National Geographic Society Explorer in Residence Dr. Sylvia A. Earle, called Her Deepness by the New Yorker and the New York Times, Living Legend by the Library of Congress, and first Hero for the Planet by Time Magazine, is an oceanographer, explorer, author and lecturer with experience as a field research scientist, government official, and director for corporate and non-profit organizations including the Kerr McGee Corporation, Dresser Industries, Oryx Energy, the Aspen Institute, the Conservation Fund, American Rivers, Mote Marine Laboratory, Duke University Marine Laboratory, Rutgers Institute for Marine Science, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, and Ocean Futures.

Formerly Chief Scientist of NOAA, Dr. Earle is the Founder of Deep Ocean Exploration and Research, Inc. (DOER), Founder of the Sylvia Earle Alliance (S.E.A.) / Mission Blue, Chair of the Advisory Council of the Harte Research Institute, inspiration for the ocean in Google Earth, leader of the NGS Sustainable Seas Expeditions, and the subject of the 2014 Netflix film, Mission Blue. She has a B.S. degree from Florida State University, M.S. and PhD. from Duke University, 27 honorary degrees and has authored more than 200 scientific, technical and popular publications including 13 books (most recently Blue Hope in 2014), lectured in more than 90 countries, and appeared in hundreds of radio and television productions.

She has led more than 100 expeditions and logged more than 7,000 hours underwater including leading the first team of women aquanauts during the Tektite Project in 1970, participating in ten saturation dives, most recently in July 2012, and setting a record for solo diving in 1,000 meters depth. Her research concerns marine ecosystems with special reference to exploration, conservation and the development and use of new technologies for access and effective operations in the deep sea and other remote environments.

Her special focus is on developing a global network of areas in the Ocean, “Hope Spots,” to safeguard the living systems that provide the underpinnings of global processes, from maintaining biodiversity and yielding basic life support services to providing stability and resiliency in response to accelerating climate change.

Her more than 100 national and international honors include the 2013 National Geographic Hubbard Medal, 2011 Royal Geographical Society Patron’s Medal, 2011 Medal of Honor from the Dominican Republic, 2009 TED Prize, Netherlands Order of the Golden Ark, Australia’s International Banksia Award, Italy’s Artiglio Award, the International Seakeepers Award, the International Women’s Forum, the National Women’s Hall of Fame, UNEP 2014 Champion of the Earth, 2014 Glamour Woman of the Year, Academy of Achievement, Los Angeles Times Woman of the Year, UN Global 500, and medals from the Explorers Club, the Philadelphia Academy of Sciences, Lindbergh Foundation, National Wildlife Federation, Sigma Xi, Barnard College, and the Society of Women Geographers.

Dr. Ameer Abdulla is senior advisor to the IUCN Global Marine and Polar Program on marine biodiversity and conservation science. Ameer is also the program lead on coral reef ecosystems. He is a member of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas, the IUCN Climate Change and Coral Reefs Working Group, is a Senior Fellow with the Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science at the University of Queensland, Australia and is a Verified Conservation Area auditor. He has been a Senior Fellow of the UNEP World Conservation and Monitoring Center, a council member of the Australian Marine Science Association, a council member of the Australian Coral Reef Society, and a member of the Mediterranean Blue Carbon Advisory Committee.

Ameer holds a PhD in Coral Reef Science and a MSc in Marine Impact Assessment, Monitoring, and Management from James Cook University, Australia. He has over 20 years of experience in tropical marine ecology, conservation, and management in the Indian Ocean, Red Sea, Arabian Gulf, Great Barrier Reef, Mediterranean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico. He is particularly interested in developing and harnessing multi-disciplinary marine science for conservation planning and ecosystem-based management of marine biodiversity.

Dr. Lance Morgan is a marine biologist and president of Marine Conservation Institute. Lance received his Master’s in Marine Science from San Francisco State University and PhD in Ecology from the University of California-Davis (1997). As a graduate student he participated in missions at the Aquarius underwater habitat in the Florida Keys. He has explored the ocean as a SCUBA diver, aquanaut and submersible pilot. He led the identification of Marine Priority Conservation Areas from Baja California to the Bering Sea for the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (2005), and has authored reports on the impacts of fishing methods on marine life as well as scientific papers on marine protected areas. In 2010 he traveled to the remote Johnston Atoll in the Central Pacific to help establish the first field camp at this new marine protected area. He currently chairs the Board for the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, holds the conservation seat for Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council and holds a research faculty appointment at Bodega Marine Laboratory. He provides strategic leadership for Marine Conservation Institutes largest initiatives - the Global Ocean Refuge System and MPAtlas.org

Kathy is a marine biologist and currently works for New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries, responding to incursions of invasive alien marine species. Previously, she lead the MPA program with the New Zealand Department of Conservation for nearly twenty years before taking up a two-year position in 2006 with the Wildlife Conservation Society, where she lead a large ecosystem-based management and MPA project in Fiji.

Kathy is one of IUCN’s ocean experts and has contributed to numerous global marine conservation initiatives, including World Heritage nominations. She has been the Deputy Vice-Chair (NZ) for WCPA’s Oceania Region since 2011 and contributes regularly to the region’s newsletters.

She is a member of the New Zealand Marine Sciences Society Council and leads the MPA Portfolio, established to advise the Council on current and emerging MPA issues.

The ocean is in her blood. She is a keen yachtswoman, racing regularly in the Wellington Harbour and has made several open water sailing trips, including to Minerva Reef and the Vava’u Islands, Tonga. Snorkelling and SCUBA diving are her other favourite water sports.

Marine Biologist from the EcolePratique de Hautes Etudes (EPHE) in Paris, with a Masters in Life and Earth Sciences Studies in Perpignan (France). Professional diver, with over 5,000 immersions in open waters. Sandra Bessudo is a professional strongly committed with the conservation of marine biodiversity and the protection of the environment. She was High Presidential Counselor for Environmental Management, Biodiversity, Water and Climate Changeto the President of Colombia until January 2012, when she took on the General Direction of the Colombian Presidential Agency of International Cooperation, APC-Colombia, government entity in charge of managing and technically coordinating all public and private non – refundable international cooperation received and granted by the country.

Since November 2014 Sandra Bessudo is the Director of the Malpelo and Other Marine Ecosystems Foundation, she is an active promoter in the establishment of the Malpelo Island Flora and Fauna Sanctuary, positioning the Sanctuary as an international model for marine conservation, recognized by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as a “Particular Sensitive Sea Area” and also declared a World Heritage Site under UNESCO. She has led several research projects on sharks using acoustic and satellite telemetry, and worked in the National Natural Parks Unit of the Ministry of Environment of Colombia. Hostess of the The Razor´s Edge, a cultural programme in National Television, she also collaborated with Ocensarecording underwater footage and serving as an advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Expolisboa 98. Having served as Coordinator of the Workshops and Conference Cycles in Colombia for the International Year of the Oceans, she has also worked as a Diving instructor and Master Diver. Sandra Bessudo has independently produced dozens of publications, videos and specialized documentaries. Among her awards, she was recognized with the Medal for Distinguished Services rendered to the General Maritime Direction, a distinction awarded by the Colombian Navy, the 2011 Biosphere Awareness Award granted by the Mayors of Cadiz (Spain) and Mariquita (Colombia) and the Environmental Civil Order Merit "Thomas van der Hammen" Grand Gold Cross Degree, awarded in the Colombian Congress by the Council of Environmental NGOs, along with many other recognitions that she has received in Colombia and abroad.

Dr. Claudio Campagna is a conservation researcher with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and Adjunct Professor at the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UCSC. He has an MD from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and a PhD in Biology from UCSC. He has been a field conservationists and scientist working in coastal Patagonia since the 1980. Recognizing the urgent need to promote conservation using creative communication tools, Claudio publishes widely in both the scientific and popular literature, and has served on several national, regional and international marine conservation committees and specialist groups. He funded the Forum of NGOs for the conservation of the Patagonian Sea, and has been serving in the Steering Committees of several conservation organizations, such as the Species Survival Commission of the IUCN, where he is also served as co-Chair of the Marine Subcommittee.