When the idea for Wavemakers began to take shape, one thing was clear. It could not be designed in isolation.
Wavemakers was intended to reflect the lived experience of those working in the fisheries sector. The programme must be grounded in the realities of our profession. These include navigating complex institutions, moments of doubt, the slow growth of confidence, and the relationships that help individuals grow in their roles.
To help shape the programme, I invited a small Advisory Committee of trusted colleagues from the global fisheries community: Rhea Moss-Christian, Dr Penelope Ridings and Jung-re Riley Kim. Their guidance has helped ensure that Wavemakers will have lasting impact on the next generation of fisheries professionals.
I sat down with Rhea Moss-Christian and Dr Penelope Ridings to reflect on their careers, the support that shaped their paths and what they believe the next generation needs most.
Rhea and Penny have each built successful careers in the demanding and complex field of fisheries. Along the way, they have navigated moments of doubt and uncertainty, faced difficult situations, and supported others entering the field.
What followed were thoughtful and honest conversations. While their experiences and paths differed, they shared a clear set of values about how professionals grow and how strong communities are built and maintained.
Several themes emerged again and again. These ideas sit at the centre of Wavemakers.
Finding Your Voice
One theme appeared repeatedly in our conversations. It was the gradual process of finding one’s voice.
Rhea spoke openly about how long that journey took for her. Early in her career she often felt more comfortable supporting others rather than speaking in meetings:
“Early in my career I was more comfortable helping from the background rather than speaking at the centre of discussions.”
Confidence came slowly. It grew through experience and by putting herself in situations where she had to step forward:
“Speaking up and organising your thoughts quickly in meetings does not happen overnight. It comes through practice and persistence.”
Many professionals will recognise this experience. The confidence we see in experienced leaders is rarely something they begin with. It is built over time.
Penny described a similar journey but focused on something slightly different. She emphasised the importance of recognising and trusting one’s own capability:
“You have to trust your instincts and believe in yourself, even when others around you may not think you are right.”
Both perspectives point to the same truth. Finding your voice is not a single moment. It is a process.
It grows through experience, reflection and community.
The Power of Professional Community
Another strong theme in our conversations was the importance of a supportive network.
For Rhea, community played a central role in her development. Throughout her career she relied on a small group of trusted colleagues and friends. These were people she could call when facing difficult decisions or uncertain situations.
These relationships provided something very valuable. Genuine support and honest advice.
They challenged her thinking. They offered perspective. They gave reassurance when it was needed. That support helped her work through difficult moments and strengthened her confidence.
Penny spoke about a similar dynamic when reflecting on mentoring:
“People need an opportunity to express themselves freely, without worrying about what they say.”
She also noted that learning often happens between peers:
“What I find in mentoring is that people learn from each other. They bounce ideas off each other.”
Professional growth rarely happens in isolation. It happens through conversations and relationships.
In many fisheries agencies professionals work in small teams or specialised roles. Opportunities for open discussion can be limited. Working environments can be complex and isolated.
Creating space for those conversations is one of the central ideas behind Wavemakers.
Learning Through Difficult Moments
Rhea and Penny also spoke openly about mistakes and difficult moments.
Rhea described how some of the most important lessons in her career came from uncomfortable situations. These were moments when things did not go as planned or when criticism was hard to navigate.
Those experiences were not easy. But they helped build resilience and perspective.
Over time they also reinforced an important lesson. Mistakes are not failures. They are part of the learning process.
Penny reflected on this shared reality:
“Everybody goes through crises of confidence.”
Moments of doubt are part of professional life. What matters is how people work through them.
This is where community matters:
“It gives people confidence. That is probably the most important thing.”
Being able to reflect on difficult moments and talk about them with trusted colleagues is one of the ways professionals grow.
This kind of reflection is rarely part of formal training. Yet it is often the most valuable part of development.
Wavemakers seeks to create space for these conversations. Practitioners need places where they can discuss challenges honestly without fear of judgement.
The Responsibility to Give Back
Perhaps the strongest theme in our conversations was the idea of giving back.
Both Rhea and Penny spoke about the support they received early in their careers. Senior colleagues recognised their potential and encouraged them to speak up.
For Rhea, one moment stands out from early in her career. At one of her first regional meetings she remembers feeling nervous and unsure of her place in the room. A senior colleague noticed and stepped in:
“At the beginning of my career someone told me they were going to help me find my voice.”
For Penny, a manager once gave advice that stayed with her throughout her career:
“Trust your instincts.”
These simple moments had a lasting impact.
They also shaped how they think about their responsibilities today.
Many experienced professionals in the fisheries community feel the same. The support they received created an obligation to support others.
Helping the next generation is not simply courtesy. It strengthens the whole community.
That belief sits at the heart of Wavemakers.
Investing in People
These conversations reaffirm something the IMCS Network has long understood. Effective fisheries depends on people.
Policies and institutions provide the framework, but it is the people working within them who make them effective.
They make decisions, interpret information and take action. They build connections, strengthen communities and make the system work.
Investing in those individuals matters.
Wavemakers is built on this principle. It creates space for reflection, connection and guidance. It brings together experienced practitioners and those earlier in their careers. Our Wavemakers will share experiences. They will build confidence and trust. They will create lasting community. Together.
My conversations with Penny and Rhea are a reminder that the strength of our community rests in people who are willing to share their experience and support others. It is our compassion, our honesty and our willingness to be open that make us stronger. We need to create more space for this.
Their reflections also remind us that confidence grows through experience and with support. Community strengthens judgement. And those who have found their voice carry a responsibility to support others in finding theirs.
I am deeply grateful to know these women, to work alongside them and to build WaveMakers together for the benefit of our community.
