Our Team
Elizabeth (Lisa) Quattrocki Knight, M.D., Ph.D.
Co-founder and President
As the president of Green Oceans, Dr. Elizabeth (Lisa) Quattrocki Knight brings scientific expertise and dedication to the organization. Dr. Quattrocki Knight’s background in neuroscience and psychiatry enables her to recognize the crucial role that a healthy environment plays in promoting mental health and overall societal well-being. She employs her scientific expertise to develop evidence-based strategies to address the current tension between climate advocacy and marine conservation. Through her leadership and background, Green Oceans has raised awareness about the urgent need to protect the ocean and all of the life it sustains against industrialization.
Read articles by Lisa Quattrocki Knight on the Green Oceans blog.
Katie Hamilton Gewirz
Secretary
For much of her life, Katie has been motivated by her love of the outdoors, fitness, and a healthy lifestyle. She is a beekeeper, marathon runner (100+ completed), recreational sailor, plein air artist, angler, avid gardener, and professional floral designer. She brings with her tireless energy and a lifelong appreciation of the natural world enhanced by her courses at the National Outdoor Leadership School. She married into a family whose contribution to the Aquidneck Island community started in the 1950’s. Katie currently serves as a Co-Chair of the Protecting Paradise Campaign of the local bird sanctuary; is a member of the governance and nominating committees for the local land trust; and serves on the garden & landscape, as well as campaign committee, for the Preservation Society.
Read about how offshore wind will affect our cultural heritage here.
Michael Lombardi, CMarTech
Trustee
Michael is a Rhode Island based diving scientist and technologist, leveraging a long career in inshore commercial diving and occupational diving safety for a number of enterprising pursuits. He has deep business interests in advanced diving technology and their utility in marine biotechnology, fisheries, complex marine construction, and a unique cross-section of respiratory medicine. Michael is active in the community as the co-Chair of the Marine Technology Society’s Diving Technical Committee, and regularly engages students with the inspirational journey that resulted in a new species of fish bearing his namesake, Derilissus lombardii. His work in advancing human centered techniques for science and exploration along the continental shelf margins has been funded by the National Geographic Society, igniting a deeply personal priority to advocate for precautionary principles applied to continental shelf activities.
Barbara Chapman
Trustee
Barbara Brink Chapman is a retired land use lawyer and educator, who has served as counsel to the New York City Planning Commission. A graduate of Princeton and University of Virginia Law School, she and her family have lived on Aquidneck Island for over 30 years, close to wetland habitats. When not resident in Newport she resides in Palm Beach, Florida, and Antigua. She is an active native plant gardener in all three locations and serves on the Board of the Elkhorn Marine Conservancy protecting marine life on the eastern coast of Antigua. In addition she is involved in studying and mitigating beach erosion in and around Exchange Bay, Antigua. As a trained lawyer, Barbara has spearheaded our legal effort.
Learn more about our Federal Lawsuit.
Charlotte DuHamel
Trustee
As a devoted Montessori teacher, Charlotte nurtures young minds and cares about the world her students will inherit. In the classroom, she fosters an environment that encourages exploration, independence, and a genuine love of learning. Outside the classroom, she embraces the awe that nature brings to her life and brings her teaching skills to advance the mission of Green Oceans. Charlotte's commitment to education and her unwavering adoration for the ocean create a harmonious blend that fuels her journey to combat climate change while protecting the ocean against industrialization.
Sign-up for Charlotte’s curated newsfeed, Charlotte’s Web.