Meet the 2024 Core Team
DIRECTIVE BOARD
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"We must save the Ocean together!"
Luciana Verastegui
(she/her)
Former Contact Point and Coordinator
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Mexico, North America
Luciana is a young ocean advocate. She will start college in Environmental Law in Monterrey, Mexico. Her journey creating Ocean’s Voice started in May of 2020, after attending COP 25 as a youth delegate with a focus on the Blue Carbon. She got a chance to know many passionate ocean activists from all around the globe. She has had experience in two private consultancies, one from Denmark, advising companies about sustainable development, and another one from Mexico in which she conducted part of the logistics of a Conference about coastal zones based on governance in Los Cabos. She wants to empower more youth voices towards the conservation of the Ocean and to demonstrate that everything is interconnected.
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"Youth are vital actors of Oceans and must be included in all aspects of related work and activities."
Cathy Yitong Li
(she/her)
Contact Point 2022
China, Asia
Cathy Yitong Li coordinates YOUNGO’s external partnerships. She also represent YOUNGO and WGC in various UNFCCC meetings and serve as a task force member of UNFCCC’s Technology Executive Committee. In addition, she is a fundraising officer at COY. By profession, Cathy is a summer analyst at JPMorgan and an incoming analyst at Deloitte's London office.
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"We must save the Ocean together!"
Alfredo Lorenzo Sablay
(he/his)
Member
Philippines, Asia
Alfredo Lorenzo Sablay is a 25 year-old medical doctor in training, biologist, youth leader, facilitator, advocate, and volunteer from Manila, Philippines. As an active youth leader and volunteer, he has led several national and global professional and socio-civic organizations. As a passionate advocate for climate change, marine protection, and biodiversity conservation, Lorenzo has joined and is a part of a number of climate action and biodiversity organizations, groups, and constituencies. He has also represented his nation and affiliations in various national and international conferences, trainings, and high-level fora. As a hands-on and hardworking leader, Lorenzo is also a passionate advocate of collaboration towards sustainable development for people, planet, peace, and prosperity.
"We must save the Ocean together!"
Naluyima Jacinta
(she/her)
Project Manager
Uganda, Africa
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"We must save the Ocean together!"
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Julieta Ahedo
(she/her)
Departments Supervisor
Mexico, North America
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(she/her)
Yoko Lu
Global Affairs Director
Canada, North America
Yoko is a multipotentialite who is a recent graduate M.Sc. Environmental Biology. She is a globetrotter who has lived in China, Japan, Finland, United Kingdom, and Belize to pursue her interests. She is Co-Founder of the CYBN and has been involved with the International Union Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) as a youth representative. Her passions include outdoor exploration, music making, and volunteerism.
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"We must save the Ocean together!"
Julia Bator
(she/her)
Regions' Supervisor
Poland, Europe
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ADVISORY BOARD
"We’re a team! I’m sure we will do a lot of noise together, guys! We are the Ocean’s Voice!"
(she/her)
Patricia Furtado de Mendonça
Brazil, South America
Patricia grew up in Rio de Janeiro, near the Ocean since she was a baby. She loves to freedive and practice underwater dance. In 2017, she founded her organization, ACQUA MATER, which means Mother Water in Latin - this is the Great Ocean for me! She creates and coordinates various transdisciplinary projects to reconnect us to all Waters, to the Ocean - because each drop of water inland comes from the Ocean! She loves to collaborate with young people from all over the world, especially for ocean conservation. Last year, she produced her first film, 'WE ARE WATER'
AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN
COORDINATORS
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"If we have a healthy ocean, we would be on the right path towards a sustainable planet."
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"We all come from the ocean, protecting it is part of us, we just need to listen."
Heitor Sabino
(he/his)
Regional Coordinator
Saul Piembert
(he/his)
Subregional Coordinator
Mexico, North America
Brazil, South America
Heitor is a production engineer from Brazil. Since 2016, he has been working as an activist of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. He is also a Climate Reality Leader. His career focuses on building a green economy to improve sustainable energy sources, environmental protection, and humans development.
Saul is a young economist and researcher. Most of his work focuses on the importance of economic systems based on the sustainability of ocean resources, implementing a Blue Economy. Since 2019, he has been working as a political analyst. He wants to aware people about that their choices of consumption and production can save the ocean.
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"If we have a healthy ocean, we would be on the right path towards a sustainable planet."
Karla Montalvo
(she/her)
Mexico and Caribbean
Subregional coordinator
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Mexico, North America
Heitor is a production engineer from Brazil. Since 2016, he has been working as an activist of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. He is also a Climate Reality Leader. His career focuses on building a green economy to improve sustainable energy sources, environmental protection, and humans development.
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"If we have a healthy ocean, we would be on the right path towards a sustainable planet."
Danny Osorio
(he/his)
North America
Subregional Coordinator
Brazil, South America
Heitor is a production engineer from Brazil. Since 2016, he has been working as an activist of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. He is also a Climate Reality Leader. His career focuses on building a green economy to improve sustainable energy sources, environmental protection, and humans development.
"If we have a healthy ocean, we would be on the right path towards a sustainable planet."
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Maria Sujkowska
(she/her)
South America
Subregional Coordinator
Chile, South America
Maria, originally Polish, lives and work in Chile. She is a part of a regional NGO Corporación Norte Grande, which focuses on biodiversity conservation and sustainable development, especially on the coast of Northern Chile. Seeing the youth being so engaged in climate action motivates her. In her free time, she enjoys playing bass guitar and watching movies.
EUROPE AND MEDITERRANEAN
COORDINATORS
Saul is a young economist and researcher. Most of his work focuses on the importance of economic systems based on the sustainability of ocean resources, implementing a Blue Economy. Since 2019, he has been working as a political analyst. He wants to aware people about that their choices of consumption and production can save the ocean.
Regional Coordinator
(he/his)
Samuel Castels
"We all come from the ocean, protecting it is part of us, we just need to listen."
Spain, Europe
AFRICA AND GULF OF GUINEA
COORDINATORS
Eric is a business consultant, social worker, Freight forwarder and a publisher. He is the Founder of Giving Life Nature Volunteer an NGO in Consultative Status with ECOSOC. His organization is a member of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Ghana. He was selected to be part of World Festival of Youths and Student in October 2017 in Russia. His ongoing mission is to develop writing and “How to tools for everyday needs of an average person.
Ghana, West Africa
Regional Coordinator
(he/his)
Eric Komla
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"If we have a healthy ocean, we would be on the right path towards a sustainable planet."
Bertin Kalimbiro
(he/his)
Subregional Coordinator
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central Africa
Bertin has worked for more than ten years in the field of environmental protection in the DRC and in the Great Lakes region. His expertise is in the field of sustainable management of rivers, lakes and oceans in his country. He has a degree in Environment and Sustainable Development. He is also the coordinator of LIMA Resilience, a non-profit organization which campaigns for several causes the preservation of biodiversity and raising awarees about world hunger crises.
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"If we have a healthy ocean, we would be on the right path towards a sustainable planet."
ASIA AND PACIFIC
COORDINATORS
Sharmin Shara Mim is currently working at BRAC Institute of Educational Development, combining her passion for communication and facilitation. She has been engaged in youth capacity building since her university years. In that pursuit, she has done two internships on youth capacity building and climate change. She has written a short story anticipating climate change impact on earth titled “Ice Age”.
Bangladesh, Asia
Regional Coordinator
(she/her)
Sharmin Sara Mim
"When we are protecting the ocean, we are protecting our earth."
"If we have a healthy ocean, we would be on the right path towards a sustainable planet."
Lakshay Bhatti
(he/his)
Subregional Coordinator
India, Asia
Lakshay is a student from India , a future geomorphologist .Since 2019 he has been working with various environmental organizations globally on climate change and Sustainable development goals. He is a part of Climate reality project. His future goals are to focus on climate change and sustainable development goals to create a green and a better society for future generations.
COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT
This department manages all our communications on digital platforms, smooth execution of our campaigns and looks over the operations as well.
"Let's save this beautiful marvel of nature before it's too late."
Shriya Mohanty
(she/her)
Head of Community Management Department
India, Asia
Shriya is a junior at college, studying computer science and engineering. Apart from her impeccable graphic design skills, she belives that it is necessary for the inhabitiants of this planet to know what it is going through. She believes that visuals play an important role in making people aware about the environmental crises and thus, plans on to coming up with stunning art and visually appealing resources that highlights the problems of the environment. She is also the global ambassador for the Slow Fashion Movement and also contributes to her local Fridays for Future chapter.
"If we have a healthy ocean, we would be on the right path towards a sustainable planet."
Soumyadip Dewanji
(he/his)
Graphic Designer and
Content Writer
India, Asia
Heitor is a production engineer from Brazil. Since 2016, he has been working as an activist of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. He is also a Climate Reality Leader. His career focuses on building a green economy to improve sustainable energy sources, environmental protection, and humans development.
"If we have a healthy ocean, we would be on the right path towards a sustainable planet."
Samantha Conde
(she/her)
Graphic Designer
Mexico, Latin America
Holding a bachelor's degree in International Relations, Sam is passionate about sustainability and seas and oceans conservation. Born and raised in Cancun, Sam is aware of the importance of the ocean in the regulation of the Earths' climate and how crucial it is for our survival and the preservation of biodiversity. Through visual content, she wants to raise awareness for ocean conservation and inspire others to take action. She likes to swim, ride her bike and watercolour painting.
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"If we have a healthy ocean, we would be on the right path towards a sustainable planet."
Erica Pem
(she/her)
Graphic Designer
Cameroon, Central Africa
Erica Pem is a Master student in international relations at the International Relations Institute of Cameroon (IRIC). She speaks French, English, Spanish and a little bit of Kiswahili and Russian. She has a passion in communication and bridging language barriers. She previously obtained her Master degree in translation at the Advanced School of Translators and Interpreters (ASTI), Buea.
"Water and air, the two essential things have become global garbage cans."
Jafreen Alamgir
(she/her)
Content Writer
Bangladesh, Asia
Jafreen is currently studying masters in Economics. She is from Dhaka, Bangladesh and has been passionate about climate change, especially ocean’s issues. She wants to bring positive change to the oceans by making people aware of marine pollution and what can be done to overcome them. She has written and published many papers related to climate change and economics.
"We all come from the ocean, protecting it is part of us, we just need to listen."
Saul Piembert
(he/his)
Graphic Designer
Mexico, North America
Saul is a young economist and researcher. Most of his work focuses on the importance of economic systems based on the sustainability of ocean resources, implementing a Blue Economy. Since 2019, he has been working as a political analyst. He wants to aware people about that their choices of consumption and production can save the ocean.