National Fisheries Institute Welcomes Industry Veteran as new Director of Scientific Affairs
February 18, 2026 | 2 min to read
Reston, VA – The National Fisheries Institute (NFI) welcomes Gina Mortillaro as its new Director of Scientific Affairs. Mortillaro joins the NFI team as Margaret Malkoski heads towards retirement after 10 years in the role.
“Margaret leaves an indelible mark on our association and this industry,” said NFI’s President and CEO Lisa Wallenda Picard. “We will miss her dedication and deep knowledge. At the same time, we’re pleased to have a regulatory expert with more than twenty years in the business taking the baton.”
The Director of Scientific Affairs helps manage NFI’s technical programs, provides regulatory guidance to members, and represents the industry with federal agencies and scientific partners.
Mortillaro has spent decades focused on R&D, technical services, regulatory compliance, and quality assurance for some of the biggest names in the seafood space.
“Gina has a strong seafood specific background that includes expertise in HACCP, FSMA, USDA, and NOAA regulations, as well a rich history of developing company programs to comply with any number of regulatory policies,” said NFI’s Chief Science Officer, Jon Woody. “Whether it’s food labeling expertise or review of new procedures and platforms she’s already done it and brings those resources to our membership.”
In addition to extensive regulatory work with various agencies, Mortillaro will coordinate seafood research initiatives with the Seafood Industry Research Fund.
For 80 years, NFI has been the leading trade association for the seafood industry whose members represent all aspects of the value chain from water to table. For more information, visit our Web site at www.AboutSeafood.com.