BAP Staff Spotlight: Glorya Alexander

Tell us a little about your background – where did you go to school? What was your major?

When I was little, my aunt used to take me to Provincetown, MA for summer vacation and we would spend the entire summer by the ocean. It was there I fell in love with the ocean and everything that surrounded it. I went to college as a Marine Biology major like so many do at the University of New England in Biddeford, Maine, but wasn’t sure if that was the right major for me. I changed my major to Aquaculture and Aquarium Science my junior year and added a Fine Art Minor and a Women Studies minor too. I became a mom my junior year in college and it was important to me to make my way in a field where women (moms too) struggle. I wanted to show my son that he has a strong independent mother that can succeed in anything she puts her mind to and not letting anything hold her back.

Why are you passionate about this industry?

I grew up in New Hampshire and when I wasn’t on Cape Cod, we were going to Rye Harbor State Beach in New Hampshire and seafood was everywhere. Seafood was a huge part of every day and I knew that I had some sort of part in the world of seafood.

When I changed my major in college, I knew I wanted to be a part of something big and that aquaculture was something new being offered at the university I was at, and I wanted to immerse myself in everything related to aquaculture. Aquaculture is the future of seafood! There are so many misconceptions about aquaculture and I always feel compelled to educate where I can.

Tell us about your role with BAP – what is your day-to-day like? What have you learned by working here?

I have been with GAA/BAP since September of 2015 as a BAP Certification Specialist. I am in charge of about 550 facilities of which about half are somewhere in the recertification/certification process. I work with all facilities in Vietnam and North, South, and Central America. Each day I review applications that have come in for my facilities, check on my emails if anyone needs help with their application or profile, reviewing final documents that have come in from the Certification body so I can send out certificates and validation letters, and so much more. I also work to keep our Pinterest page updated. Working with BAP has allowed me to educate more people about sustainable aquaculture. Being a part of this team has allowed my passion for aquatic life to flourish and I am able to promote responsible aquaculture in a way that is making a difference in the environment worldwide. I have been able to gain a deeper understanding for cultures around the world and the ins and outs of how aquaculture operates by interacting with all of the facilities I am lucky enough to work with everyday.

What do you do in your free time?

I am a crocheter at heart! I can make anything with yarn! Whenever I can I try to be creating something!

I am an avid outdoorsy person. I have a deep love of being in and near the ocean and on the flip side I love being able to go hiking and camping in the mountains around me. I am lucky enough to be able to live in an area that I am just a few minutes from both. I am a mom of a 14-year-old young man and a bonus mom to an almost 8-year-old, and it is important for me to show them the different experiences this world has to offer around us, as well as living a healthier lifestyle so I can be around a very long time. In some of my free time you can catch me biking, doing Zumba, Barre, and even some “Fitness Marshall” videos on YouTube! Exercise has become a huge part of everyday life for me and getting my son more active has been a bonus!