Hope in the Water: Seafood, Sips & Stories

On Tuesday, February 2, we are taking over The Redd!

This relaxed evening builds on the momentum of a sold out coastal showing last winter and opens the doors to a broader Portland audience. Filmmakers, creatives, chefs, scientists, food system thinkers, and anyone curious about where culture, climate, and storytelling meet are invited to gather, sip, snack, and connect.

*Note that if you are already registered for the Blue Foods Forum: , the happy hour is incldued in your registration.

The first hour is a hosted happy hour featuring ocean inspired bites from Merrow, a new pop up at Cafe Ollie by chefs Alec Hess and Olivia Starkie, alongside seaweed cocktails and thoughtful mocktails crafted by Cindy Capparelli of Portland Bitters Project. Each ticket includes one drink and one bite, with additional food and drinks available for purchase.

Guests will then settle in for a special presentation from the Hope in the Water, followed by a conversation with leaders shaping the future of the blue foods economy. Panelists include Julie Kuchepatov of Seafood and Gender Equality, Aaron Huang of Oonee Sea Ranch, and Dr. Alexandra Leeper, CEO of the Iceland Ocean Cluster. Together they will explore inclusive seafood systems, restorative aquaculture, and what it takes to move toward full value use of ocean resources.

Part of the two day Blue Foods Forum and presented in partnership with Fed by Blue and Winter Waters, this event closes out the Seafaring Symposium with a welcoming, high energy gathering designed for both industry insiders and the simply curious.

From Emmy Award winning producer Andrew Zimmern, in collaboration with acclaimed storyteller David E. Kelley, Hope in the Water follows the people reimagining how we feed a growing planet through kelp farming, restorative aquaculture, and seafood systems that work with nature rather than against it.

Admission tickets are available in advance and at the door. This is a come as you are, bring a friend kind of evening for anyone who cares about oceans, good food, and the stories that help move us forward. Tickets are offered at $30, benefitting the Oregon Kelp Alliance and FishHer Columbia Pacific CommUNITY Alliance. Your ticket gets you one drink and one bite. Additional food and drinks are available for purchase a la carte.

Julie Kuchepatov –
Julie is a recognized thought leader in both the sustainable seafood and fair trade movements. Before founding SAGE, she served as Seafood Director at Fair Trade USA, where she led and scaled the Fair Trade Seafood Program. Throughout her career, she has worked directly with stakeholders across the seafood sector to address pressing environmental and social challenges in global seafood production.

Aaron Huang –
Aaron is an early-stage operator and founder who has held key executive roles in multiple venture-backed companies. He co-founded Oonee Sea Ranch in response to the collapse of kelp forests and the rise of overgrazing urchins, sometimes referred to as “underwater forest fires.” Oonee is developing a land-based restorative aquaculture solution to address ecosystem degradation and workforce development through a climate resilience lens. Aaron believes that reconnecting people with nature through food has the power to shift perspectives and behaviors—one urchin at a time.

Dr. Alexandra Leeper –

Dr. Alexandra Leeper is a leader at the intersection of seafood, circular economy, and industrial infrastructure, with a PhD in sustainable aquaculture and the circular economy, a master’s degree in marine environment and resources, and a bachelor’s in marine biology and oceanography. Based in Iceland, she leads the Iceland Ocean Cluster, where she helps advance the globally recognized 100% Fish model and supports its adaptation through a growing network of sister ocean clusters, including in Oregon. In 2025, she founded Hringvarmi, a circular heat infrastructure initiative designed to help food and agri industrial sites turn waste heat into long term value, and she also serves as Global Ecosystem Lead for Blue Nova Ventures, connecting blue economy entrepreneurs around the world.

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Host or Publisher Oregon Ocean Cluster