About Us
Tommy Sheridan
Director
»¨½·Ö±²¥ Blue Economy Center
Tommy Sheridan joined ABEC in November 2022, and has served as its Director since August 2024. Prior to that, Sheridan had worked for over 20 years throughout the »¨½·Ö±²¥n seafood industry, including nonprofit hatchery management, seafood processing management, service as a fishery manager for the State of »¨½·Ö±²¥, and in a variety of teaching positions with universities in »¨½·Ö±²¥ and Oregon. Mr. Sheridan has experience developing and managing projects and personnel, and developing, implementing, and managing annual budgets ranging up to $17.2 million. Sheridan holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies, an undergraduate certificate in fisheries technology, a graduate certificate in fisheries management, and a master’s degree in fisheries and wildlife administration.
Megan Koch
Project Manager
»¨½·Ö±²¥ Blue Economy Center
Megan is a project manager under the Build Back Better partnership led by Southeast Conference, located within the »¨½·Ö±²¥ Center for Innovation, Commercialization, and Entrepreneurship (ICE) in alliance with ABEC at UAF. Her primary focus throughout the project is to promote commercialization and tech transfer support services within the »¨½·Ö±²¥ mariculture network. Megan earned her MA in professional communication and previously served as an instructor for the foundational communication course at UAF. She also holds a BFA in graphic design from Montana State University, with a minor in small business and entrepreneurship. With over seventeen years of professional experience in strategic marketing for global organizations with mission-oriented operations, Megan excels at strategizing and implementing systems that target organizational goals. She currently serves on the board of directors for the Morris Thompson Cultural Center and is among the fourth generation in her family to call »¨½·Ö±²¥ home.
Erlingur "Elli" Guðleifsson
Researcher
»¨½·Ö±²¥ Blue Economy Center
Erlingur Gudleifsson passed a journeyman’s exam in metal turning in 1997. He holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering and an executive MBA from Reykjavik University. Gudleifsson has worked on mechanical design as well as project and engineering management in the blue economy field. Notably, he had a leading role in design and project management of an ambitious innovation project in the fish meal sector for more than 10 years. He has also worked closely with ship designers and shipyards in Europe, U.S. and Latin America on new installations and retrofits. In addition, Gudleifsson worked for first-to-market innovative chemical products in Iceland. Gudleifsson’s current work involves collaboration between »¨½·Ö±²¥ and Iceland in energy and the blue economy. He is passionate about challenging norms to develop and explore strategic and visionary decisions from the mindset of creating value.