It’s me Paulita (she/her/ella). I am one of the founders of Sea of Life and serve as the first Director of Programs.

I am a proud Belizean-American with roots in South Florida and Belize City. It seems obvious to say, I am a lover of all things ocean. I started my career to protect the ocean in Belize writing the first published science on plastic pollution in the nation and catalyzing a grassroots movement. Then, I joined an Emory University research team on the islands of St. Croix and St. Thomas to oversee research on invasive lionfish. This multi year project was funded by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States and included deep interdisciplinary research and community building in the Crucian and Thomaian fishing communities. For over five years I held multiple positions with the world's largest ocean conservation in the world, Oceana, where we worked to advance national ocean conservation policies across the globe. Outside of Sea of Life I do Senior Global Advisory work for conservation organizations.

Through all these experiences I’m always reminded that community is the most important part of knowledge and solutions. Now, I am excited to work on entrepreneurial and educational solutions for conservation within the Caribbean. Connect with me on LinkedIn.

Jammed packed schedules have never deterred me from embracing new responsibilities and challenges. In 2023 I was fortunate enough to join SoL, as their Community Liaison for Belize's first Plastic Solutions Academy. Their mission, vision and core concept behind the initiative resonated with me. Prior to this, I've done volunteer work for the Herbarium of Belize, Toledo Institute of Development and Environment, and the Environmental Research Institute.

I am also the social media content creator for the Belize City Animal Aid and a Quality Assurance Laboratory Technician. I wish to live a meaningful life. You can find me where there is a worthwhile cause.

Having grown up on the ocean to a fishing and farming family in The Bahamas, Natalie holds a deep connection and understanding to local coastal community needs. This deep understanding drives her passion to ensure that communities and ecosystems are healthy for future generations. Natalie received her MSC in International Food and Resource Economics from The University of Florida. Her specialty includes analyses of fishers behavior and entrance into new markets and designing and managing sustainable fisheries projects.

Dr. Holden Earl Harris (he/him), is a postdoctoral researcher and a quantitative natural resource ecologist at the University of Florida's Nature Coast Biological Station, where he helped found and serves on their committee for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. His current research focuses include invasive species population dynamics and bioeconomics, innovative fisheries gear, science communication, and applying ecosystem models to understand the effects of land-use and climate changes in estuarine and coastal marine communities. His work has been supported with awards from the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, Guy Harvey Ocean Scholarship, Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute, and Melnick Ocean Foundation. Before graduate school, Dr. Harris worked as a SCUBA instructor, dive boat captain, and commercial spearfisher.

Dr Tamarie Rocke is a Belizean medical doctor and global health practitioner with over 8 years experience. She holds an MBBS from the University of the West Indies (2015) and a Masters in International Health and Tropical Medicine from the University of Oxford (Trinity College, 2021).

During her time as an international antimicrobial resistance consultant at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), she worked in Latin America and the Caribbean to provide technical support to governments on national plans for antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention. She is currently a consultant for the World Health Organization conducting pipeline analysis on novel antibiotics. She is passionate about Belize’s natural and cultural heritage and promotes a solution-based dialogue about plastic waste reduction through her sustainability platform Refillery Co.

Tamara Thomas, Executive Director of Ocean Ties and ocean advisor to the IUCN, brings several years of expertise on Ocean Issues – across several international conventions and relevant fora including the Convention on Biological Diversity; UN Framework on Climate Change; BBNJ; as well as on matters related to seabed mining. Among her previous roles, she served as Director of International Ocean Policy for Conservation International, International Ocean Policy Advisor of the Global Oceans Program at The Nature Conservancy and Advisor to the Chair of the United Nations Preparatory Committee of BBNJ. Ms Thomas aides in the creation of country and international level policy to support integration of marine nature-based solutions and innovative finance approaches and positions them as integral to global development agendas. She holds a masters of environmental management from Yale University and currently serves as Ocean and Ocean-Climate Advisor to The Republic of Seychelles and co-leads, within BBNJ, Area Based Management Tools including Marine Protected Areas and Environmental Impact Assessments within the African Group.

My name is Paul Maillis (28) and I am a Bahamian living on New Providence. I am a full-time commercial fisherman, study law the University of The Bahamas, and a graduate of Florida Institute of Technology with a BS in Aquaculture and Fisheries Resources.

My mission is to create a sustainable fishing industry in The Bahamas, that provides opportunities for citizens for generations to come. I believe we must protect vital ecosystems, practice ethical fishing and find creative ways to sensibly manage catches and fisheries resources.

I am passionate about the ocean, hailing from a maritime family and culture. I believe that there must be a balance in conservation, preservation, fisheries and tourism that strikes at the heart of sustainable development.

I am also the Secretary for National Fisheries Association of The Bahamas.

Michelle Shanti Williams is a Conscious Community Leader, Self Transformation Coach and a sought after International Public Speaker who has written articles on Wellness for various Belizean and International Publications. She is an avid believer in the expansive power of heart based collaborations.

She is a Master Yoga and Meditation teacher deeply rooted in the Himalayan Yog Vedantic Tradition from the Tradition of Babaji & Yogananda. She is trained in the Himalayas, India in Hatha, Classical Tantra, Himalayan Kundalini, Vedic Transcendental Wisdom, Kriya, Naad, Laya, and Jyotisha. Other training include Ashtanga Vinyasa, Trauma Informed Yoga , Yoga Nidra and Advanced Children’s Yoga . She is also an Usui Reiki Master, a Vedic Thai Yoga Therapist and a Jyotishi.

Michelle is the founder of the Om Shanti Belize Meditation Technique and Om Shanti Belize School & Retreat for Yoga & Wellness. She is also the founder of Rhythm of Change Belize (ROC), a non-profit organization dedicated to sharing evolutionary tools of progressive action (yoga/breathwork/meditation) to communities throughout the country and region. In 2016, she founded the Belize International Yoga Festival (BIYF), a conscious family friendly gathering featuring local & international presenters, many styles of yoga, healing services, and healthy vegan + vegetarian food. BIYF is also the annual Fundraising event for ROC.

Michelle is dedicated to guiding individuals on the path of self realization.

My goal is to expand the social responsibility of conservation to diverse communities. I am a conservation leader through my work in conservation planning, community engagement, social science, diversity, equity and inclusion, partnership building, and research. I understand the cultural sensitivities that accompany working with communities of difference. The challenge of bridging the culture gap between conservation and diverse communities is something I have confronted many times. I have global experience and look forward to bringing my world class experience to work for you. Lacy Consulting Services.

Nancy Daves spent 23 years at NOAA- Fisheries, establishing the program to implement the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and a capacity building program to complement implementation of the Magnuson-Stevens Reauthorization Act. Retired since 2016, she now sits on several boards whose work is aimed at conservation of species, combating climate change and protecting wild areas in Florida and Georgia. Nancy is currently serving as the Board Chair for Georgia Interfaith Power and Light and advising Sea of Life.

As an artist, activist, and educator, I believe the gateway to change is through the education and facilitation of connections between people, as well as people and nature. My artwork often functions as a conduit for contemplation, exploring personal connections to the natural and spiritual world. As an activist, I work to bring awareness to issues of environmental and social injustices. I utilize my role as an art educator as another vehicle of activism, encouraging the expansion of thoughtfulness and inquiry in our future generations. My LinkedIn is here.

As the little blue boat zips past the vessels anchored on the leeside of Caye Caulker, there are several people waiting anxiously for its arrival. The captain docks his vessel and the name “Ese Loco” is proudly displayed on the side of the boat; and out steps a relatively young man and offloads a large, seemingly heavy, white chest cooler. He walks past everyone and greets a young woman who is conveniently sitting on a bench along with a couple young boys. “Dad” the older boy shouts, the captain stoops down, pick up the children and embraces the young woman; “you’re back, I have your food at home” she tells him. In the background the excitement is growing; “what you bring Jordan”, “you have lobster?”, he walks back, smiles and slowly opens the icebox revealing an array of fish and lobsters, then supplies the customers, who were eagerly waiting, with exactly what they wanted. The icebox gets emptied in less than an hour. He cleans up his equipment, stows it away and finally takes a seat and rests.

There on a bench sits Jordan Lopez, son and grandson of fisherfolks, husband and father. As he gazes out at sea, something says he is not a conventional fisher, truth be told, he doesn’t resemble one either. Mr. Jordan Lopez is a person who wears many hats, a tour guide, social media sensation, businessman and fisherman. Jordan was born in Sarteneja Belize 32 years ago. His father is a fisherman and his mother is the daughter of fisherfolks. Mr. Lopez attended primary school in Caye Caulker and later traveled to Belize City to complete high school where he focused on Biology and Physics. He was not ready to become just another high school graduate, so he enrolled in St. John’s College Junior College where he earned and graduated with his Associate’s Degree with a minor in Fine Arts. During his summer vacation or even on weekends he went along with his father and friends to fish, hook lobsters and pick up conch. Jordan completed his tour guide certification, a profession he jumped into, but his true love was not easily replaced, his love for fishing. Even though he renews his tour guide license every year, he has not worked in that field in the last three years. With twenty years’ experience in fishing, Jordan has noted the decline in fish stock and he isn’t seeing the large fish that he once caught when he was a young boy. Jordan has been constantly improving his personal fishing techniques, improving the gears he uses and exploring different markets to diversify from the traditional commercial fish. He is an avid free diver, training and pushing himself to dive deeper and longer, that way he can be selective in the fish he shoots and lobsters he hooks. He has been documenting his fishing adventures through TicTok, Youtube, and Instagram reaching a wider and younger audience. Along with his wife, they have opened a takeout eatery specializing in… you guessed it, seafood. Bahia’s Kitchen is the go-to place for its ceviche, fry fish, fish panades and the weekend specials. A fisher who has a hand in several aspects of the fish business.

Soon after Jordan’s son grabs him by his hand and tells him “get up, lets go”; Jordan gets up, stretches and yawns. He walks over to his prized boat, makes a final inspection, making sure everything is tucked away and the storage is locked. As he walks away he stretches his hand out and his son immediately grabs a hold of it, he joins his wife and his other son and make their way home. A day well spent.

Born in a coastal city in Brazil, I’ve always felt connected to the ocean and nature. I’ve started to become more active with the sustainability community while studying at SCAD in Savannah, GA in 2014. The more I learned about our environmental footprint, the more I realized that I wasn’t doing enough for the environment. Since then, I’ve been volunteering at multiple local communities and festivals providing visual design and strategic design services. My hope is that with my skills I’m able to provide out of the box thinking for ocean stewardship and help visualize and implement sustainable solutions. Let’s connect.

Spanning over 28 years of dedication and experience, Sherelle Gordon's passion for education, organizational development and social justice has long been the driving force in her educational and professional career.

Sherelle holds a BS in Psychology with minors in Sociology and English while holding a MS in Human Development from Florida State University. She completed her MBA from the University of Denver's, Daniels College of Business. Sherelle is Founder and CEO of RootWorks, LLC, a consulting firm specializing in executive leadership coaching, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and organizational strategy. Sherelle is a fierce advocate and subject matter expert on health; specifically health, wellness and violence within the Black community. In her free time, Sherelle enjoys swimming, dancing, traveling, community service, gardening, and experiencing art in all forms.

Nasreen brings over 20 years of experience leading resource development strategies to advance progressive social change. Nasreen currently serves as Director of Development at The Action Lab a strategy center for social movements that sparks political and personal liberation. Before joining The Action Lab team, Nasreen served for many years as VP of Development at 9to5, a national organization dedicated to winning economic justice alongside women of color leaders. 

As a first-generation Muslim-American, born to immigrant parents and growing up in the South, Nasreen approaches her work with a lived understanding of the injustices and barriers people of color face. Nasreen was inspired to dedicate her career to funding social change movements after attending a youth-led organizing and popular education program and getting plugged into the vibrant, post-Olympics community-led movement for justice in Atlanta. 

Early in her career, she helped research living wage campaigns with Good Jobs First and organized funding for grassroots community groups across the South with the Fund for Southern Communities. She holds a Master’s of Science in Urban Policy and Nonprofit Management from Georgia State University.  

Nasreen loves that her work includes co-creating the stories that inspire people to invest in ideas and actions that are changing the world. She lives in Atlanta, GA with her partner and two incredible daughters, who continually inspire her to keep pushing forward for a better world.