Chouly Ou, Ph.D.

Ph.D., Fish Ecology, Texas A&M University
M.Sc., Natural Resources Management, Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand B.Sc., Biology, Royal University of Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Dr. Chouly Ou serves as the Freshwater Fish Program Manager at Re:wild. In partnership with SHOAL, she drives efforts to promote a high-impact freshwater fish conservation program in support of delivering the SHOAL blueprint. She works closely with diverse partners, including communities, scientists, governments, corporations, and nonprofit organizations, to drive necessary actions for the long-term recovery of globally threatened fish species and the protection of their habitats. Chouly focuses on mobilizing conservation actions, building coalitions, forging strategic partnerships, raising awareness and funds, and strengthening local conservation capacity. 

Chouly brings extensive experience in freshwater ecology and community-based conservation, having worked extensively in Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake and the Lower Mekong River Basin. Her career includes previous roles at WWF-US and BirdLife International, where she managed small conservation grants and led capacity-building initiatives for local partners. Most recently, Chouly taught and conducted research on freshwater fish and conservation at the School for Field Studies-Cambodia program. In addition, she also serves as an editorial board member for the Cambodian Journal of Natural History. A highlight of her career was the discovery of a new species of loach, Schistura diminuta, in northeast Cambodia.

Originally from Cambodia, Chouly now lives in Virginia with her family. She enjoys hiking, yoga, gardening, and cooking in her free time.