Fran Castro
Fran brings 28 years of experience in environmental project management, grant writing, facilitation, and event planning, with extensive knowledge of regulatory processes in Guam and the CNMI. She founded Blue Solutions to help clients reduce their environmental footprint while advancing conservation and environmental protection.
Her experience includes government relations, community engagement, coastal permitting and enforcement, watershed and coral reef management, land-based pollution control, and conservation planning. She has led stakeholder workshops, strategic planning sessions, interagency meetings, and community consultations, and has prepared technical reports, management plans, grant proposals, policy recommendations, briefing materials, and public outreach products.
Janice E. Castro
Janice Castro is a Coastal Management Specialist with Consolidated Safety Services, Inc., supporting NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management. She provides technical assistance to Pacific island partners in coral reef conservation and management, grants administration, and coastal protection.
With more than a decade of experience in natural resource management, her experience includes resource management, planning, policy development, stakeholder coordination, and meeting facilitation at the local, regional, and international levels. Her knowledge of CNMI environmental law and public policy, combined with strong partner relationships, enables her to effectively advance coastal and environmental priorities.
Strategic Partnerships. Sustainable Solutions.
About Blue Solutions Group
Blue Solutions Group, LLC is a strategy and sustainability firm providing planning, environmental solutions, government relations, stakeholder engagement, and project management services throughout the Pacific.
We work with governments, businesses, universities, nonprofit organizations, and communities to navigate complex regulatory, environmental, and development challenges. Our approach is practical and solutions-focused: we simplify complex issues, identify opportunities, and give clients the information and strategy they need to make confident decisions.
Our team brings decades of experience in environmental management, sustainability, natural resource conservation, economic development, public policy, and community engagement. From project planning through implementation, we provide responsive communication, technical expertise, and strategic guidance designed to achieve measurable results.
Our work is grounded in integrity, professionalism, technical excellence, collaboration, accountability, strategic thinking, and a strong commitment to our clients.
Based in Guam and the CNMI, Blue Solutions Group serves clients throughout the Mariana Islands and the broader Pacific region.
David L. Benavente
David L. Benavente is a marine ecologist with more than a decade of experience in coral reef ecology, marine resource management, and environmental consulting throughout the CNMI. He holds a Master of Science in Marine Ecology from the University of Guam and serves part-time as Project Manager and Lead Biologist for the Mariana Islands Nature Alliance.
His experience includes large-scale marine debris removal and coastal restoration, coral mitigation and monitoring, biological assessments for coastal development projects, and preparation of environmental documentation to support permitting and regulatory compliance.
Peter Houk, PhD
Dr. Peter C. Houk is a tenured professor and marine ecologist at the University of Guam Marine Laboratory and a National Geographic Explorer with more than 20 years of experience in coral reef ecology, fisheries science, marine monitoring, and conservation across Micronesia and the Pacific.
His work focuses on coral reef resilience, fisheries management, water quality, climate impacts, and translating long-term ecological data into practical guidance for conservation, policy, and watershed planning. Dr. Houk has led research across numerous Pacific jurisdictions and has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, technical reports, and regional assessments.
