Gulf of Maine Research Institute Welcomes Jennifer Golden as Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications
Golden brings more than 20 years of nonprofit and government experience to GMRI executive team.
Portland, Maine (August 19, 2026) — The Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) is pleased to announce Jennifer Golden as its first Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications. Golden is charged with leading GMRI’s efforts to engage with local, regional, and increasingly global stakeholders to grow the institute’s reputation for scientific excellence, community-based innovation, and outsized impact.
"The Gulf of Maine has become one of the world's most important places for understanding how ocean ecosystems, fisheries, and coastal communities are responding to rapid change," said GMRI President and CEO Glenn Prickett. "Jennifer has spent more than two decades helping expertise-driven institutions connect with the partners, communities, and donors needed to turn those ideas into action.”
Golden has deep experience advancing brand, reputation, and fundraising outcomes for large, mission-driven organizations. Most recently, she served as Executive Director for Advancement Marketing & Communications at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where she built a communications infrastructure to support the university’s $100M+ annual fundraising goal and its upcoming comprehensive campaign.
Previously, Golden led strategic communications for the Embassy of Australia in Washington, D.C. and has held various leadership roles at The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs, the International Institute for Strategic Studies, and the Council on Foreign Relations.
“Maine has long been an important part of my life, so this opportunity is especially meaningful to me,” Golden said. “I am drawn to GMRI’s deep commitment to the communities and ecosystems of Maine and inspired by its science-based approach to addressing the challenges facing our ocean and the people who depend on it. This is urgent and important work, and I am excited to be a part of it.”
Golden holds a Master of Arts in International Communication from Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, where her graduate work included environmental science, and a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from the University of Florida. She also has longstanding personal connections to Maine, where she has spent time with her family every summer for the past 20 years.
About the Gulf of Maine Research Institute
The Gulf of Maine Research Institute is an objective, independent non-profit working toward a future in which the ecosystems, economies, and communities of the Gulf of Maine region thrive amid rapid change. GMRI turns knowledge into action through partnership with stakeholders to support healthy ocean ecosystems, a thriving blue economy, sustainable seafood, and climate-resilient coastal communities. For more information, visit www.gmri.org
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