Get Hooked Santa Barbara Meet the Team

Kim Selkoe

Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder

I grew up in Boston where I developed an early love of all things marine, except, ironically, the taste of seafood. I arrived in Santa Barbara in 1999 to get a Ph.D. in marine ecology at UCSB. I have been a Research Fellow at UCSB’s National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) for 12 years now and have projects on marine spatial planning, coral reefs and genetics.

In 2011, I teamed up with famed urchin diver Stephanie Mutz and budding fisheries activist Jon Gonzalez to launch a Community Supported Fishery program called Community Seafood. Finally obligated to consume seafood to show support for my own CSF, I quickly realized that fresh seafood is delicious and easy to cook! Unfortunately, Community Seafood faltered from lack of capacity and ended in 2015; ever since I've wanted to start a new one.

In 2016, I began working with the Chamber of Commerce and Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara (CFSB) on a new initiative called FishSB to boost local support for our fisheries. I continue to serve as part-time executive director of CFSB and board member to the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishing Associations.

I am supported in these many endeavors by my partner, Ben Halpern, and my kids, Sadia and Max, who have all become pescatarians and benefit directly from my insider access to local seafood.

Victoria Voss

Chief Operations Officer & Co-Founder

I am the daughter of a fisherman, which meant that as a child my father was away for days and sometimes many weeks at a time. The Santa Barbara fishing community was central to my childhood. Starting at age 18, I fished 3 summers for sockeye salmon commercially with my father in Alaska. This work was a way for me to connect with him and be a part of his ocean world. After attending Tulane University, I became involved with the Southern Poverty Law Center, where I focused on social justice issues. I finished my degree at UCSB, and then took a job with the Santa Barbara Waterfront Department. My family and I relocated to Australia for the last two years and upon returning to Santa Barbara, I had the opportunity to connect with Kim in building this CSF. Get Hooked is my way of reconnecting with my dad and the fishing legacy that runs deep in our family; I am so excited to share this tradition with my home-town community.

Maressa Garner

Social Media Goddess & Start Up Supporter

I grew up within a family dynamic that centered around growing, cooking and sharing food together. I came to Santa Barbara ten years ago to attend UCSB, where I became deeply interested in the importance of local food systems for reasons of personal well being, community vitality and global economy. I have worked with the Santa Barbara County Food Bank and on small organic farms driven by these factors. Falling in love with a fisherman and being welcomed into his fishing family has illuminated the industry and reignited my passion for the importance of community-driven, local resource distribution. I now consider Santa Barbara my home and am delighted to connect with and contribute to the community in this way.

Ren Ostry

Director of New Business/Los Angeles Logistics

I am a fishmonger-entrepreneur with experience ranging from farmers-market-fish-slinging to fine-dining recipe development and seafood sourcing.

In 2017, I founded my first seafood business "Trashfish," specializing in undervalued and lesser-known local seafood species like whelks and anchovies. We rebranded to "Kitchen Catch" in 2019 and happily got acquired by Get Hooked in December 2020.

I was a two-time Forbes 30 Under 30 finalist and have been featured as a sustainable seafood expert in Vogue, Forbes, Eater, and the Imperfect Food Podcast, and was a Food Inc. Emerging Voice in Food in 2018.

I am so excited to continue bringing trusted seafood to Los Angeles! My passion lays in bringing a millennial mindset to one of the oldest industries of modern society. The industrial seafood complex needs a face lift, and we are here to help! I bring a food-justice approach to our work, valuing people above all else.

Roy Qi

Operations Manager

It was my interest in fish and fishing that first brought me to Santa Barbara in 2006 to get my undergraduate degree from UCSB with an emphasis on Marine Ecology. After graduating, I remained in Santa Barbara to work for the Marine Science Institute, Sea Landing and Truth Aquatics, as well as the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. I eventually decided to continue my education and left Santa Barbara to get my graduate degree from UCSC with an emphasis in Marine Ecology and Fisheries Biology. During my time at UCSC, I continued to regularly visit Santa Barbara and particularly enjoyed spending time at the Saturday Fishermen's Market. It was here that I first met Kim and Victoria, and after returning to Santa Barbara, I joined the Get Hooked team and the local seafood community.