Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery Honors Julie Packard

Julie's portrait will be on exhibit at the museum through November 2020.
She's the second woman in the marine sciences to be included in the museum.
As an advocate for women in science, it's fitting that Executive Director Julie Packard has been honored as an ocean conservation leader by one of the nation's top museums.
The Smithsonian Institute's National Portrait Gallery commissioned a portrait of Julie, which was officially unveiled just after Earth Day in April. Julie is only the second woman in the marine sciences and conservation — along with Rachel Carson — to be included in the museum.
The vividly colored painting of Julie standing in front of the Kelp Forest exhibit was created by New York City-based artist Hope Gangloff. Hope said that Julie's commitment to protecting the ocean inspired her during her visits to the Aquarium for the portrait sitting. The painting reflects Hope's affinity for large-scale canvases and bright color palettes and features the marine life of the Aquarium's signature Kelp Forest exhibit.
"We are delighted to recognize Julie Packard as one of the leading women in science and for her extraordinary contributions to the field of ocean conservation," said Brandon Brame Fortune, the museum's chief curator. "This painting...is Hope Gangloff's first major museum commission. It was a pleasure to bring these two women figures together to create a piece of history."
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Over the summer, we hosted more than 300 teens in Young Women in Science and Teen Conservation Leader programs, making great progress toward our goal of reaching nearly 500 teens annually within the next few years.

Your Thoughts Matter!
Last year, we surveyed our members by phone and mail to ask for your thoughts about how we should address the growing threats to ocean health. The feedback we received has been invaluable. Thanks to everyone who took the time to participate in the survey.
The results align strongly with our strategic vision of how we can work with our donors, our community, businesses and public of cials to ensure that the ocean will thrive for generations to come.
- 38% Ocean plastic pollution
- 32% Climate change
- 28% Overfishing
- 34% Education programs
- 23% Fieldwork to save vulnerable ocean species
- 22% Sustainable seafood initiatives like Seafood Watch