Jihyun Lee, Director of Youth Programs and Engagement
Jihyun Lee is a 26-year-old ocean lover from South Korea who currently lives in Argentina and has worked with The Ocean Project since May 2023. Growing up in the United States' Rocky Mountains during her formative years, Jihyun sprouted her interest and love for animals and nature. The gorgeous and mighty orca especially captivated the heart of the 5-year-old child. For the past seven years, she has been working for ocean conservation and youth advocacy with multiple national and international non-profit organizations, enhancing ocean literacy and driving policy change through youth involvement. With extensive experience in developing long term actionable strategies for youth in marine conservation, her roles have ranged from policy analysis, global outreach coordination, to youth engagement. She has led successful campaigns to protect marine biodiversity, advocated for policy changes, and collaborated with international stakeholders.
Her work spans ocean governance, BBNJ, Antarctic and Southern Oceans, and plastic pollution, aiming to inspire collaborative action for ocean protection. A graduate of Yonsei University and currently pursuing a Master's degree in Applied Economics, and a Master's in Policy and Management of Science and Technology at the Universidad de Buenos Aires, Jihyun continues to amplify youth voices in global conservation efforts, striving for a healthier, bluer, and more biodiverse ocean and aspires to utilize her economic knowledge for conservation.
When Jihyun has free time, she enjoys walking, making pottery, indoor bouldering, listening to music, cooking, gastronomy, traveling around the world, and is always excited to experience new things and learn! LinkedIn profile here.
Dekota Mark, Coordinator, World Ocean Day 2026
Dekota Mark is driven by a passion for creating accessible spaces and resources that foster ocean literacy and deepen connections between people and nature. As founder and producer of the podcast Let's Dive In – Ocean Conversations, she endeavours to make marine conservation accessible to diverse audiences. She works in marine and Antarctic education with foundations like Curious Climate Schools and Mawson’s Hut Foundation where she inspires students from early childhood to high school through playful engagement with the ocean and its inhabitants.
Currently pursuing her Master of Marine and Antarctic Science at the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies in Hobart, Tasmania, her research focuses on the use of games and their impact on improving sustainable fishing practices and ocean literacy. She is particularly interested in using alternative forms of education and engagement, like her current initiative with youth led project Art For The Sea, using art as tool to inspire marine climate action and foster stronger connection with our marine world. Her time on the World Ocean Day Youth Advisory Council 2024-2025 was pivotal in shaping her approach to impactful ocean action, and she is now excited to help shape World Ocean Day 2026.
Paulina Slawek, Regional Hubs & Community Engagement Coordinator
Paulina Slawek is a Polish activist focused on climate justice and ocean conservation. Born and raised in the Middle East, she is currently based in The Hague. Her interests lie at the intersection of international climate policy, environmental law, climate justice, ocean conservation as well as regional to global decision-making and governance processes.
Currently involved in various organizations and initiatives for the climate and ocean, she collaborates with The Ocean Project for World Ocean Day, EU Climate Pact, Stop Ecocide International, Youth and Environment Europe, YOUNGO (UNFCCC), and UNICEF, amongst others. Overall, her work focuses on engaging young people in intersectional environmental advocacy and on mobilizing next generations in shaping sustainable climate futures.
Kate Sutter, Creative Director
Kate Sutter is a big ocean fan. Kate has been consulting part-time for The Ocean Project on community engagement since March 2021. In addition, she is a Content Manager for Only One. She has previously worked at the American Museum of Natural History in exhibitions, communications, and conservation. She is a member of the Explorers Club, an avid scuba dive instructor, and mom.
Based in Boston, Massachusetts, Kate has a B.A. from Fordham University, where she focused on Environmental Studies, Urban Studies, and Bioethics.
Sienna Imbesi, Volunteer Graphic Designer
Sienna Imbesi is a graphic designer with a passion for creating eye-catching designs across branding, digital, and print. When she's not designing, you’ll find her diving into game development—building worlds, creating assets, and experimenting with new ideas. She loves blending creativity and tech to make things that are both beautiful and functional. Sienna started volunteering with us in January 2026.
Izzy Lee, Intern
Izzy Lee is a recent graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, with a major in Architecture and on the pre-med track. She has been a PADI certified scuba-diver since 11 years old and has achieved the PADI Rescue and Master Diver certifications. During her school breaks, she enjoys exploring new places and scuba diving with her father. Izzy has been passionate about ocean conservation since high school and is particularly interested in coral conservation. During college, she has received grants through PADI for advancing her projects combining architecture and coral conservation. At The Ocean Project, she helps with social media in hopes to spread more awareness about ocean-related issues. Izzy also enjoys sculpting, working out, spending time with family and friends, and going on adventures during her free time!
Bill Mott, Co-Founder and Senior Advisor
Bill is dedicated to supporting and empowering youth worldwide for ocean and climate action. For nearly 40 years he has promoted collaborative and strategic approaches to creating a better future by building networks and coalitions. As a co-founder of The Ocean Project in 1997, he grew it from a partnership of five North American organizations into a global initiative with over 2,000 organizations that catalyzes collective action for a healthy ocean and a stable climate. For 25 years, Bill focused primarily on supporting aquariums and zoos to become bolder leaders for conservation, through market research for behavior change, integration of conservation messaging into all aspects of their operations, and including national and international policy action. He launched global efforts to coordinate World Ocean Day in 2002 and has grown it from an idea into a UN-recognized and globally celebrated event that reaches millions of people in nearly 200 countries each June, with continued action year-round. Since 2009, Bill has focused on supporting and empowering youth engagement and leadership internationally.
Bill's professional journey began as an intern in 1988 in Washington, DC, where he worked at the National Audubon Society and focused on tropical rainforest conservation. He later joined the Center for Environmental Education (now Ocean Conservancy), where he helped with the expansion of NOAA’s national marine sanctuaries program, including the establishment of several marine protected areas; as co-coordinator of the Coral Reef Coalition, he helped lead the collaborative campaign for congressional designation of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. After graduate school, he became the first executive director of the Marine Fish Conservation Network, where he developed a diverse coalition with more than 100 conservation, scientific, and fishing organizations and coordinated an innovative national media and grassroots campaign that led to the first major conservation overhaul of the United States’ principal fisheries law (1996 reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act). Bill then continued his ocean conservation journey with SeaWeb, and for seven years focused on global aquaculture and development of the sustainable seafood movement while also helping to launch The Ocean Project. He has worked full-time at The Ocean Project | World Ocean Day since 2005.
Bill holds an M.E.S. from the Yale School of the Environment and a B.S. in Natural Resources with a minor in International Agriculture from Cornell University. He lives in Providence, Rhode Island (the Ocean State) with his family, and hundreds of composting worms. He volunteers with several community and regional education, conservation, and sustainability efforts.
LinkedIn profile here. Interviews online: Green 2.0, and Marine Stewardship Council.