AltaSea Adds Four-Time James Beard Award-Winning Chef Andrew Zimmern and Ocean Advocate Ashlan Cousteau to Board of Trustees

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles, the world’s leading tech hub for the Blue Economy, today announced the appointment of Emmy and Four-Time James Beard Award-winning chef, writer, advocate, and teacher Andrew Zimmern and environmental journalist and ocean advocate Ashlan Cousteau to its Board of Trustees. They will officially join the board during its first meeting of 2026.

“Throughout my career, I’ve seen firsthand how our water and food systems connect us all, how vulnerable they are, and why producing from them is one of the many first tier solutions for saving them,” said Zimmern. “AltaSea is demonstrating that the ocean is not only a powerful source of innovative solutions, but also understands the need for solving our climate crisis, feeding a hungry planet, and pursuing domestic and international economic development around the world to name a few. I’m excited to join the Board to help support AltaSea’s work to build a better future for everyone.”

Zimmern has devoted his career to exploring cultures and understanding through food. Over more than 25 years, 5 books, and 12 television series, Zimmern has told stories that illuminate the connections between oceans, rivers, communities, and culture. This includes the Emmy and James Beard Foundation award nominated PBS documentary-series Hope in the Water, the MSBC docu series What’s Eating America, and more. His latest work is The Blue Foods Cookbook, co-written with Barton Seaver in collaboration with Fed By Blue, showcasing recipes and stories that elevate sustainable seafood and other “blue foods” as a vital part of a climate-friendly food system.

Beyond his culinary work, Zimmern advocates for healthier fresh and saltwater food systems as a global ambassador for the United Nations World Food Programme and The Nature Conservancy. He has championed access to sustainable fish and seafood as a core pillar of his work with the Environmental Working Group and is a founding member of the Coalition for Sustainable Aquaculture. In 2025, AltaSea honored Chef Zimmern with the Innovation Award in recognition of his contributions to sustainable seafood and the blue economy.

“Andrew’s leadership in sustainable seafood and his ability to tell compelling stories about our oceans are exactly what the blue economy needs right now,” said AltaSea President & CEO Terry Tamminen. “His voice reaches hundreds of millions of people, and he uses that platform to inspire real change in how we think about food, climate, and community. We’re thrilled to welcome him to the Board and look forward to the important insights he will bring as we scale ocean-based climate solutions and expand opportunities for the communities we serve.”

Also joining the AltaSea Board is Ashlan Cousteau, an environmental journalist, explorer, ocean advocate, and impact entrepreneur as co-founder of SeaVoir Wellness and Voyacy ReGen. Over the course of her career, Cousteau has hosted and produced numerous documentaries and series focused on ocean conservation, endangered species, and sharks. She serves as an ambassador for EarthEcho International, a leading environmental education organization that is building a global youth movement to restore and protect our ocean planet. To date, EarthEcho has activated youth in 146 countries through its programs.

“I have long been inspired by AltaSea’s vision of transforming 100+ year old warehouses into a living laboratory for ocean solutions,” said Cousteau. “From aquaculture to renewable energy and carbon capture, the innovations happening at AltaSea are what we need to protect our ocean and ensure our future. I’m honored to join the Board and excited to help amplify the incredible work being done here, especially for young people who are looking for hope and a way to make a difference.”

Cousteau’s work has taken her around the globe, reporting on plastic pollution, overfishing, habitat loss, and the impacts of climate change on coastal communities. A passionate advocate for ocean literacy and youth engagement, she has partnered with leading environmental organizations to create educational content, public awareness campaigns, and storytelling that connects science to everyday life.

“With Ashlan joining our Board of Trustees, AltaSea is adding a globally respected storyteller and changemaker who understands both the urgency of our work and the opportunity of the blue economy,” added Tamminen. “Her experience, creativity, and networks will help us accelerate innovation on our campus and connect it to people and communities around the world.”

Now in its 11th year, AltaSea has developed a 35-acre ocean technology campus that is home to many innovative climate solutions focused on the ocean in a variety of industries, including aquaculture, carbon capture, renewable energy, and ocean exploration. AltaSea also partners with high schools, colleges, and universities to provide educational experiences for the next generation of climate scientists and innovators.

About AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles

AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles, located on 35 acres at North America’s leading seaport by both container volume and cargo value, is an ocean technology campus that has become the hub for marine science, research, and education. AltaSea has 27 tenants exclusively focused on ocean innovation and research collaborations with numerous colleges and universities, including USC and UCLA – all finding solutions to climate change through the ocean. AltaSea is dedicated to accelerating scientific collaboration, advancing an emerging blue economy through business innovation and job creation, and inspiring the next generation, all for a more sustainable, just, and equitable world.

For more information on AltaSea, please visit: https://altasea.org.