Environmental Law Institute honors Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Julie Packard

Monterey Bay Aquarium is pleased to announce that former Executive Director and current Board of Trustees Vice Chair Julie Packard received the Environmental Law Institute Environmental Achievement Award at a dinner in Washington, D.C.. The award recognizes Packard’s leadership and lasting contribution to ocean conservation and environmental policy.

“I’m humbled to join the company of so many impressive recipients of the Award. I’m grateful for the work the Institute does: articulating the legal foundations of environmental law, collaborating with people around the world, and creating a useful framework to protect public health and the health of our air, land, waters, and wildlife,” Packard said in her remarks.  “I’m firmly convinced that this century will be the one in which we’ll reverse the negative trends – that we will again unify around environmental protection, and pass on a vibrant, healthy planet to our children.”

The dinner offers an opportunity for environmental professionals from around the world to forge new bonds of cooperation while supporting the Institute’s agenda-setting research, education, and training programs.

"Julie has worked to build the ecosystem of science, policies, and institutions that turn discovery into action," Jordan Diamond, ELI's President, said during her remarks. "It's an ecosystem ELI fiercely believes in, and why we are so thrilled to honor Julie with this year's Environmental Achievement Award." 

Julie Packard is an international leader in the field of ocean conservation and a leading voice for science-based policy reform in support of a healthy ocean. For more than 40 years, she was executive director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which she helped found in the late 1970s. Packard transitioned to her current role as vice chair on the board of trustees for the Aquarium in 2026.

About the Environmental Law Institute

The Environmental Law Institute (ELI) is an independent research and education nonprofit. For over half a century, we have equipped current and future decisionmakers with the insight they need to make law work for people, places, and the planet. 
More information at eli.org.

About Monterey Bay Aquarium

With a mission to inspire conservation of the ocean, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is the most admired aquarium in the United States, a leader in science education, and a voice for ocean conservation through comprehensive programs in marine science and public policy. Everything we do works in concert to protect the future of our blue planet. More information at MontereyBayAquarium.org.