Kate Sutter is a big ocean fan. Kate has been consulting part-time for The Ocean Project on social media and community engagement since March 2021. In addition, she is a Community Manager for Only One. She has previously worked at The American Museum of Natural History in Exhibitions, Communications, and Conservation. Before joining Only One, she was at The Ocean Agency where she managed projects alongside the team who produced Google Underwater Street View and the Netflix Documentary, Chasing Coral. She is a member of the Explorers Club, an avid scuba dive instructor, she has also been featured on Disney as a ‘shipwreck expert.'

Based in Boston, Massachusetts, Kate has a B.A. from Fordham University, where she focused on Environmental Studies, Urban Studies, and Bioethics.

Laura Johnson (she/they) is a lifelong environmental advocate & ocean enthusiast based in Long Beach, California. She has been working part time since 2020, currently serving as Youth Programs Manager. Their work at the organization has included co-coordinating Youth-A-Thon in 2020 and 2021, managing the World Ocean Day Youth Advisory Council, coordinating the monthly Rising Blue Network Newsletter, leading the Youth Advocacy and Leadership Training for Ocean and Climate Action program, and more.
They earned an Associate's Degree from Florida Atlantic University, and two certificates in Environmental Education & Climate Science Communication from Cornell University. They are currently pursuing their Bachelor of Science in marine biology & sustainable aquaculture, with a focus on environmental justice & social change, at Unity Environmental University.
She was a marine science educator at the Aquarium of the Pacific prior to Covid. She has also previously worked as a data analyst for both FAU's Harbor Branch Dolphin Lab & the 5Gyres Institute, as an undergraduate intern with University of Miami's RSMAS Shark Tagging team, and as a community canvasser for Greenpeace. She also served for 5 years as the Youth Representative on the Board of Directors at Big Blue & You.
She was a student delegate in the inaugural class of Sea Youth Rise Up in 2016 and returned to the program as a student mentor in 2018. They became the organizational lead for the collaborative program in 2023. Laura loves hiking, photography, making art in a variety of mediums, and tending to her houseplants, cats, and snakes.

Jihyun Lee is a 24-year-old ocean lover from South Korea who currently lives in Argentina and also works part-time for The Ocean Project. 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 four years, she has been working for ocean conservation and youth advocacy in national and international non-profit organizations while in university and has graduated from Yonsei University in Seoul. She served for over 2 years as a High Seas Youth Ambassador at the High Seas Alliance and 3 years as an intern at the Citizens' Institute for Environmental Studies (CIES), determined to work for a healthier, bluer, biodiverse ocean and planet. Jihyun has been engaging with the public by leading youth webinars, supporting public campaigns and academic research, amplifying youth voices by giving speeches at international conferences, and most of all, by staying connected to fellow ocean lovers. She learns from them every day and aspires to continuously grow as an environmental advocate. Currently, she is completing her Master's degree in Applied Economics in Universidad de Buenos Aires. 

Jihyun enjoys walking, indoor bouldering, listening to music, gastronomy, traveling around the world, meeting new people, talking about life, and is always excited to experience new things and learn! LinkedIn profile here.  

Tommy Nguyen (he/him) is a Brown University student and has worked with The Ocean Project since 2023. Born in Vietnam and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he has learned the significance of sustainability and community engagement through time in different locations. He was involved with the Refugee Education Center for four years, working closely to help immigrants adapt to the new environment. In addition, Tommy has led the Asian Student Union through different community events and founded an organization, Simplify English, to tutor children from China and Vietnam. These activities have led him to his current engagement in the Future of Sustainable Investing Conference and Bonner Community Fellowship at Brown University, where he addresses social justice issues in the Providence community with 19 other fellows. With the aspiration of connecting people from different backgrounds to the current issues in ocean conservation and sustainability, Tommy hopes that his involvement in The Ocean Project will aid in this journey to amplify voices and advocate for the environment. In addition, Tommy loves traveling the world. He has been to Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Canada, and more! He also enjoys running, working out, folding origami, and meeting new people.

Amanda Casaburi is a senior at the University of Central Florida (UCF) majoring in Environmental Studies. Her passion is marine conservation and she has gained hands-on experience as an intern with UCF’s Marine Turtle Research Group and as a Dolphin Research intern with Hubbs-Seaworld Research Institute. These internships inspired her to complete an undergraduate thesis analyzing the impacts of artificial beach lighting and nourishment on sea turtle nesting success. When she is not in the field or the lab, she enjoys connecting with coastal environments, yoga, and hanging out with her cats!

Izzy Lee is currently a senior at the University of Pennsylvania majoring in Architecture 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 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 on supporting aquariums and zoos to become bolder leaders for conservation, including improving policy.

Bill helped launch 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 contributed to the expansion of NOAA’s national marine sanctuaries and helped in the establishment of several marine protected areas; as co-coordinator of the Coral Reef Coalition, he helped lead the collaborative campaign create the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. After graduate school, he became the first executive director of the Marine Fish Conservation Network, where he developed the Network into a diverse coalition with more than 100 conservation, scientific, and fishing organizations and directed its innovative national campaign that led to the first major conservation overhaul of the United States’ principal fisheries law, with the 1996 reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Bill then continued his work with SeaWeb, advocating for sustainable aquaculture and the development of the sustainable seafood movement, all while growing 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 with his wife and has two children in their 20s, as well as a faithful hound 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.