Steven Victor

Steven Victor is a Palauan native who became the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and the Environment for the Republic of Palau in July 2021. He is a marine biologist by training and an avid gardener at heart. He has served the environment and conservation sector in Palau and the Micronesia region for more than 20 years. Mr. Victor served as the Head of the Research Department at the Palau International Coral Reef Center from 2003 to 2009, during which he concurrently served as an adjunct Instructor at the Palau Community College. In 2009, Mr. Victor took a post with The Nature Conservancy Micronesia Program as a Conservation Planner and by 2021 had advanced to the role of Director. Mr. Victor has managed regional projects in Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. He has taken a leading role in facilitating the convergence of scientists, conservation practitioners, managers, and resource users to address issues in areas such as data-poor small scale fisheries, marine protected areas network design, management effectiveness evaluations, tuna fisheries reform, and securing livelihood opportunities. He is a strong advocate of the role of robust science in achieving win-win strategies for people and nature. Mr. Victor has a Master's Degree in Biology from the University and Guam and a post-graduate certificate from the Cambridge Judge Business School.