About Us

OWI Leadership Team

OWI’s leadership team brings over 70 years of combined experience in wildlife management, external affairs strategy, emergency response, and operational leadership.

OWI’s synergistic portfolio spans the full spectrum of conservation and emergency response—from preparing communities and professionals, to responding in real time, to supporting recovery through research, policy, and economic revitalization. This Prepare–Respond–Recover approach defines OWI’s leadership in advancing wildlife resiliency across regions and sectors.


Jesse Gilbert

President and Chief Executive Officer
Oceans and Wildlife Institute

Jesse provides strategic leadership for the Institute’s Wildlife Resiliency strategy and business operations. Jesse led the development of the leading coastal wildlife rescue program in the United States and, working with Federal and State agencies, created the country’s first emergency operations center for wildlife disasters, the Wildlife Response Operations Center (WROC).
 
Jesse holds a bachelor’s degree in Marine and Filed Science, a Master’s of Science in Fisheries and Mariculture, and a Master’s of Business Administration. Jesse serves on the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi College of Science Advisory Board and serves as an Adjunct Professor.

Justin Sefcik

Chief Strategy and Operations Officer

Over the course of his career, Justin has responded to multiple wildlife emergencies involving many species while simultaneously operating the country’s fourth largest aquarium. He has experience collaborating with state and federal agencies and other stakeholders along the Texas Gulf Coast.

Justin holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology from the Evergreen State College, as well as a Master of Tourism Management from Colorado State University and a Professional Certificate in Strategic Management from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. A native of Nacogdoches, Texas, Justin now resides in Corpus Christi with his wife and two children.

Jennifer Vela

Chief Government Affairs, Marketing and  Communications Officer

Jennifer has been an integral part of the Texas State Aquarium’s Leadership Team for over 14 years. She is responsible for developing and executing legislative, marketing, and communication strategies that focus on expanding the Aquarium’s role as a leader in STEM education, conservation, and wildlife rescue. 
 
Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and a minor in Media from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and is a member of the Texas A&M University CC Alumni Association. She is also actively involved in various community organizations, serving on the Board of Directors for the United Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce, Visit Corpus Christi, and the Association of Zoos and Aquarium’s Public Relations Committee. In addition, she is a Tuloso Midway ISD Education Foundation Board Member, has served as the Past President of the Young Professionals of the Coastal Bend, and Alumni of Leadership Corpus Christi, Class 47. Jennifer is an honoree of the Corpus Christi Under 40 and a member of the Texas Travel Alliance and American Advertising Federation.

Sarah “Ziggy” Zigmond

Chief of Staff

Sarah is the Chief of Staff at the Texas State Aquarium where she works closely with the executive team to manage day-to-day operations of the aquarium ensuring alignment and efficiency of all departments. Her leadership supports the aquarium’s various departments in achieving their goals efficiently and effectively.
 
Sarah holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi and started her career in 2010 working with marine mammals. In addition to daily aquarium operations, Sarah works with agency partners on permitting and provides leadership during wildlife emergency and rehabilitation operations.

Lucy Nix

Development Manager

Lucy serves as the Development Manager at the Texas State Aquarium, where she drives fundraising programs and cultivates donor relationships to support initiatives in wildlife rescue, conservation, and education. Lucy brings experience with her background in non-profit fundraising, marketing, and advocacy from both state and national arenas.

She graduated from Georgia State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Video, supplemented by a minor in Marketing. Beyond her professional endeavors, Lucy is committed to her community. She is the President-Elect for the Young Professionals of the Coastal Bend’s Board of Directors. Previously, Lucy contributed her expertise as a Board Member of the Rockport-Fulton Young Professionals and the American Advertising Federation- Coastal Bend.