GUAM – The University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant (UOG CIS & Sea Grant) announced Emma Perez has joined the center as its new fiscal officer, bringing decades of finance leadership and nonprofit experience to programs focused on environmental work, research, capacity building, and workforce development.
Perez is the founder of 500 Sails, a community-based nonprofit dedicated to reviving traditional seafaring knowledge in the Mariana Islands while promoting environmental stewardship and cultural sustainability.
In her new role at UOG CIS & Sea Grant, Perez will oversee fiscal operations and financial management, supporting grants tied to island sustainability, coastal resilience, climate adaptation, and marine resource stewardship across Guam and Micronesia.
“Emma’s background uniquely positions her for this role,” said Austin Shelton, Ph.D., director of the UOG CIS & Sea Grant. “She understands both the technical demands of fiscal management and the cultural and environmental context in which our work takes place. We are grateful she navigated to Guam and our center as the next destination in her life journey.”
Perez said she is looking forward to supporting the center’s mission and called the work “critical for the future of our islands.”
“I’m honored to contribute my experience in service of sustainability, community, and our ocean,” Perez said. “My family has been a part of UOG for generations and I am excited to begin my new voyage here.”
