Tundi Agardy is a world renowned independent conservationist. She is the author of Marine Protected Areas and Coastal Conservation (R.B. Landes, 1997) and many dozens of scientific journal articles, and led the coastal portion of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. She currently serves as Director for the MARES Program at Forest Trends, Science and Policy Director for the World Ocean Observatory, and Editor for the quarterly newsletter on Ecosystem-Based Management (MEAM).