Bigelow Laboratory Appoints New Board Members

Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences recently appointed four new members to its board of trustees. Each will support the laboratory’s mission to study the foundation of global ocean health and unlock its potential to improve the future for all life on the planet.

“Our new board members bring a wealth of expertise and wisdom,” said Deborah Bronk, president and CEO of Bigelow Laboratory. “They will be a critical part of our continued efforts around the world to advance bold ocean science."

Mark Abbott most recently served as the 10th president and director of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and is now president emeritus. He was also the dean of the College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences at Oregon State University and has been president of The Oceanography Society. In 2006, Abbott was appointed by President George W. Bush to a six-year term on the National Science Board, which oversees the National Science Foundation and provides scientific advice to the White House and Congress. Abbott received a bachelor’s degree in conservation of natural resources from the University of California, Berkeley and a doctorate in ecology from UC Davis.

Peter Handy is president & CEO of Bristol Seafood in Portland, Maine, the first seafood company in the United States to earn a Fair-Trade designation. In addition, he serves on the boards of Maine Public Radio and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine. He is also on the investment committee of the Portland Museum of Art. Handy also founded BoxMyDorm.com and worked in financial services at JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Sanford Bernstein & Co. in roles ranging from asset management to institutional trading. He is a graduate of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a chartered financial analyst.

Randall Jeffery began his broadcasting career at WGN AM/TV in Chicago. At 27, he purchased his first radio station, WSIR, in Florida. The small radio station operated in Winter Haven and Lakeland, but it went on to earn nationwide reputation and awards. Following the sale of WSIR, Jeffery had a 20-year career in radio station mergers and acquisitions. He is passionate about preserving our oceans and marine life and is a United States Coast Guard 100-Ton Master Captain.                         

Dimitri Michaud has nearly two decades of experience in financial and business strategy with leadership roles in both the public and private sectors. He is currently the chief operating officer at Gorham Savings Bank. In his roles, he has led technical and financial teams and advised on alignment of mission to strategic priorities. Michaud currently serves as a trustee of the Portland Museum of Art and is a board member for the Town of Kennebunkport Budget Board and the Maine Health and Higher Education Facilities Authority. He received a bachelor’s degree from Colby College and a master’s of business administration from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland.

To see a complete list of our board and advisory board members, please visit the Bigelow Laboratory governance page.