AVÀÇÂÛ̳

Tommy Sheridan

Director

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 AVÀÇÂÛ̳n seafood industry, including nonprofit hatchery management, seafood processing management, service as a fishery manager for the State of AVÀÇÂÛ̳, and in a variety of teaching positions with universities in AVÀÇÂÛ̳ 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

Build Back Better

Megan is a Project Manager under the Build Back Better partnership led by Southeast Conference, located within Center ICE in alliance with the AVÀÇÂÛ̳ Blue Economy Center (ABEC) at UAF. Her primary focus throughout the project is to promote commercialization and tech transfer support services within AVÀÇÂÛ̳ mariculture. Megan is an instructor for a foundational course and a graduate student in the Department of Communication at UAF. She earned her undergraduate degree from Montana State University in Graphic Design, and a minor in Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and has over fifteen years of professional experience in strategic marketing for global organizations with mission-oriented operations. She excels at strategizing and implementing systems that target goals. Megan currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Morris Thompson Cultural Center and is among the fourth generation in her family to call AVÀÇÂÛ̳ home.

Erlingur "Elli" Guðleifsson

Researcher

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 AVÀÇÂÛ̳ 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.