Oceanic Preservation Society- Who We Are

Who We Are

Oceanic Preservation Society (OPS) is a non-profit organization that creates film, photography, and media inspiring 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, has 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 won 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.

Board Members

Richard Schaden
Louie Psihoyos

Staff

Viki Psihoyos - Communications
Viki earned her Journalism degree at the University of Colorado as new media was emerging. This has served her role of social media strategist for OPS and The Cove sites, as well as other social media messaging. She also danced ballet professionally for George Balanchine for 13 years. Yet her role as matriarch to the Psihoyos clan has been the most gratifying. She now serves as wordsmith and general communicator for the non profit as the group tackles the next film project.

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.

Adrienne Hall - Production Coordinator

Adrienne began working with OPS in 2009 while still pursuing her degree in Film Studies at Florida State University. Before joining the OPS team she worked with Red Hills Releasing where she contributed to the release of over 25 feature films. She has been a delegate at numerous film festivals including Sundance, Toronto and MountainFilm and recently sat on the Wildlife Film Jury at the SunChild Film Festival.

Mike Scalisi - Editor

Mike has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Louisiana, Lafayette. His film Glance, took second place in its category at the BestFest Student Film Festival. He has worked on a wide variety of video projects from television to corporate to experimental. The majority of his work over the last several years has been in documentary films, working as an editor on Transforming Energy and The Nature of Cities from Throughline Productions, both of which took prizes at various environmental film festivals. He also worked as an editor on The Cove, and is now staff editor for OPS’ next film project.

Simon Hutchins - Expedition Director

Simon Hutchins grew up working in his mother’s photography studio in Toronto, before joining the Royal Canadian Air Force, where he spent seven years as an avionics technician. Posted on Vancouver Island, he developed an interest in sailing and diving, which he continues to pursue.
An avid athlete, he has played ice hockey and golf, as well as road bike racing in premier cycling events in British Columbia. In addition to being qualified as a British Marine Coastguard Agency Master of Yachts, he is qualified on an array of technical scuba equipment, including being a Rebreather Instructor, and was a member of the 2008 Canadian National Freediving Team.
He lives with his wife, dividing his between Southern California and South Florida.

Greg Mooney - Special Missions
"Moondog" has been an essential part of the OPS team since it's inception with its first expedition to the Red Sea 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 missions. Greg's "Fired Up, Ready to Go" attitude is always appreciated, even when skies or spirits are less than sunny. Also, his unfailing ability to lift enormously heavy gear casts him as the gentle giant on OPS missions.

Get Updates.