Dr. Russell “Rusty” E. Brainard, PhD is an internationally recognized oceanographer and ecosystem science leader with more than 38 years of service at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), where he retired as a NOAA Corps Commander. He is the Founder and Chief Scientist of R Ocean LLC, providing strategic scientific and technical advisory services to public, private, and philanthropic organizations focused on ocean conservation, climate resilience, and ecosystem-based management.

Rusty previously served as Chief Environmental Sustainability Officer at Red Sea Global, leading a 55-member international science and sustainability team to develop one of the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism and marine conservation initiatives. He also founded and led NOAA’s Coral Reef Ecosystem Division, building a globally respected interdisciplinary program dedicated to coral reef monitoring, fisheries science, ocean acidification research, and ecosystem-based management across the Pacific Islands.

A prolific scientist, Rusty has co-authored more than 160 peer-reviewed publications and has played leadership roles in major international initiatives including the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network. His career has been dedicated to advancing science-driven solutions that protect biodiversity, strengthen climate resilience, and support sustainable ocean stewardship worldwide.