Rhea Moss-Christian is the Executive Director of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), an international body overseeing the management of the world’s largest tuna fishery.
Appointed by the WCPFC’s 41 member countries and territories in December 2022, her role reflects her extensive experience and leadership in fisheries management and conservation efforts across the Pacific Islands region for nearly three decades.
Rhea’s professional journey includes significant contributions as an independent consultant, where she worked with organisations such as The Nature Conservancy and the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency on regional initiatives, including electronic monitoring and strengthening compliance. This work built on her earlier career in public service, which began in 1996 at the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where she managed the Asia-Pacific portfolio and represented RMI in the WCPFC Convention negotiations from 1997-2000.
Rhea’s expertise also led her to roles with the United States National Fisheries Service in Honolulu, Hawaii, and the Federated States of Micronesia’s National Oceanic Resource Management Authority (NORMA). Her leadership in sustainable fisheries management was further demonstrated through her tenure as Chair of the WCPFC’s Technical and Compliance Committee from 2012-2014 and her historic tenure as Chair of the WCPFC from 2015 to 2018, the first woman to achieve this position.
In 2017, she was appointed as the first Chair of the Marshall Islands National Nuclear Commission, where she played a pivotal role in establishing the commission and developing a national strategy for nuclear justice. Her career in the Marshall Islands government also includes roles as Deputy Secretary of Resources and Development and as an Oceans and Fisheries Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Rhea serves on the Board of Advisors to the Pacific Security College at the Australian National University and is a member of the Asia-Pacific Leadership Network.
Rhea’s academic background consists of a Global MBA from The Fletcher School at Tufts University, an MA in International Policy Studies from Stanford University, a Postgraduate Certificate in Diplomatic Studies from Oxford University, and a BA in Politics from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Born in the Marshall Islands and holding dual nationality with the United States, Rhea resides in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia, with her husband Christopher Christian and their daughter Isla.
