John Racanelli
Host, A Blue ViewAs chief executive officer, John Racanelli leads a team of 600 full and part-time employees and 1,000 volunteers in pursuing the National Aquarium’s mission to inspire conservation of the world’s aquatic treasures. More than 1.5 million people annually visit the Aquarium’s venue in Baltimore, Maryland, while millions more are touched by the Aquarium’s education programs, outreach activities, social media campaigns and conservation initiatives.
A passionate advocate for the ocean, John strives to drive conservation action worldwide, ensure the success of one of the nation’s leading aquarium enterprises, and fundamentally change the way the world views the ocean and aquatic systems.
John joined the National Aquarium in July 2011 after 10 years as president of Racanelli Partners, Inc. The San Francisco-based consulting firm served the needs of nonprofit leaders nationally and globally, focusing on cultural and conservation organizations including Mission Blue/Sylvia Earle Alliance, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and the Surfrider Foundation.
After co-founding Mission Blue with author and oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle, John assisted her in developing and launching Google Ocean, Google’s most significant enhancement of Google Earth, the most popular earth visualization tool in existence.
Prior to founding his firm, John spent 16 years in leadership positions at U.S. aquariums. He was the first CEO of the Florida Aquarium in Tampa, where he built the facility, team and vision for Tampa Bay’s leading cultural attraction. He also served for nine years on the leadership team of the world-renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium as its vice president of marketing and development, joining the aquarium a year before its opening. While in college, John began his career as a diver and aquarist, an experience that he credits with giving him great appreciation for the work of everyone on the aquarium team.
Fluent in Spanish, John holds a degree in strategic management from Dominican University of California. He is a SCUBA diver, open-water swimmer, sailor and surfer. His weekly radio show and podcast on WYPR public radio, “A Blue View,” explores important issues related to the aquatic world. John and his family are proud residents of Canton, Baltimore’s historic waterfront district.
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Whales in Mid-Atlantic Waters: Thought rarely seen, several species of whales regularly make their way through Mid-Atlantic waters and, in some cases,… -
John tells us about The National Aquarium's efforts to restore populations of elk horn coral, an ecologically important reef-building species that is… -
Henry David Thoreau once said “we can never have enough of nature.” For the Aquarium Conservation Team, this is most certainly true of our work with our… -
If you have ever spent an afternoon on a mid-Atlantic beach marveling at dolphins so close you could swim to them, listen in to learn more about the… -
Since prehistoric times, they have swum the depths of our nearby ocean. Then, they became an internationally sought-after delicacy. Join us as we check in… -
As part of our continuing look at life in the Inner Harbor, learn more about northern water snakes and the important role they play in this ecosystem. -
If you’re wondering how you can make a difference in the fight against climate change, meaningful change is as close as your next meal. Learn how to “eat… -
There are some species of animals that hold a special place in my heart. I know that as an environmentalist I’m not supposed to pick favorites, but some… -
Summer is here, and over 60 million Americans are beach bound. Take a listen to learn some simple, helpful suggestions for leaving the beach better than… -
As part of our continuing look at life in and around Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, we’re learning about mallards. Listen in to find out how they support plant…
