AltaSea Expands Leadership Team with Milken Institute & Berggruen Institute Alum Jade Clemons

AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles, the world’s leading tech hub for the “blue economy,” has announced the hiring of Jade Clemons to lead the Blue Sustainable Economy Alliance (BlueSEA), AltaSea’s business support program that provides operation, development, and investment services and facilities for innovators scaling businesses in ocean industries.

Clemons most recently served as senior program manager at Berggruen Institute, a Los Angeles-based think tank founded by investor and philanthropist Nicolas Berggruen. Clemons is an expert in economic development and small businesses and brings a passion for creating a more sustainable planet. Clemons will start December 4.

As the Director of BlueSEA, Clemons will work directly with entrepreneurs who are building ocean-based solutions to climate change at AltaSea and will work to build a world-class support ecosystem where innovators can start, grow, and scale their businesses. AltaSea created BlueSEA in 2023 with financial support from Builders Initiative, with the primary goal to generate equitable economic growth through recruiting and supporting partners in AltaSea’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, and to develop an alliance to champion emerging ocean technologies that mitigate climate change. Clemons will also be responsible for the day-to-day operations, planning, marketing, and development to attract additional startups and entrepreneurs.

AltaSea currently has 27 tenants exclusively focused on ocean innovation, and research collaborations with numerous colleges and universities.

“BlueSEA is a critical initiative to ensure that ocean innovators have the support, infrastructure, and resources they need to thrive, and we could not be more pleased to have Jade lead that charge for AltaSea,” said AltaSea president and CEO Terry Tamminen. “Jade’s leadership, vision, and voice will be invaluable to us as we continue to welcome more innovators to our campus and grow the Blue Economy.”

Clemons comes to AltaSea after leading the Berggruen Institute’s research program. During her time at Berggruen Institute, Clemons studied equitable and sustainable economic systems with an eye towards human and non-human flourishing. Prior to Berggruen Institute, Clemons served as the Associate Director of the Center for Regional Economics at the Milken Institute focusing on small business and sustainability initiatives. She is also an attorney.

“Creating a sustainable, equitable future for our community and beyond is one of the great challenges facing this generation. I’m thrilled to be joining the team at AltaSea working to meet this challenge every day,” said Clemons.