The Center for Ocean Policy and Economics (COPE°) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Aaron Bresnahan as Executive Director of COPE°.
Dr. Bresnahan brings decades of experience in the maritime sector, with a career spanning executive leadership, strategic planning, business development, global marine operations, and organizational growth. His appointment comes at an important time for COPE° as the organization continues to expand its network of Fellows, strengthen its partnerships, and create new opportunities for collaboration across the maritime and ocean communities.
During a 23-year career with Wärtsilä, Dr. Bresnahan held a wide range of senior executive, director-level, and general management positions with both domestic and international responsibilities. He previously served as President and Managing Director of Wärtsilä North America, Inc., where he led an organization of approximately 900 employees across the United States. He also served as a member of the Wärtsilä Corporation Marine Business Management Team and as Vice President, Americas, with responsibility for marine business financial, operational, and safety performance throughout the region.
Throughout his career, Dr. Bresnahan has worked at the intersection of maritime operations, technology, strategy, and business development, giving him a broad perspective on the challenges and opportunities shaping the industry today.
In addition to his professional experience, Dr. Bresnahan serves as a member of the Northeast Maritime Institute Board of Trustees. His longstanding involvement with NMI has given him a strong understanding of the vision behind COPE° and its role in bringing together people, ideas, expertise, and resources across the maritime and ocean sectors.
“Aaron brings a tremendous depth of maritime experience, but just as importantly, he understands what we are trying to build with COPE°,” said Eric R. Dawicki, President of Northeast Maritime Institute. “He has been part of our broader community for years and shares our belief that meaningful progress comes from bringing the right people together around important issues. I am excited to see Aaron step into this role and help lead COPE° into its next chapter.”
Guiding COPE° Into Its Next Chapter
COPE° was created to bring together leaders from industry, academia, government, nonprofit organizations, and civil society to address complex maritime and ocean challenges through collaboration.
As Executive Director, Dr. Bresnahan will help guide the organization’s strategic direction while working closely with COPE° Fellows, Senior Fellows, working groups, partners, and stakeholders. His leadership will support COPE° as it continues to create opportunities for practical dialogue, research, project development, and collaboration. The organization’s work spans maritime trade and commerce, ocean ecology, innovation and technology, energy and sustainability, diplomacy and international affairs, and economic development.
A central focus will remain on turning conversations into meaningful work. Through research and publications, working groups, events, policy discussions, and collaborative projects, COPE° brings together people with different backgrounds and areas of expertise to work on issues affecting the future of the maritime industry and the ocean economy.
Dr. Bresnahan’s combination of maritime experience, executive leadership, and familiarity with COPE° will help strengthen those efforts as the organization continues to grow.
Building on COPE°’s Mission
COPE° continues to evolve as a strategic alliance and digital platform focused on advancing policy and investment in maritime commerce, ocean science, and technology. Its work is built around the belief that many of the most significant challenges facing the maritime and ocean sectors cannot be addressed by any one organization, discipline, or country alone.
By providing a safe and transparent environment for collaboration, COPE° connects individuals and organizations that can contribute knowledge, experience, ideas, and resources toward practical solutions. That work takes shape through COPE°’s working groups, research and publications, events, policy discussions, and collaborative initiatives.
Under Bresnahan’s leadership, COPE° will continue strengthening its existing network while developing new partnerships and opportunities for engagement around shared priorities. His appointment represents an opportunity to build on the foundation already established by COPE° while continuing to focus the organization on meaningful outcomes and long-term impact.
Dr. Bresnahan will work closely with COPE° leadership and its network of Fellows and partners as the organization develops its next phase of initiatives, research, programming, and collaborative opportunities. With this new leadership in place, COPE° looks forward to strengthening its network, expanding opportunities for collaboration, and continuing to advance meaningful work across the maritime and ocean communities.
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