David Packard Award Dinner

Monterey Bay Aquarium held its bi-annual David Packard Award Dinner on Wednesday, November 1, 2023. More than 235 guests gathered at Rosewood Sand Hill in Menlo Park where Schmidt Ocean Institute co-founder Wendy Schmidt received the Aquarium’s David Packard Award in recognition of her wide-reaching philanthropic leadership and commitment to ocean restoration around the world. The Award honors leaders whose scope and achievements embody the qualities of thought and action that David Packard held dear, and who have effectively worked to ensure a sustainable future of our planet. It was given in recognition of Schmidt’s two decades creating innovative philanthropic organizations dedicated to clean air, renewable energy, resilient food systems, healthy oceans, and human rights for all. The event raised almost $5M to support the non-profit Aquarium’s conservation and education initiatives.