Who We Are
Oceanic Preservation Society (OPS) is a non-profit organization that creates film, photography, and media to inspire people to save the oceans. Founded in 2005 by renowned photographer and avid diver Louie Psihoyos, OPS is headquartered in Boulder, CO, conveniently between two oceans.
OPS's first film, The Cove, won dozens of awards around the world, including the Oscar® for Best Documentary in 2009, and inspired over a million people to action.
Executive Director
Louie Psihoyos
The Executive Director of OPS, Louie Psihoyos, is widely regarded as one of the world's most prominent still photographers. He has circled the globe dozens of times for National Geographic and has shot hundreds of covers for other magazines including
Fortune Magazine,
Smithsonian,
Discover, GEO,
Time,
Newsweek,
The New York Times Magazine,
New York Magazine,
Sports Illustrated, and
Rock and Ice. His work has also been seen on the Discovery Channel, National Geographic Television and the History Channel. His imagination, wit, and iconic imagery have helped illustrate a wide array of complex subjects and is carried over to his filmmaking.
Psihoyos' first documentary film,
The Cove, has garnered over 70 awards globally from festivals and critics, including the Oscar® for Best Documentary Feature in 2009.
The Cove touches many with its unflinching examination of a dark subject and its ability to reveal the humanity and compassion in each of us. Its underlying themes transcend the slaughter of dolphins in Taiji to address the larger picture of the threat our entire world faces due to human impacts.
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Board Members
Richard Schaden
Louie Psihoyos
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Staff
Viki Psihoyos - Communications
Viki earned a Journalism degree at the University of Colorado as new media was emerging. She also danced ballet professionally for George Balanchine for 13 years. But her role as matriarch to the Psihoyos clan has been the most challenging, yet gratifying. Viki values her role at OPS, "making sure the left hand is talking to the right."
Gina Papabeis - Projects Manager / Associate Producer
Gina is a graduate of Florida State University's Film School with a BFA in Film Production and a minor in Biology. She loves being part of the OPS team and the opportunity it brings to merge her appreciation of film, visual arts, nature, science and social change. Although it can be challenging, she feels a responsibility to save the planet and to inspire others to join in the good fight.
Annie Costner - Research and Policy / Associate Producer
Annie began her career organizing citizen advocates in Latin America for the Waterkeeper Alliance when she was a student at Brown University. She then returned to work as a community organizer and public interest lobbyist in Rhode Island, for Clean Water Action. Annie loves water. And she is pleased as punch to be on Team OPS.
Adrienne Hall - Studio Manager / Production Coordinator
Adrienne attended Florida State University with a major focus in film theory and social media. She is thrilled to be a member of the OPS team as she is able to blend her two lifelong passions -- the ocean and film. She is encouraged that through the power of film and OPS's extraordinary vision, a generation of advocates can be inspired to be the difference in our world that so desperately needs our help.
Simon Hutchins Simon is a former Canadian Airforce Avionics technician. When posted to CFB Comox on Vancouver Island he developed a love of sailing and diving. Since leaving the CAF in 1993 he hasn't looked back. As one of the founding members of OPS Simon is responsible for organizing the dive teams expeditions and underwater exploits. Combining his technical knowledge of photographic equiptment and his avionics training Simon has built many of the unique cameras for OPS missions. He is also responsible for the underwater cameras and housing systems for the
still photography project.Greg Mooney "Moondog" has been an essential part of the OPS team since it's inception, and first expedition to the Red Sea, back in 2005. He grew up in a yachting family and has been a professional diver for over 25 years. His skill and knowledge in preparing dive gear and keeping divers safe is one of the most critical, yet least appreciated aspects of the missions. Greg's "Fired Up, Ready to Go" attitude is always appreciated when the weather is rough or things are not going well. Also, his uncanny ability to lift enormously heavy gear makes him the gentle giant on OPS missions.
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