Capitol Hill Ocean Week 2026
CHOW is where our community comes together.
This year marked a special milestone: the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation’s Capitol Hill Ocean Week celebrated its 25th anniversary and America celebrated its 250th!
At CHOW 2026, maritime heritage took center stage, with in-person plenary sessions, film screenings, and partner talks on varied topics from America’s marine heritage, working waterfronts and seafood, and stories of innovation and conservation.
The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation was proud to partner with the National Maritime Historical Society on the CHOW 2026 Program.
Our deepest thanks to all our speakers for sharing your time and wisdom with us, to the attendees for listening and learning alongside us this week, and our sponsors who make Capitol Hill Ocean Week possible!
Access the videos of this year’s conference sessions below and share them with your community!
Plenary Sessions- Day One
Opening Keynote:
Speaker: Neil Jacobs, Ph.D., Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, and NOAA Administrator, U.S. Department of Commerce, with Dr. Holly Bamford National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
We were honored to be joined by Dr. Neil Jacobs, Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator, for the opening keynote for the CHOW 2026 conference! In a “seaside chat” with Dr. Holly Bamford (National Fish and Wildlife Foundation), he shared his own career path and the importance of NOAA’s work.
Speakers: The panel was moderated by National Marine Sanctuary Foundation President & CEO Joel R. Johnson, and panelists included Cathy Green (National Maritime Historical Society, Howard Hoege (Mariners’ Museum and Park), Alexis Catsambis (Naval History and Heritage Command), Nakia Zavalla (Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council), and Keith Van Graafeiland (Esri).
Speakers during the “Voyages and Breakthroughs of a Maritime Nation” plenary session explored how our nation’s story has been shaped by the sea – rooted in exploration, innovation, and our evolving commitment to environmental stewardship. Speakers discussed the importance of connecting with the water (and with each other) and engaging the next generation, and how to elevate Indigenous voices and knowledge.
Speakers: NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator, Eugenio Piñeiro Soler, gave opening remarks for this session, and the panel was moderated by Anoushka Concepcion (Global Seaweed Coalition). Panelists included Tommy Sheridan (Alaska Blue Economy Center), Blake Price (Local Catch Network), and Jessica Hathaway (Local Catch Network).
In the “Fishing for the Future” plenary session, panelists shared how seafood has always been more than sustenance, as we enter a new era of innovation that must transform the American food system into a strong domestic seafood industry. This year, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, we recognize that the prosperity of our nation, the viability of healthy and secure food sources, and the heart and legacy of these coastal communities, relies on the sustainability, resiliency, and responsible stewardship of our nation’s marine resources.
Speakers: Nicole LeBoeuf (Assistant Administrator for NOAA’s National Ocean Service) gave opening remarks. The session was moderated by Dr. Justin Dunnavant (UCLA), and panelists included Faye DiMassimo (City of Savannah), Pete Lesher (Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum), Damon Stanwell-Smith (Viking), and Shane Cantrell (Galveston Sea Ventures).
Nicole LeBoeuf (Assistant Administrator for NOAA’s National Ocean Service) gave opening remarks for the final plenary session of the day, where panelists explored how our American destinations and communities, like Gray’s Reef, Thunder Bay, and Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuaries, can be more fully integrated into the national outdoor landscape.
CHOW 2026: Closing Keynote Day 1
Speaker: Len Santiago, Chief Engineer, Director of Engineering and Restoration
Keynote, USS Midway Museum
Congratulations to Shane Cantrell, who was awarded the 2025 Sanctuary Volunteer of the Year from NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, presented on stage by John Armor (Director, NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries) and Ruth L. Perry (Former Sanctuary Advisory Council Member, Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary).
Plenary Sessions - Day Two
Speaker: Nainoa Thompson, CEO, Polynesian Voyaging Society
Explorer, environmentalist, master navigator, cultural revivalist, educator, storyteller: Nainoa Thompson has led the rediscovery and revival of the ancient Polynesian art of navigation. Through his voyaging, teaching and engagement, he has opened a global, multigenerational dialogue on the importance of sustaining ocean resources and maritime heritage. Nainoa has dedicated his life to exploring the ocean, maintaining the health of the planet and ensuring that the ancient marine heritage and culture of Polynesia remain vibrant into the future.
Solomon Pili Kahoʻohalahala joined Nainoa Thompson onstage for an ‘oli (chant).
Speakers: The panel was moderated by Valerie J. Grussing (National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers), and speakers included Akeia de Barros Gomes (Newport Historical Society/Brown University), Daniel Hayden (Restore America’s Estuaries), and James Morioka (Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project).
The “Restoring Heritage in Nature” plenary, discussed reclaiming our heritage and breakthroughs that restore habitats, revive traditions, and strengthen the relationships between people and the waters they depend on. Panelists explored how restoration can revive living culture and chart a course for a shared resilient future through experiential engagement with nature, the power of language and names rooted in deep cultural meaning and connection, and cultural practices, and moving from success stories to systemic change.
Speakers: The panel began with opening remarks from James P. Delgado (The Ocean Foundation, and the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation’s 2026 Ocean Awards) This session was moderated by Len Santiago (USS Midway Museum), and panelists included Tom Van Winkle (Williams-Mystic: the Coastal and Ocean Studies Program of Williams College and Mystic Seaport Museum), Simona Clausnitzer (Northwest Maritime), Ashley Bennis (National Working Waterfronts Network, Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi), and Mark R. Kennedy (New York University).
The “Serving America’s Working Waterfronts” plenary showcased strategies in policy, innovation, and workforce development to advance maritime heritage and strengthen opportunities for the next generation. Speakers shared the connection between community, careers, and our waters.
Hosted by: The National Marine Manufacturers Association and Yamaha
Speakers: We were honored to be joined by The Honorable Suzanne Bonamici and The Honorable Roger F. Wicker (via video) for opening remarks for this session, as well as an introduction from Molly Drenkard (National Marine Manufacturers Association). The panel was moderated by Kelly Kryc (MITRE). The panel featured Keith Van Graafeiland (Esri), John DePersenaire (Viking Marine Group and Whale and Vessel Safety Taskforce), Shaun Ruge (Garmin International), Tosca Lichtenheld (Sofar Ocean). Ruth L. Perry, Ph.D, (U.S. Department of State) also gave closing remarks for this session.
The “New Blue Revolutions: Age of Technology and Investment” plenary, sponsored by Yamaha and the National Marine Manufacturers Association, discussed how visionary leaders are combining science and traditional knowledge with innovative tools that are revolutionizing the way we explore, and marine sanctuaries are evolving into hubs of innovation that combine our maritime history with modern enterprise. Speakers emphasized the importance of data-driven decision-making and public-private partnerships.
Speaker: Dr. Justin Dunnavant (UCLA) moderated a dynamic closing keynote featuring TED-style talks from Tāne Rēnata Casserley (NOAA Monitor National Marine Sanctuary) and Spenser Jaimes (Ocean Origins).
To close out the CHOW 2026 conference, Dr. Justin Dunnavant (UCLA) moderated a dynamic closing keynote featuring TED-style talks from Tāne Rēnata Casserley (NOAA Monitor National Marine Sanctuary) and Spenser Jaimes (Ocean Origins). Grounded in this year’s theme, Voyages and Breakthroughs, these short talks spotlighted transformative journeys and bold innovations shaping the future of ocean stewardship across science, culture and heritage, exploration, and innovation.
Photos from Capitol Hill Ocean Week 2026
