is passionate about farmer-forward storytelling that amplifies the narratives of the people who shape the industry, showcasing personal accounts and emphasizing why farming is more than a job. She has been with the MAA since 2023.

Virginia Shaffer grew up with a deep appreciation for oysters. She has written about shellfish for over eight years and her writing has been featured in many publications and media. While enjoying a successful career Virginia decided that she needed a change, which led her to create and launch Lady Oyster, Maine's first oyster-centric food tour business. The results have been remarkable after just one season as she brings gastro-tourism to the oyster world and to Maine. Her focus is to reveal to others the incredible, natural world of oysters, the wonders of Coastal Maine, and embracing the environment along the sea. Virginia is an Oyster Master Guild Certified Oyster Specialist. She has a B.A. in International Studies from American University in Washington, D.C., and holds a certificate in Gastronomic Tourism from Le Cordon Bleu. She lives in Maine with her husband along with lots and lots of oysters.