Boedi Sardjana Julianto is a food and beverage creative entrepreneur. She is passionate about adding value to seaweed, cocoa, and coffee industries.

Laura Khatib is a student in the Advanced Master in Sustainable Blue Economy, at OGS – University of Trieste, Italy. She also is the co-founder of Guardians of the Blue, an NGO with headquartered in Byblos, Lebanon, that looks to protect the seas through the development of local ocean literacy, activities are lionfish hunting, and scuba diving cleanups.

Laura’s work mirrors her passion for the relationship between humankind and the ocean, ocean literacy, ecosystem regeneration, marine social sciences, blue mind, project management, scuba-diving, photography, marine cultural heritage, and the Mediterranean.

Tu David Phu is a Vietnamese-American chef and Bravo’s Top Chef Alumnus from Oakland, California. His extensive resume is centered around food, working in some of the nation’s top restaurants, being the co-executive producer of an Emmy-nominated film, and a community advisor working to democratize food injustices.

As a first-generation Vietnamese-American, he has a strong passion for food justice, food recovery, and the Zero-Waste Movement. His advisory principles have been recognized for promoting sustainable seafood options that are rich in lessons from his birthright through food.

Maxime Cheminade is a French diving instructor and underwater videographer passionate about conservation and sustainability. He deep-water dives, trying to get as close as possible to the stories he aims to tell.

Linda Albonetti is a 25-year-old marine biologist. She spent her university career specializing in elasmobranchs, subsequently writing her thesis about environmental DNA. Immediately after graduation in February 2022, Albonetti had the opportunity to join the CESTHA research center to specialize in environmental spreading, habitat dissemination for schools, sustainable fisheries projects, and social media management.

Vicente Covarrubias is a Mexican globetrotter who has been digitally documenting his adventures since he found an old camera in his mother’s closet. Since then he has carried it on all his trips, attempting to capture the essence of each destination to all his family and friends that could not travel with him. Ever since childhood, he loved spending time in the ocean, however, it was not until his nineteenth birthday that he learned to surf. Surfing ignited his love of the sea, which allowed him to explore even more. His goal is to create awareness about protecting the ocean and giving back.

Christian Vera is a photographer, journalist, and biodynamic fig producer in Peru. His work is dedicated to portray the agricultural world that surrounds figs and, from there, capturing the food’s cultural imprint. In Peru, he produces fig products from ancient fig trees; In Europe, he documents various culinary and agricultural traditions linked to these mythological trees. What he likes about his work is the possibility of connecting ancient knowledge with the present and projecting it into the future through visual communication, written expression, and artisanal food production.

Maria Fernanda Arraes Treffner is an international cooperation manager with vast experience in communication and knowledge-sharing, dedicated to sharing and promoting learning and change in rural development contexts. She is skilled at conceiving communication products as tools for field activities, as well as for promotion and advocacy.

Maria Fernanda loves working online and onsite as a graphic facilitator of multi-actor platforms, designing and hosting effective and participatory dialogues, learning processes, and knowledge-sharing events. She has vast experience in rural development, environment, and natural resources, agriculture, fisheries, food and nutrition projects, and public policies in countries from Latin America, Africa, Europe, and Asia, while working in the framework of local and national governments, international NGOs, European Union and UN System.

Claudio Pichaud is a crab fisherman from Ancud, Chile. He has 20 years of experience extracting crabs on the small island of Chiloé. Additionally, he is the president of an association working to improve the work and life quality of local fisheries.

Nadiya Azmy is a Sri Lankan early career researcher who believes science and youth are essential in creating meaningful solutions to the world’s numerous crises. She is enrolled to receive a Master’s in Climate Change and Environmental Management at the University of Colombo and holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Microbiology and Biotechnology from Edinburgh Napier University, UK.

Amzy is working on a project to understand the gendered dimensions of ruptures in coastal fisheries and another project in which she uses systems thinking approach to look at climate change adaptation in a traditional fishery in Negombo, Sri Lanka.

Cristiano Burmester is a professional photographer who develops documentaries, advertising, and fine arts projects. Has co-directed TV documentaries such as Smart Cities and The Future of Education and published books such as Himalaya (Editora Brasileira), Discovering the Sea of Brazil: flora and fauna, and Discovering the Sea of Brazil: coast and islands (SENAC Publishing). He has held exhibitions throughout Brazil and foreign countries.

Burmester holds a Post-Doc (2018) from the School of Communication and Arts of the University of São Paulo and a Ph.D. (2013) in Communication and Semiotics from the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo. He teaches photography for journalism, advertising, and design majors at the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo.

Find more of his work at: www.crisburmester.com

Nana Kweighya Isaac graduated from the University of Cape Coast in Ghana and is a small-scale fisherman, owner of a canoe owner. She is also the founding President of the Canoe and Fishing Gear Owners Association of Ghana (CaFGOAG) and head of the Youth Wing of the African Confederation of Professional Artisanal Fisheries Organisations (CAOPA)-Ghana. He has been a sustainable fishery advocate and championed responsible fishing and the safety and security of small-scale fishers.

Dalia Canales empowers and connects small trout producers in Peru. She educates local men about sustainable aquacultural practices that also help improve their quality standards of their production, along with their own livelihood.

Nicole Macas is an Oceanographic Engineer from the Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL) with experience in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), water quality, project management, and mariculture.

Macas is the Vice President of the Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA) Ecuador chapter and a founding member of the OES ESPOL chapter.

Duncan is a fisheries management consultant based in Australia. He has worked in the past as a habitat manager and marine park planner for his local fisheries agency, ran an NGO created by the fishing industry to promote habitat protection and bycatch management, worked with the MSC and ASC on ecolabelling, helped develop and oversight other standards (Marin Trust, Community Catch, Fair Trade) and helped develop fisheries management and action plans in a variety of countries including Thailand, Vietnam, India, Philippines.

Nicollette Khristell was born in Panama, and for her young age, she is highly interested in storytelling and marine biology. Her dream is to get into university and learn how to write and research about sharks.

Evina Protogerou is a Digital Marketing and Communications Manager at Enaleia, headquartered in Athens, Greece.

Percy Gianmarco Bayona Fiestas is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Fishing Engineering at Universidad Nacional de Piura in Peru. He belongs to a small fishing community in La Islilla, located in northern Peru. As the son of a fisherman, he has grown to love the sea, oceans, and ecosystems. One of his goals in life is to share his knowledge with other fishermen in the community by disseminating information that is difficult for them to access.

He has managed programs and online platforms that provide information on the local fishermen, like videos and photographs showcasing the fishing traditions and customs the community has been following for decades. He recently won an honorable mention for reflecting the impact of COVID-19 on fishing communities.

Emi Koch graduated with a Marine Biodiversity & Conservation degree from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego. She is based in Lobitos, a small fishing village in Northern Peru, and works as a social ecologist and National Geographic Explorer.

She utilizes community-based participatory research approaches to understand fisheries scarcity’s impacts on small-scale fishing communities’ well-being and resilience.

Emi is the founder of Beyond the Surface International, a nonprofit working with rural students from fishing villages using Positive Youth Development tools like surfing, audiovisual storytelling, and mindfulness. She has found that the future relies on younger generations learning to be resilient and promote the social-ecological well-being of healthy oceans, lakes, rivers, and people.

Putu Purnayasa is from Bali, Indonesia, and works at Putra Bahari Milk Fish Bali, a hatchery of milkfish seeds supplier that sells domestically and internationally. The organization is looking to build an effort to fight for the existence and future of the milkfish hatchery business in the region, a region that produces the largest amount of this type of seed in the world. Putu sees the enormous potential these seeds have in his region, so he aims to help grow the attention of relevant stakeholders.

Margaret Seruvatu is from the Fiji Islands with maternal links to Papua New Guinea. She is a Communications Officer at FRIEND (Foundation for Rural Integrated Enterprises & Development) in Fiji. Her role involves community outreach and capturing stories regarding the impact of the communities FRIEND works with, creating income-generating skill-building options and organic agriculture.

When she’s not at work, she makes polymer clay earrings as a side hustle for her small business.

Rayies Altaf is a researcher, digital storyteller, and science communicator. He has a Master’s degree in Science Communication and an M.Phil in Science Policy from Jawaharlal Nehru University-New Delhi. His areas of interest include science-society interaction, scientific research, ecology and environment, biodiversity, and climate change. He has also covered Indian scientific research for Indian Science Wire. His writings and columns on science, technology, and the environment have been featured in regional and national print media. He has worked with the Indian Institute of Mass Communication-New Delhi. He has also taught Science Journalism at the Delhi School of Journalism-University of Delhi. He is the recipient of three foreign fellowships and three national fellowships in sustainability, climate change communication, mobile journalism, and digital storytelling. He spends his leisure time reading philosophy, Shakespeare, and newspaper columns in international dailies.
He hails from the Valley of Kashmir, India’s northern most geographical region, surrounded by the Pir Panjal range and the Himalayan range. He is passionate about conserving and safeguarding the rich biodiversity of this region. This region is known for its natural beauty, famous freshwater springs, and Mughal-era gardens.

Aileen Roncoroni is a marine scientist with expertise and passion for with scientific communication and education. Throughout her studies, she has gained practical experience in shorebirds and marine mammal research, while writing blog posts and creating content for social media as well as videos to convey her work and raise awareness of science-related topics.
Currently, she is working as a communication and social media officer for Worldrise Onlus, an Italian NGO that develops creative projects for the conservation of the marine environment, including responsible fisheries.

Faith Atukwatse is a Fisheries Scientist in Uganda, where she researches, writes, and operates businesses within the fisheries value chain. She graduated from Makerere University with a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries and Aquaculture in 2017.
After, she lived in Entebbe and managed a cage fish farm at Pearl Aquatics Limited, one of the leading fish farms in the region. She is pursuing a Master of Science in Zoology, majoring in Fisheries and Aquaculture. She’s passionate about fish farming, sustainable fisheries management, and climate change.

Risper Oteke is a conservationist researching the sustainability of peri-urban mangrove-dependent livelihoods in Mombasa, Kenya, from a gender perspective. Oteke works with coastal communities in conservation, enabling conditions for livelihoods and nature to thrive. She also loves working with women, creating avenues that provide them opportunities in leadership and decision-making in community resources management

Asikaralu Okafor is the Executive Director of Village Farmers Initiative (VFI). She is a versatile, strategic, and facilitative leader with over 20 years of expertise in Agriculture, Entrepreneurship, Information Technology, Indigenous Food Systems, Community Development, Women & Gender, Peacekeeping & Conflict Resolution, and International Development.

Ivaldo Fumo is an undergraduate oceanography student and activist in Quelimane, Mozambique. He lives and breathes the ocean air and dedicates his life to sharing and discussing African stories. With his community-driven work, he is looking to help with the preservation and conservation of the local mangroves.

Rita Robert Otu is an agricultural economist specializing in gender, development, and women’s rights. She is a youth leader and social entrepreneur from Nigeria eager to deliver high-impact food system solutions. After gaining her Master’s degree from the University of Manchester United Kingdom, she returned to Nigeria and founded Beau Haven Farms, a nonprofit organization that creates food awareness on food security.

As a form girl, Rita understands the need to promote and create awareness of the agricultural sector to engage with future generations. She uses her creativity and passion for agriculture through her storytelling initiative called Ekongke. There she celebrates Nigerian agriculture through unique photos of women farmers, starting meaningful conversations around food and fiber production. This will strengthen rural communities by enabling a new generation to access opportunities across primary industries and provide an ongoing connection for the older generation of farmers as they transition out of hands-on agriculture.

Atenas Lizarraga holds a degree in Communication Sciences from UNAM. She is the Community Manager from Comunidad y Biodiversidad, an organization dedicated to promote the conservation of marine biodiversity and establishing sustainable fisheries through effective participation.

José Luis Chapilliqué Tume is fisher and Math teacher in Cabo Blanco, Peru. His interest in education, more specifically in socio-environmental topics, like the human care of ecosystems. All his family has been a part of the fishing and aquaculture sector, from catchers to processors, and traders of fish and seafood.

He is passionate about sharing his knowledge on useful skills for their future, as well as alternative knowledge on fishing, swimming, and free diving.

Ryan Nienaber was born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa and has been fishing since the age of 5. He grew up on a traditional landline boat catching snoek and worked my way onto the tuna boats. He now has his own family-owned and operated factory, adding value to community-based catches, and distributing to top restaurants and home chefs.

Athanasius Ssekyanzi is a Fisheries and Aquaculture Scientist specializing in fish and shellfish health management. She has experience in all aspects of fisheries technologies and management and well-versed in fish/shellfish hatchery management, aquaculture grow-out production, aquaculture systems set-up/design, fish/shellfish immunology, fish taxonomy, and remote-sensing.

Athanasius has a strong background in teaching and research in higher learning institutions, with a great deal of indigenous knowledge of the Ugandan artisanal and commercial fisheries sectors.

Kara Birkenmayer is an enthusiastic marine biologist and amateur photographer with a penchant for travel. Although she was born and raised in South Africa, her scientific training and career have taken her to the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, Panama, and, most recently, Seychelles.

After graduating from Harvard, she promptly moved back to Panama, where she worked at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Bocas del Toro. She then led research for the aquaculture department of the Seychelles Fishing Authority. Currently, she is an International Projects Manager for ABALOBI, an ocean-tech startup that aims to empower small-scale fishers while encouraging sustainable fishing techniques.

Sarah Pima from Tanzania is an executive director of a non-Governmental Organization called Human Dignity and Environmental Care Foundation (HUDEFO). She is a marine researcher who is passionate about nature and lives to work with communities. Her organization has three thematic areas: environmental conservation (marine and forest), waste management, and gender and climate change.

Baltazar Chapilliquén is an artisanal fisher and scuba diver from Cabo Blanco, Perú. He currently gives lectures on fishing technologies in a local public institution on topics revolving around sustainable fishing and the preservation of aquaculture.

Karina Higa is a marine ethnobiologist and educator, passionate about empowering people through education and art to promote a more sustainable way of living to preserve the environment, especially her beloved ocean.

Kyralai Duppel is a surfer, spearfisher, and recent graduate from UC Berkeley. Her honors thesis covered labor and environmental issues within industrial fishing, and she hopes to show the benefits and beauty of sustainably harvesting seafood.

Sutsina is a freshwater Vaname shrimp aquaculturist.