Get to know our Executive Director, Linda Hunter

By Jennifer Schlegel
Published: October 2005

Linda defends the Farallones against recreational use at a Townhall meeting.

We recently had a chance to sit down and chat for a few minutes with Linda Hunter:

What are your top priorities for FMSA? What do you intend to accomplish?
I want everyone to know that there is this huge underwater national park called the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary just off our shore. It belongs to the citizens, but in order to increase stewardship of these wonderful natural resources, people need to know about them. I hope to engage stewards all over the Bay Area whose watersheds empty into Sanctuary waters.

Why did you decide to become Executive Director of FMSA?
It's my dream job, really. I've been a committed environmentalist my entire life and this was a wonderful opportunity to work on ocean conservation issues.

Discuss the greatest challenge(s) so far.
Nonprofits exist through the kindness of strangers so the fundraising responsibilities are always challenging. Also, the staff at the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary (GFNMS) and my staff work very closely on planning and programs. We're lucky to have this relationship, since the GFNMS folks are so knowledgeable and competent. So while coordinating and partnering with a government agency is great, from a purely procedural standpoint it sometimes comes down to filling out a very lengthy federal form in triplicate and waiting three months before something is approved to happen! It can become almost comically challenging for all sides.

Tell us about your earliest memory of a beach or coastal experience.
When I was in the 6th grade, my father told me that he would buy me a sailboat if I got straight As in school for the entire year. Well, I got that sailboat! Though it was little more than a rowboat with a sail and centerboard, I loved it. My dog and I spent most weekends sailing in Florida—racing porpoises and dolphins and just being happy out on the water.

With what aspect of the Farallones are you most fascinated? Which would you like to learn more about?
The white sharks are incredibly fascinating. They're skinny when they arrive in the fall, and they leave at the end of the season fat and happy. By protecting the islands and the wildlife, such as the elephant seals (a favorite of white sharks), we have effectively made the islands a smorgasbord for them. Sharks have been around for millions of years and are so important to the oceans' ecosystems. I'm also trying to learn more about birds. I'm surrounded by professional ornithologists and I'm just getting past, "Hey, there's a duck!"

If you had to rate the jobs you've held by the view from your office, where on the list would this one fall?
Number one. Definitely.

Describe the most interesting sights you've gleaned from your office window.
Cormorants, terns, gulls, so many birds! I love watching the red tailed hawk that perches on top of our garage and swoops down on rats and gophers. Last month, we saw a gray whale in the bay just off our dock. It was amazing! I'm sure he was thinking, "Wow, it's noisy and shallow in here. Where am I?" I also see sunbathers, surfers, lovers of all ages walking hand in hand on the beach. One of the most delightful aspects of my job is looking out the window onto a group of schoolchildren who have come to learn about marine life. To watch—and hear—their excitement!

What do you like to do in your free time?
What free time? Seriously, I'm a voracious reader, love to entertain, cook, garden, hike, ride my bike and travel.

Where would you go if you could travel anywhere in the world right now? Why?
The Arctic Wildlife Refuge—while it's still wild.

What are you reading at the moment?
Paradise Regained—Solutions for Restoring Yosemite's Hetch Hetchy Valley by Environmental Defense and The Fortress of Solitude by Jonathan Lethem.

The protection of the environment seems to have played a rather prominent role in your life. Please discuss.
I left behind a legal career when I became the Finance Director for Greenpeace in 1986. It was so great to get paid to get in the bad guys' faces—chasing nuclear submarines and shutting down chemical plants. I've never looked back—wouldn't dream of working for the corporate world—although my law degree continues to serve me well. I can still sue people who tick me off and do my own divorces. I also can read really boring texts without falling asleep.

To learn more about Linda, read her bio on the FMSA website.