Meet the Team - Deep Sea Conservation Festival

Ellen (she/her)

Hey! My name is Ellen, I’m a high school junior, and I’m the leader and founder of this Deep Sea Conservation Festival. A few years ago I attended a NatGeo talk about the deep sea and completely fell in love with this remarkable ecosystem. The deep sea is the largest habitat on the planet, filled with life forms we have barely begun to understand. Despite this importance, this ecosystem is in danger of exploitation and irreversible harm. Many people remain unaware of their connection to what takes place deep below the ocean’s surface and as such are unfamiliar with how significantly these threats may affect global health. It is my hope that this festival will incite a sense of wonder about the deep sea and drive every day action to protect this beautiful environment.

As a passionate ocean nerd, I have always found marine life to be a source of inspiration and awe. I have been a youth volunteer with the Seattle Aquarium for several years, and have spent over 600 hours exploring Puget Sound as well as learning how to inspire conservation of our marine environment. As part of my ongoing effort to become a better science educator, I am serving as a NOAA Youth Ambassador and was the youth keynote for Seattle’s Youth Ocean Conservation Summit. I am so excited about the opportunities I’ve had to learn more about the strange and compelling world below the surface and my role in protecting it.

This festival is part of my Girl Scout Gold Award project, and I could not have dreamed of working with a more lovely or talented group of people to pull it together. Massive thanks to everyone who has lent their expertise and support throughout this initiative.

Lina (they/them), B.S.

A marine educator from a young age, I strive to reduce barriers and increase public engagement in marine conservation. During my career as a marine biologist, I’ve worked on studying octopus behavior and locomotion, subtidal trophic interactions, and monitoring recreational shellfish fisheries. I’ve found that the most profound piece of each of these positions was in communicating your work to the community. By providing the public with the tools to make environmentally conscious decisions, I can drive others to share my commitment to marine conservation. I am incredibly honored to be the advisor for this Girl Scout Gold Project!

Mickey (she/her), PhD

I take pride in being a dedicated collaborator, skilled researcher, effective science communicator, and proven leader in the ocean-climate world. As a chemist, I study an otherworldly field of airborne algae and its impact on human health and climate. As an advocate, I am dedicated to serving as a hub leader for Sustainable Ocean Alliance Pacific Northwest and a grassroots manager and lobbyist lead for Citizens' Climate Lobby. I am passionate about bridging science to policy so informed and actionable change can be achieved. Waves of gratitude!

Roxanne (she/her)

Hello! I’m Roxanne. I am a recent high school graduate and a longtime Seattle Aquarium volunteer. Learning about marine biology has always been my happy place. The uniqueness and mystery of the deep sea fascinates me, and I love how vibrant the ecosystems and organisms are. I feel a deep camaraderie with the ocean and the cool, weird dudes that live at the bottom of it. Even though the deep sea is tough, it is vulnerable to our rapidly changing world, and I want to spend my life conserving it. I’m honored to be serving my friends and colleagues in this project, and I’m even more stoked to bring the deep sea to Seattle!

Marina (she/her)

Hi! My name's Marina, and I've loved the ocean for as long as I can remember!
The deep sea is an amazing habitat with snails in suits of shining armor and firework displays of bioluminescence; its inhabitants are just incredible.
I hope this festival can inspire others to love the deep sea as much as I do, because before we can protect something we need to love it. Our deep oceans are under threat of mining and our rapidly changing climate. But it is my genuine hope and belief that through education and conservation the deep sea will become the first unexplored frontier to be appreciated- not exploited.

Sebastian (he/him)

Hi. My name is Sebastian. I am a high school senior on Bainbridge Island. I am a current Seattle aquarium volunteer and competitive saxophone player. I love everything related to the ocean, especially bull kelp, pacific spiny lumpsuckers and salmon, and I am currently working with Puget Sound Restoration Fund on restoring bull kelp forests. Lastly, I am getting closer to getting my advanced Scuba Certification and hoping to soon add free diving to my bag of tricks.