Ocean Heroes
Who is an Ocean Hero?
Our Ocean Heroes are extraordinary leaders who are part of The Ocean Foundation family, and who demonstrate leadership in marine conservation, consistently provide a voice for critical ocean issues, and have an exemplary body of work in the marine conservation field.
Richard Charter
Specialist in advocacy on ocean protection issues, including marine spatial planning, media techniques to secure conservation outcomes, and preventing and mitigating industrial impacts on ocean ecosystems. Richard works with local communities and regional and national NGO interests to advance sustainable wildlife and fisheries management, marine and estuarine resource restoration, and protection of public health in the context of offshore oil and gas drilling issues. As Co-Chair of the National Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Coalition, Richard was involved in initiating and maintaining the twenty-seven-year congressional moratorium on offshore oil and gas leasing which prevented new drilling along the U.S. West Coast, the Atlantic Coast, and Florida’s Gulf Coast, as well as in Alaska’s Bristol Bay. Richard also coordinated the local government support that helped to bring about the creation of the Gulf of the Farallones, Cordell Bank, Channel Islands, and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuaries. Richard serves on the Department of Energy’s Methane Hydrates Advisory Committee and is now in his second term as Chair of the Gulf of the Farallones Sanctuary Advisory Council. Richard lives with his wife Marilyn Castellblanch on California’s Sonoma Coast, but maintains a regular presence in Washington, DC.
Alexandra Cousteau
Alexandra Cousteau is one of National Geographic’s “Emerging Explorers” and founder and President of Blue Legacy International, a fiscal sponsorship project at The Ocean Foundation. Alexandra’s global initiatives, such as Expedition Blue Planet, seek to inspire and empower individuals to take ownership of their freshwater resources and realize their implications for human and aquatic communities, including marine habitats. Alexandra served as the Global Water Advisor and spokesperson for the global Live Earth 2010 Run for Water and currently sits on the Board of the Global Water Challenge, Mother Nature Network, and EarthEcho International, as well as on the steering committee of The Shark Alliance.
In 2009, she co-hosted Discovery’s “Blue August” and served as their Chief Correspondent on Water Issues for “Planet Green.” By combining traditional media tours and film with social media platforms, Alexandra has helped NGO, governmental and corporate-led water programs to engage record audiences for action. She will release her first book, This Blue Planet, in 2011.
Sonja Fordham
Sonja Fordham currently serves as Deputy Chair for the Shark Specialist Group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and as Chair of the American Elasmobranch Society Conservation Committee, the world’s foremost association of shark scientists. Sonja Fordham directed shark conservation projects at Ocean Conservancy from 1991- 2009, and starting in 2006 served as policy director for the Shark Alliance, working to improve European shark policies. Sonja continues her work with the Shark Alliance coalition to build support for amending the EU shark finning regulations. She founded Shark Advocates International as a project of The Ocean Foundation in May 2010. Sonja’s advocacy work through Shark Advocates International includes identifying priority shark conservation needs, building informal coalitions of conservationists and scientists to unite around a common stand, and making timely written and in-person appeals to governments on behalf of those interests.
David Guggenheim
Dr. David E. Guggenheim, also known as the “Ocean Doctor,” directs two projects of The Ocean Foundation, 1planet1ocean, and the Cuba Marine Research and Conservation Program. He led the Trinational Initiative for Marine Science & Conservation in the Gulf of Mexico & Western Caribbean, a major project to elevate collaboration in marine science and conservation among Cuba, Mexico and the U.S. Following the tragic BP Deepwater Horizon Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill, Dr. Guggenheim is working to introduce cutting edge technologies for sustainable aquaculture practices to reduce pressure on overfished wild fish stocks in his “Viet Village Urban Farm Sustainable Aquaculture Park.” He is also engaged in the “50 Years – 50 States – 50 Speeches” tour, a special “expedition” to all fifty U.S. states visiting schools and bringing special programs about ocean exploration and conservation to young students.