Our dynamic team is composed of experts from various backgrounds and fields, united by a shared passion to protect the Ocean.
Our dynamic team is composed of experts from various backgrounds and fields, united by a shared passion to protect the Ocean.
The governing body of Oceanic Global
Social entrepreneur, conservationist, and international speaker, Lea d’auriol founded Oceanic Global in 2016 in her mid twenties. In addition to growing the organization’s impact across 55 countries worldwide, she has since spoken at renowned international conferences and on stages such as those of ChangeNow Summit, COP 27 and 28, The Nexus Summit, and the United Nations. Her work with Oceanic Global has been featured by leading publications including WWD, The New York Observer, National Geographic, BBC, Forbes, and Vogue. Prior to Oceanic Global, Lea was an Event Marketing Specialist working with leading brands and philanthropic institutions across the US, Europe, and Asia with previous roles at luxury pr & event firm Shamin Abas, Chanel, and UBM.
Whaia is a Sonic Weaver, water protector, and member of the Ngāti Kahugnunu in Aotearoa, New Zealand
Daniel is a Principal with the global accounting firm, Grant Thornton Advisors LLC, where he leads the Not-for-Profit Tax Practice. Daniel has served clients in the nonprofit industry for 30 years and has served on numerous charity boards sharing his expertise and industry experience.
A board member since inception and the first member of Oceanic Global’s leadership team, Natasha is a strategist, writer, and founder of the brand consultancy, Tru Story. Her work specializes in building and amplifying impact, cause-marketing & communications initiatives for leading global brands, start-ups, thought leaders, and NGOs. Natasha has guided Oceanic Global’s communications, strategic partnerships & overall positioning since its founding in 2016. Natasha has additionally held leadership roles with organizations ranging from the United Nations, Rockefeller Family & Associates and Unicef USA to luxury PR & event firm Shamin Abas, Niche Media, and Ogilvy PR.
Rob is the founder of RM Legal Studio, a boutique business and entertainment law practice in Los Angeles, CA. A former scout for the New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs, he now focuses on servicing talent, creatives and emerging companies. From fine artists to film producers to CPG companies, Rob's mission is to shepherd and advocate for purpose driven projects.
Distinguished in environmental engineering, marine ecology, and sustainable design, Cassia's leadership in conservation is well-established, particularly from her time as Oceanic Global's Program Director. In that role, she excelled in forging strategic coalitions, building community resilience, crafting sustainable business models, and championing policy advocacy, and she continues her dedication to environmental stewardship with us as a Board Member. Presently, she is also the Chief Impact Officer at responsible finance startup Anthropogenic where Cassia is at the forefront of infusing truth, trust, transparency, and timeliness into impact-linked finance, enabling a global transition to an impact-driven economy.
Vanessa Fajans-Turner is the Executive Director of Environmental Advocates NY (EANY), capitalizing on New York's power as the world's 11th-largest economy to spearhead national and international decarbonization initiatives. She previously led climate-aligned banking initiatives at BankFWD and advised UN SDG Financing policies at the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Vanessa's environmental leadership is rooted in her diverse experiences, from making climate and ocean grants with the Avatar Alliance Foundation to producing the Emmy-winning climate documentary series "Years of Living Dangerously." A founding principal at Investable Oceans, Vanessa is very proud to serve on Oceanic Global’s board. She is also a board member of the Institute for Ethical Campaigning and an advisor to the Resolution Project and Amazon Watch. She holds a BA from Harvard and an MA in International Economics and Development from The Johns Hopkins University - SAIS, and term membership with the Council on Foreign Relations.
James studied the intersection of investing, marketing, and philanthropy, and loves the systems thinking model of the world. He founded The Peace Department after finding failures in climate change coordination efforts between research institutions, non-profits, multilateral organizations, and the private sector.
Dynamic experts that advise our strategic initiatives
Founder at Vida Ecovissa SL
Blue AdvisorVeteran Event Organizer & Fundraiser
Founder & Creative Director, OceanX
Entrepreneur, Conservationist & Filmmaker
Executive Director, Future Sound
Founder of 351 Studios
Creator of the WooMoon, Storytellers and Acid Sundays parties
Founder & Creative Producer, Recess Assembly; Founder & President, Spotlight Media Live; Co Founder & COO of The Good Society
Director of Entertainment, 1 Hotels
Blue AdvisorCo-Founder, QN Associates; U.S. Head of Impact, Too Good To Go
Blue AdvisorCEO, G33nGroup
Blue AdvisorFounder & CEO, ITACA
Blue AdvisorFounder, U.S. Composting Council
Blue AdvisorFounder & CEO, EarthCheck
Blue AdvisorDepartment of Hospitality, Tourism and Event Management, IU International University of Applied Sciences
Blue AdvisorVice President, ESG Advisory Lead, JLL
Blue AdvisorFounder, Clever Carbon and Women and Climate
Blue AdvisorFounder, H2Consulting & Previous Chairman for the Hotel Association of NYC
Blue AdvisorVP of Sustainability + Impact at Credo Beauty; Co-Founder at Pact Collective
Blue AdvisorGlobal knowledge holders and experts that help guide our impact
The day-to-day team that brings our mission to life
Chief Operating Officer
Katerina brings over fifteen years of experience in operations, data and financial analysis, and strategy ranging from industry leaders, including PwC, S&P Global, and Bloomberg LP as well as startups to Oceanic Global. She was an early contributor to The COVID Tracking Project incubated by The Atlantic, demonstrating her commitment to public service. She is also a Limited Partner at Firehouse Ventures, a syndicate that invests in companies saving and improving lives. Katerina also advocates for environmental causes through her role as an Ambassador for Ecogenia, a non-profit and NGO that trains youth in Greece to positively impact the environment. She additionally serves as a strategic advisor to several startups.
Chief Operating Officer
Director of Development and Corporate Partnerships
Born and raised in South Florida, Melinda started her non-profit career after graduating from the University of Central Florida. With 15 years of experience in Science Centers and Aquariums, she's passionate about science education, communication, partnerships, and philanthropy. Melinda’s a Leadership West Palm Beach graduate, deeply rooted in community involvement, and a life-long ocean advocate.
Director of Development and Corporate Partnerships
Executive Assistant
With a keen eye for detail and exceptional organizational skills, Rachel excels in providing administrative support to executives and coordinating complex projects with precision. Prior to joining OG, Rachel worked in Client Services at UBS Financial Services. She holds degrees in Communication and English from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she also developed a deepened sense of love and connection to the ocean. When she is not managing calendars, coordinating travel arrangements, or facilitating seamless communications across the OG team, she loves planning her own travel to destinations with clear water and rich scuba diving sites.
Executive Assistant
Marketing & Social Media Manager
With a deep-rooted passion for wildlife and conservation, Kristin strives to inspire and motivate audiences to protect our planet and its inhabitants through the power of marketing and impactful science communication. After pursuing a degree in Zoology, Kristin has navigated roles within the conservation, education, and wildlife sectors before transitioning into the realm of marketing, leveraging her skills to amplify messages of environmental stewardship. She believes in spreading educational awareness and providing tangible actions, viewing these as catalysts for positive change in the ongoing crisis to safeguard Earth's precious ecosystems.
Marketing & Social Media Manager
Creative & Content Marketing Manager
Rosie combines her degree in Zoology, background in Marketing and passion for the ocean to her role as Creative & Content Marketing Manager. A former professional swimmer turned divemaster in scuba diving, surfer, and open water swimmer, Rosie’s connection to the ocean runs deep. Leveraging her expertise in marketing, design, and social media, Rosie is dedicated to creating content and telling compelling stories that evoke emotion and inspire others to care about the ocean and take action for our blue planet.
Creative & Content Marketing Manager
Science & Advocacy Manager
Kat is a firm believer that we protect with what we love — and leverages science, sustainability, and stakeholder engagement to promote solutionism, awe, connection, and unwavering curiosity in the ocean space. She holds degrees in environmental policy from Colorado College and Marine Biodiversity + Conservation from Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
Science & Advocacy Manager
Blue Standard Manager
With a degree in Environmental Studies & Economics and a minor in management and leadership, Elizabeth has a strong background in ocean conservation, advocacy, and sustainability standards and is passionate about creating tangible change for our collective wellbeing.
Blue Standard Manager
Event & Partnership Manager
Gina brings more than ten years of expertise in event and production design to her craft. Fusing her affinity for orchestrating unforgettable experiences with her dedication to grassroots activism and ocean conservation, she has carved a niche for herself in curating community-driven events with a meaningful impact. Gina is a certified surf therapy facilitator and founded Ride the Tide Surf Therapy to provide surf therapy sessions to communities in NYC and NJ. She serves on the board of the NY Water Safety Coalition and is a Groundswell Community Project advisor who can be found in or near the ocean 99% of the time.
Event & Partnership Manager
Director of Partnership Marketing & Events
With nearly a decade of experience leading international marketing initiatives, Dawn has developed experiential programming and led brand-propelling partnerships within the fields of fashion, art, and design. Bringing her dynamic industry knowledge to offer a fresh perspective to the landscape of ocean conservation, Dawn’s role at Oceanic Global includes program strategy, project management, event production, and partnerships.
Director of Partnership Marketing & Events
Director of Marketing
Jacquelynn is a born and bred New Yorker known to be vocal about protecting the ocean and the coastal city she loves. She brings an International Business & Marketing degree from American University and 15 years of holistic marketing strategy experience to the organization with a background working with innovative start-ups and established brands ranging across industries from CPG, sustainability, beauty, music, and immersive experiences - including Package Free, Rahua, Macy's, and Superfly.
Director of Marketing
Chief Financial Officer
Anna is an ESG & capital management strategist specializing in environmental economics and sustainable business growth. She has successfully led numerous growth strategies that have driven both multimillion dollar revenue increases and investments for environmental start-ups and established brands. As Chief Financial Office at Oceanic Global, Anna leads the organization’s financial management and strategic development. Anna is also the co-founder of Tru Story, a boutique consultancy that provides expertise in impact, brand, and capital strategies. Her former professional experience spans organizations including the United Nations, Aspiration, and Mangrove Capital Partners.
Chief Financial Officer
Strategy, Communications & BoD
A board member since inception and the first member of Oceanic Global’s leadership team, Natasha is a strategist, writer, and founder of the brand consultancy, Tru Story. Her work specializes in building and amplifying impact, cause-marketing & communications initiatives for leading global brands, start-ups, thought leaders, and NGOs. Natasha has guided Oceanic Global’s communications, strategic partnerships & overall positioning since its founding in 2016. Natasha has additionally held leadership roles with organizations ranging from the United Nations, Rockefeller Family & Associates and Unicef USA to luxury PR & event firm Shamin Abas, Niche Media, and Ogilvy PR.
Strategy, Communications & BoD
Founder & Executive Director
Social entrepreneur, conservationist, and international speaker, Lea d’auriol founded Oceanic Global in 2016 in her mid twenties. In addition to growing the organization’s impact across 55 countries worldwide, she has since spoken at renowned international conferences and on stages such as those of ChangeNow Summit, COP 27 and 28, The Nexus Summit, and the United Nations. Her work with Oceanic Global has been featured by leading publications including WWD, The New York Observer, National Geographic, BBC, Forbes, and Vogue. Prior to Oceanic Global, Lea was an Event Marketing Specialist working with leading brands and philanthropic institutions across the US, Europe, and Asia with previous roles at luxury pr & event firm Shamin Abas, Chanel, and UBM.
Founder & Executive Director
Passionate individuals and public figures that use their platforms to protect the Ocean
Regional chapter leaders creating localized impact necessary to scale global resilience.
NYC Hub Co-Chair
London Hub Co-Chair
LA Hub Co-Chair
Over 130+ Blue Consultants help implement the Blue Standard to support the transition to a sustainable future.
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