HWS News
10 April 2026 Diving Into Ocean Conservation
As part of Earth Week celebrations, New England Aquarium President and CEO Vikki Spruill P’12 will bring global environmental leadership to the President’s Forum.
When Vikki N. Spruill P’12 steps to the podium this April, she will bring with her decades of experience at the forefront of ocean conservation — and a personal connection to Hobart and William Smith.
Spruill, President and CEO of the New England Aquarium and the parent of a 2012 graduate, will speak as part of the President’s Forum Series on Wednesday, April 15, at 7 p.m. in the Vandervort Room of the Scandling Campus Center. Her visit coincides with HWS’ observation of Earth Week and continues a long-standing campus tradition of inviting leaders whose work combines scholarship, policy and public life.
At the New England Aquarium, one of the nation’s leading ocean conservation organizations, Spruill oversees a multifaceted mission that reaches more than a million visitors each year at Boston’s Central Wharf.
But the Aquarium’s work extends beyond its exhibits. Through its Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, the institution conducts applied research on critical marine issues, while its Sea Turtle Hospital in Quincy, Mass., rescues, rehabilitates and releases hundreds of endangered and cold-stunned sea turtles every year on Cape Cod.
“Vikki Spruill’s career reflects the kind of leadership we seek to highlight through the President’s Forum — work that brings together science, policy and public engagement to address urgent global challenges,” says President Mark D. Gearan. “Her visit offers our community an opportunity to consider how knowledge can be translated meaningfully to connect people and inspire action.” Her talk is expected to touch on the evolving responsibility of conservation organizations, the importance of science communication and the collective obligation required to protect marine ecosystems in a time of accelerating environmental change.
In 2006, Spruill became the first woman president and CEO of Washington, D.C.-based Ocean Conservancy, one of the most prominent science-based ocean advocacy organizations in the world.
While there, she founded the Trash Free Seas Alliance, bringing together leaders from the private sector, civil society organizations and academia to identify pragmatic and measurable approaches to the ocean plastic crisis. The coalition operated from 2012-22 to reduce marine debris through recycling and waste collection research in areas of the world most affected by ocean pollution.
Spruill’s career has consistently placed her at the intersection of science, advocacy and philanthropy. Before joining the Aquarium, she served as president and CEO of the Council on Foundations, an association of philanthropic grant-making organizations, where she worked to strengthen the role of philanthropy in addressing complex problems.
Spruill is a key figure in shaping how science reaches the public. As the founding director of SeaWeb, a nonprofit that used strategic communications to promote ocean health, she led the design and execution of countless programs to protect marine species, including the "Give Swordfish a Break” campaign, which persuaded more than 700 chefs to remove North Atlantic swordfish from their menus.
Before SeaWeb, which in 2015 merged with The Ocean Foundation, Spruill helped found COMPASS. Like SeaWeb, COMPASS seeks to bridge the gap between important research and public understanding, showing scientists how to communicate to a wider public without compromising the accuracy of their science.
Connections and communication are themes across Spruill’s career, which extends into civic and corporate leadership as well. She serves on the board of directors of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and the Foundation, the Chamber’s nonprofit arm; she is a trustee of the New England Aquarium, the Massachusetts Environmental Trust and the Water Institute of the Gulf.
She is active member of Boston’s Green Ribbon Commission, which is working to accelerate the implementation of the City's Climate Action Plan and the Massachusetts Women’s Forum. She co-chairs the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Climate & Energy Leadership Council and serves on M&T Bank Directors Advisory Council. An influential leader, Boston Magazine recently called Spruill a fearless leader in Boston’s civic, business and political life.
For the HWS community, Spruill’s visit carries an added layer of connection. As a parent of Caroline W. Spruill ’12, she has a direct tie to campus and its alumni network.
Spruill graduated cum laude from Loyola University in New Orleans with a Bachelor's degree in communications and a minor in religious studies. She received her Master's degree in communications from the University of West Florida.
Hobart and William Smith is committed to environmental sustainability through a campus-wide approach that connects academics and community engagement. HWS achieved carbon neutrality in 2023 by reducing emissions and investing in renewable energy, and by integrating sustainability into everyday campus life. Efforts include energy efficiency, renewable energy, sustainable food systems, waste reduction, ecosystem protection and water conservation – all supported by active participation from students, faculty and the broader community to address environmental challenges and model responsible practices.
Established in 2000 by President Mark D. Gearan, the President’s Forum Series brings distinguished speakers to campus to engage students, faculty, staff and community members in dialogue around pressing issues. Spruill’s visit continues that tradition, offering an opportunity to explore the challenges facing the world’s oceans — and the innovative approaches shaping their future.
The event is free and open to the public.
