Jeff is a Coastal Planner with the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program, where he works with intergovernmental partners to administer policies that protect coastal resources and foster sustainable development in the coastal areas of the Commonwealth. He also works with both government and non-governmental stakeholders to assess and address coastal issues, including marine debris, in an interdisciplinary manner. Jeff co-facilitated the 2021-2022 Virginia ADV Work Group, continues to maintain a statewide ADV inventory, and is a member of both the Lynnhaven River NOW ADV Removal and Virginia Sea Grant Marine Debris Community Coalitions project teams. He holds a master’s degree in marine policy from the University of Delaware and a bachelor’s degree in marine biology from UNC-Wilmington.

Cameron Bruce is the Assistant Director of the Virginia Coastal Resilience Collaborative at William & Mary where he helps lead project management and coordination for both coastal policy analysis and other resilience projects. He previously served as the Environmental Director for the Nansemond Indian Nation, a federally recognized Native American Tribe headquartered in Suffolk, Virginia. In this role he oversaw all aspects of the Tribe’s Environmental Department, including departmental capacity building, oyster aquaculture, solid waste management and bulk debris removal, climate adaptation planning, and forest restoration. Cameron holds a B.S. in Meteorology and a B.A. in Spanish from Virginia Tech, A Master of Public Policy from William & Mary, and he is a current fellow in the Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute with the University of Virginia’s Institute for Engagement and Negotiation. Cameron grew up in Hampton Roads and spent his summers fishing, crabbing, kayaking, and paddle boarding on the Elizabeth River.

Renee Sanders is a Senior Marine Scientist with the Center for Coastal Resources Management (CCRM) at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) and Project Manager for the Nationwide Fishing Trap Removal, Assessment, & Prevention (TRAP) Program. Renee has several years of experience in wildlife biology, environmental policy, and natural resource management, including efforts involving the mitigation of negative impacts to local resources, communities, and economies. Renee has a deep commitment to Virginia
and other coastal communities and works with a variety of researchers and stakeholders on real-world solutions to improve local livelihoods and ecosystems. In her spare time, Renee can be found seeking out adventurous excursions in U.S. National Parks or in far-flung international destinations, curling up with a good book, or catering to her felines. 

I am the Abandoned & Derelict Vessel (ADV) Project Administrator at BoatUS Foundation where I collaborate with the Foundation Team to develop and implement boating safety and environmental projects and initiatives that are in line with the organization’s mission and goals to include the daily aspects of the ADV removal program, marine debris removal, as well as other environmental programs as they pertain to the organization. Prior to working with BoatUS Foundation, I worked for the City of Virginia Beach for 18 years in roles such as Sustainability Coordinator at the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center and Environmental Programs Coordinator, Open Space and Natural Resources Manager, and Horticulturalist for the Parks & Recreation Department. I possess a Bachelor of Arts in Biology with concentrations in Barrier Islands Ecology and Horticulture from Christopher Newport University.

Joseph is the marine debris project coordinator at Old Dominion University, where he facilitates cross-sector action on tackling marine debris in the Elizabeth River, ensuring that all ages and disciplines are involved. His background is in microplastics research, environmental education, and grassroots advocacy, which he applies now to his coalition-building marine debris work. Joseph lives in Norfolk, Virginia, enjoys visiting the nearby botanical gardens and aquarium, and tending to his houseplants. 

Rob Hale is a Professor in the Ecosystem Health Section of VIMS, William & Mary. His focus is on the identification, sources and fates of legacy and emerging organic contaminants, including plastics/microplastics. Rob also investigates associated human and ecosystem exposure and health consequences.  To date he has >12,000 citations to ~150 scientific papers encompassing a 40+ year career in environmental chemistry. 

Emily Burton is a MS4 Program Specialist & Operation Stream Shield Program Manager at Fairfax County Government. She has a Master of Science in Environmental Management and a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries Management. Emily’s career has been centered around environmental policy, pollution prevention, and enhancing communities while building lives.

Josie's water quality career began through volunteering in stream clean ups with mentor Veronica Tangiri. In the midst of finishing her bachelors of Marine Science, she Interned at Prince William Soil and Water Conservation District. After receiving her BA, she became a full time employee for the district and organizes the very clean ups the got her to where she is today. She has a further interest in chemically monitoring the community’s water for issues such a Harmful Algal Blooms and cyanobacteria.

Vince Bowhers is the Restoration Coordinator for Lynnhaven River NOW. He is a Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional Level II and is certified in living shoreline design and installation. He has extensive experience in stormwater best management practices, shoreline restoration, environmental stewardship, conservation landscaping, and abandoned and derelict vessel programs.

Abigail Clark is the Virginia Clean Marina Program Manager at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. She currently serves as co-lead of the Mid-Atlantic Marine Debris Prevention, Education, and Outreach Community of Practice. Her primary marine debris targets are monofilament (fishing line) and boating shrinkwrap.

Joi Coleman is a senior at Virginia Commonwealth University with a major in Biology and a minor in Environmental Studies. She plan to pursue a career related to water management. She is a certified water quality monitor with Izaak Walton League and is in training to become a Virginia Master Naturalist. Her recreational interests include birdwatching, hiking, and anything outdoors!

Charlotte Fowler is a third year student at Christopher Newport University, majoring in Organismal and Environmental Biology with minors in Environmental Studies and Leadership Studies. She is from Courtland, VA and joined the Fear to Hope program in December of 2024 as the new lead mentor for Marine Debris.

Zach is the Marine Debris Strategy Director for Clean Virginia Waterways. He is an experienced environmental researcher and analyst with a background in communicating the impact of plastic pollution on people and the planet. His work focuses on using data and graphical analysis to identify environmentally and economically sustainable strategies to address waste-related challenges. Zach has a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Sustainability and Environmental Compliance and a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources and Conservation.

Judith Enck is President of Beyond Plastics. See their work at BeyondPlastics.org   She previously served as EPA Region 2 Regional Administrator, appointed by President Obama. She has also served as Deputy Secretary in the New York Governors Office and Policy Advisor to the NY Attorney General. She is a professor at Bennington College and teaches a 7 week class on zoom every semester on plastic pollution.  She lives in upstate NY and started her town's recycling program 35 years ago.  Judith has held many volunteer leadership positions including President of Hudson River Sloop Clearwater.  She has no hobbies, no pets and a failing sense of of humor.

Will Isenberg is a Coastal Planner in the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program (Virginia CZM). He manages various grants and provides coordination support for coastal partners with a focus on coastal resilience topics and marine debris initiatives. Will is also the State co-lead of the Mid-Atlantic Marine Debris Work Group, sharing the role with Katie Morgan from NOAA’s Marine Debris Program. Will has a Masters of Science in Environmental Science from Virginia Commonwealth University and has spent over 10 years working in state government.

Kaydyn Ismail is an 11th grade student in the Virginia Beach City Public Schools Environmental Studies Program. The Environmental Studies Program elevates student voice using science, sustainability and conservation to solve tomorrow’s problems today. They redefine where learning happens by utilizing nature and the community as an extension of the classroom and amplify career readiness through connecting students' passions to community partners and internship experiences. This program is building the next generation of leaders, innovators and problem solvers motivated to build resilience and hope into their community.

Alexandra Cantwell has been working at Norfolk Botanical Garden for over 10 years, with 4 years as a horticulturist focusing on native plants, habitat building, and sustainable landscaping. She is currently serving as the Director of Adult Education and Conservation, where she regularly teaches classes, oversees seasonal programming, and facilitates the summer Butterfly House Exhibit. She graduated from Virginia Tech with a BS in Environmental Horticulture as well as Landscape Contracting and Design, minoring in Agribusiness. Alexandra’s career has evolved as an environmental educator through her work with the Garden and in the community, focusing on Hampton Roads and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

Mike Provost is a proud husband and father, Special Operations veteran, and US Coast Guard Captain based in Virginia Beach, VA. In December 2021, Mike founded the Vessel Disposal and Reuse Foundation (VDRF) to rid local waterways of junk polluting vessels. To date, VDRF has removed and disposed 77 Abandoned and Derelict Vessels (ADVs) from Virginia’s waters, which equates to over 718,000 lbs of hazardous debris cleared. In his free time, Mike enjoys spending time with family skiing, being outdoors, and sharing his passion for all things boating.

Tejaswini is a first-year PhD student in the Mulholland’s Marine Nitrogen and Carbon Biogeochemistry Group at the Department of Ocean and Earth Sciences at ODU. Prior to joining ODU for her second PhD, she served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biotechnology at St. Joseph’s University in Bangalore, India. She received her first PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Norfolk State University. She has a Master’s and Bachelor of Engineering degrees in Biotechnology from India. She is interested to understand the fate of microplastics and its interactions in food web.

Meredith Evans Seeley is an assistant professor at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and William & Mary's Batten School of Coastal and Marine Sciences. Her lab group investigates the sources, fate, transport and effects of environmental contaminants - particularly plastics, from macro to nano-scale - in aquatic ecosystems. Through analytical method development, Dr. Seeley aims to synergistically improve our understanding of contaminants in the environment and pinpoint the characteristics driving toxicity. This serves the end goal of informing smart and sustainable pollution mitigation strategies. 

Emily Ogawa is a first year PhD student at Old Dominion University where she studies microplastic ingestion risk to foraging humpback whales in the Chesapeake Bay. Her work focuses on quantifying microplastic concentrations in the water column and prey species such as zooplankton and forage fish. She received my BSc in Marine Biology from Hawaii Pacific University in 2023.

Lisa Renée Jennings has been the Hampton Roads Grassroots Coordinator for CBF for three and a half years. She formally ran a Buy Local regional program and, before that, she spent a decade running litter prevention, recycling education, and beautification programs for the City of Norfolk.
In her spare time, she enjoys gardening and rescuing vintage clothing.

Noah Tait is a marine scientist at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science's Center for Coastal Resources Management (CCRM). He primarily functions as a data analyst for CCRM's Nationwide Fishing Trap Removal, Assessment and Prevention (TRAP) Program. The TRAP Program provides subawards (via NOAA MDP funding) to organizations throughout the country to conduct derelict trap removals in their state and submit data in a standardized format. His role is to run quality control and conduct analyses on the standardized data received.

Sydney Thayer joined the VA DEQ's Office of Pollution Prevention in January 2025. Sydney's role was created thanks to funding from the EPA's Climate Pollution Reduction Grants and is focused on reducing methane emissions by supporting food waste prevention programs at Virginia state agencies, colleges and universities. Sydney is a recent graduate of the College of William & Mary, where she helped manage and expand W&M's campus compost program. She is excited to have the opportunity to use that experience as she works with colleges and universities across the Commonwealth to expand their food rescue and compost programs!

Cynthia is the Executive Director of Balloon Mission. She pivoted careers from an Executive Sports Underwriter, managing international accounts like the NBA, NHL, and Peloton to launch an environmental nonprofit in 2022, to change the culture around intentional balloon releases using a direct interception strategy.

Balloon Mission combines community-based social marketing strategies (spearheaded by Prevent Balloon Litter.Org and the Joyful Sendoff campaign) with a groundbreaking balloon collection program to target balloons at their source before they become toxic plastic in our world. Her work extends beyond advocacy; she embodies a transformative approach, establishing unique partnerships that remove barriers and bridges the gap between the balloon industry and environmental conservation.

Christina Trapani is the Program Director of Clean Virginia Waterways and owner of Eco Maniac Company. She spent more than a decade working with sea turtle and marine mammal strandings at the Virginia Aquarium and led her first ICC cleanup in 2002, beginning her relationship with Clean Virginia Waterways. Some of her work with CVW includes a state-wide balloon litter study, a state-wide marine debris monitoring program, the Keep It Beachy Clean Litter Prevention program and co-founding the VA Plastic Pollution Prevention Network. She also works part-time as a naturalist on a dolphin/whale watching boat, enjoys paddle boarding and hanging out with her dog, Doo Doo Brown. 

Jacques van Montfrans is a retired Marine Scientist, Department of Biological Sciences and the Department of Fisheries Science, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary. His research focused on blue crab population dynamics He has authored or co-authored 35 journal publications and served in a scientific advisory capacity to the Commonwealth and the Virginia Marine Resources Commission on blue crab management. Jacques has a BSc from Florida State University and an MSc from Florida Atlantic University. He is currently engaged with Protect Virginia to limit the burgeoning cruise ship industry’s impacts in Chesapeake Bay. He is also a member of the executive committee of the Virginia Sierra Club, York River Group.

Sarah Weller has served on the International Coastal Cleanup team under Ocean Conservancy’s Trash Free Seas Program for eleven years. She lives in Fall Church, Virginia and is based out of Ocean Conservancy’s headquarters in Washington D.C.  Sarah has the pleasure of working with a phenomenal network of coastal and waterway cleanup organizers worldwide, along with passionate educators and individuals who take action on the issue of plastic pollution in their own communities. She also manages the creation and distribution of education and outreach materials for science-based solutions and maintains the organization’s cleanup data collection tools. 

Elly Wilson is the State Director of Environment Virginia. She leads Environment Virginia in their work to protect our air, water and special places. Having previously worked on Bottle Bill legislation in Vermont while in college and zero waste game days for the University of Tennessee, Elly has developed a particular interest in waste issues and has been bringing this experience to Virginia by launching Environment Virginia's Wildlife Over Waste program.