NSU University School Viewpoint Fall/Winter 2017

24 n NSU UNIVERSITY SCHOOL ALUMNI PROFILE Candace Crespi is a biologist, activist, and ocean con- servationist. Her work focuses on preserving marine biodiversity, reducing the human impact on cetacean populations, and giving a voice to endangered species. She collaborates with artists, activists, and like-minded organizations to raise awareness, build strategic cam- paigns focused on wildlife conservation, and inspire global change through the use of film, media, and storytelling. Crespi is the campaign director for the Oceanic Preservation Society (OPS), a nonprofit organization that inspires people to save the oceans. OPS’s first film, The Cove , won dozens of awards around the world, including the Academy Award for Best Documentary in 2009, and has inspired millions around the globe to take action against the brutal dolphin hunts in Taiji, Japan. In OPS’s newest film, Racing Extinction , a team of artists and activists exposes the hidden world of extinction with never-before-seen images that will change the way we see the planet. Crespi also serves as campaign manager for Blue Sphere Foundation, where she fuses dramatic imagery with intimate and thought-provoking stories, to connect people to globally important issues and inspire action. She also is an active participant at the International Whaling Commission (IWC) meetings. When Crespi graduated from NSU University School, she thought her path was set. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in cellular and molecular biology from Tulane University’s Honors Program and was very active in college: She was president of the Pre-Med society, held internships throughout her four years, and studied in Australia at the prestigious Curtin University after being displaced by Hurricane Katrina. In Australia, Crespi felt helpless, being unable to help the people of New Orleans, so she held fund-raisers and spent time researching the underlying reasons why storms of this magnitude happen. “Although I had early acceptance to medical school at George Washington University and attended for a brief time, I soon realized that I wanted to—or rather needed to—use my science background and passion for the environment to help people in a different capacity, on a much larger and more creative scale,” Crespi says. “I went from wanting to be a doctor, to wanting to help the planet, which ultimately helps seven-plus billion people across the globe.” Crespi says, “NSU University School helped to get me where I am today. It provided me with an excellent education in a family environment where teachers were supportive and went above and beyond. The teachers took the time to build individual relationships with their students and were so inspiring.” She has fond memories of her teachers, including physics teacher Rafael Arechabale- ta, Ed.D., and health science teacher Carol Manson. “They taught me about the real world. Not just academics. They shared stories from their pasts, inspiring me more than Candace Crespi 2003