Our mission to rebuild marine life is supported by a dedicated and passionate team.

An international and multidisciplinary team is striving toward results of the greatest possible impact – to make continuous improvements accessible in the global rebuilding of the ocean.

Board of directors

Linda Neugebauer

Founder Ocean us

Entrepreneur, author, speaker and philanthropy expert with over two decades of international fundraising experience working for the largest organization around the globe.

Chema Herrera

Co-Chair and CMO

Global strategist, entrepreneur, idea generator and creative marketing expert with four decades of experience in designing the largest and most significant campaigns for major brands all over the world.

Susanne Marosch

Board Member

Award-winner of the “Russ Prize” for her outstanding commitment to people. Strong leader in the third sector.

Lucas Mair

Board Member

Trustee, long-time expert with international experience in wealth management. Founder of LMG Lighthouse Trust.

Hannes Mähr

Board Member

Lawyer of Advocatur Seeger, Frick & Partner. Expert with many years of international experience in complex banking, financing, and liability cases.

Linda Neugebauer

Founder Ocean us

Entrepreneur, author, speaker and philanthropy expert with over two decades of international fundraising experience working for the largest organization around the globe.

Chema Herrera

Co-Chair and CMO

Susanne Marosch

Board Member

Award-winner of the “Russ Prize” for her outstanding commitment to people. Strong leader in the third sector.

Lucas Mair

Board Member

Trustee, long-time expert with international experience in wealth management. Founder of LMG Lighthouse Trust.

Hannes Mähr

Board Member

Lawyer of Advocatur Seeger, Frick & Partner. Expert with many years of international experience in complex banking, financing, and liability cases.

Advisory board

A strategy will be successful if it can rely on the tireless commitment of extraordinary experts and professionals: scientists, biologists, and brilliant minds in multiple disciplines. Their commitment and determination to act for the ocean are the assets we have, to achieve our goals.

Carlos Duarte

Chief Scientist

The most renowned and most highly cited marine biologist of our time, with four decades of experience and over 1,000 scientific articles published. He belongs to the TOP 12 of the world’s climate scientists and to the TOP 5 of the world’s ecologists.

Sylvia Earle

Honorary President

Oceanographer, explorer, author, and lecturer. She was the first TIME Magazine “Hero of the Planet.”

Nancy Knowlton

Former Member of the US National Academy of Sciences

Coral reef biologist and author.

Steven Pinker

Harvard University

Cognitive psychologist, psycholinguist, public intellectual.

Diane C. Damskey

Secretariat Emeritus, Operating Principles for Impact Management

Chartered financial analyst, expert in sustainability and impact investing.

Mark Meekan

University of Western Australia

Marine ecologist, shark and coral reef expert.

Ray Hilborn

University of Washington

Marine biologist, fisheries scientist.

Ralph Chami

International Monetary Fund

Expert in blue natural capital valuation and market development.

Torsten Thiele

Global Ocean Trust

Expert in sustainable blue finance.

Dan Ariely

Duke University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Psychologist, behavioural economist, bestselling author.

Julie Pullen

Member of U.S. Climate Security Roundtable

Climate scientist specializing in oceans and atmosphere.

Karen McGlathery

University of Virginia

Marine biologist, expert in blue carbon sequestration in seagrass ecosystems.

Boris Worm

Dalhouse University

Marine ecologist, ocean education.

Peter Macreadie

Blue Carbon Lab, Deakin University

Environmental scientist.

Jasmin Graham

Mote Marine Laboratory

Marine biologist, shark science, social justice.

Erich Hoyt

Author, Lecturer

Cetacean researcher and conservationist.

Richard Unsworth

Swansea University

Marine biologist, expert in ecological structuring processes.

Chris Armstrong

University of Southampton

Ocean policy, natural resource justice, global justice, and climate justice.

Douglas Heintzmann

Blockchain Research Institute

Blockchain catalyst and strategist.

Carlos Duarte

Chief Scientist

Sylvia Earle

Honorary President

Oceanographer, explorer, author, and lecturer. She was the first TIME Magazine “Hero of the Planet.”

Nancy Knowlton

Former Member of the US National Academy of Sciences

Coral reef biologist and author.

Steven Pinker

Harvard University

Cognitive psychologist, psycholinguist, public intellectual.

Diane C. Damskey

Secretariat Emeritus, Operating Principles for Impact Management

Chartered financial analyst, expert in sustainability and impact investing.

Mark Meekan

University of Western Australia

Marine ecologist, shark and coral reef expert.

Ray Hilborn

University of Washington

Marine biologist, fisheries scientist.

Ralph Chami

International Monetary Fund

Expert in blue natural capital valuation and market development.

Torsten Thiele

Global Ocean Trust

Expert in sustainable blue finance.

Dan Ariely

Duke University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Psychologist, behavioural economist, bestselling author.

Julie Pullen

Member of U.S. Climate Security Roundtable

Climate scientist specializing in oceans and atmosphere.

Karen McGlathery

University of Virginia

Marine biologist, expert in blue carbon sequestration in seagrass ecosystems.

Boris Worm

Dalhouse University

Marine ecologist, ocean education.

Peter Macreadie

Blue Carbon Lab, Deakin University

Environmental scientist.

Jasmin Graham

Mote Marine Laboratory

Marine biologist, shark science, social justice.

Erich Hoyt

Author, Lecturer

Cetacean researcher and conservationist.

Richard Unsworth

Swansea University

Marine biologist, expert in ecological structuring processes.

Chris Armstrong

University of Southampton

Ocean policy, natural resource justice, global justice, and climate justice.

Douglas Heintzmann

Blockchain Research Institute

Blockchain catalyst and strategist.

What our experts have to say

Carlos Duarte

Chief Scientist

“It is possible to rebuild marine life within one generation if we start now. For this we clearly need to raise our ambitions and break through the boundaries we face in science. It is our ethical responsibility because it is our generation that has the ability now to bequeath a healthy ocean to future generations and it is a smart investment too.”

Sylvia Earle

Honorary President

“No ocean, no life. No blue, no green. There is time, but not a lot, to turn tipping points into turning points, toward recovery and a harmonious relationship with nature. We need the ocean, and now the ocean needs us to protect it as if our lives depended upon it, because they do.”

Steven Pinker

Advisory Board Member

“We are not doomed. This is not the last generation on Earth. Our ancestors took on problems, applying their ingenuity to solving them. We can do the same with the problems that face us today.”

Peter Macreadie

Advisory Board Member

“We owe the oceans a great debt; the oceans have sustained human life, but we have taken too much. Rebuilding the oceans is an opportunity for redemption. Come on, let’s do it – we will have fun and build new economies along the way!”

Torsten Thiele

Advisory Board Member

“Developing a sustainable and regenerative blue economy is critical to addressing global biodiversity and climate challenges. Dynamic and innovative ocean finance pathways, including blended finance and philanthropy can help rebuild blue natural capital. Ocean us can be a gamechanger for a just and”

Karen McGlathery

Advisory Board Member

“We are at a time when rebuilding the ocean is both possible and urgent. The many recent successes in restoration of marine habitats and the species that depend on them should inspire us and give us hope for a better future.”

Dan Ariely

Advisory Board Member

“When we look around and ask the question, what is the challenge facing humanity that generates the most apathy? There’s no question about it, it’s global warming. And why is that? Because it incorporates all of the things that cause us not to care. It will happen long into the future. For other people first, we don’t see it happening, we don’t see anyone around us suffering. And whatever we can do as individuals is a drop in the bucket. Put all that together and you have the perfect storm of human apathy. And that is why addressing this challenge is especially critical and urgent.”

Richard Unsworth

Advisory Board Member

“Our oceans are in dire trouble, rebuilding marine life is critical not just for species survival but for our whole planetary survival. We urgently need to restore the function and productivity of our marine habitats and species through collective action. Working together as communities, businesses, governments, and NGOs is the only pathway to ensure we get the results we need, I’m pleased to join Ocean US on the start of their journey to make a difference to the future of our Oceans truly. ”

Ralph Chami

Advisory Board Member

“The new economic paradigm nests the economy and society inside of nature. If nature grows, our societies and economies thrive. The new paradigm translates this knowledge into the language of finance so that we can engage markets and policymakers. Given the urgency we need everyone inside the tent.”

Ray Hilborn

Advisory Board Member

“My study of the oceans shows great hope that species and ecosystems can rebuild when the factors causing decline are clearly identified and action is taken. We have seen many species of fish, mammals and turtles increase under good management.”

Erich Hoyt

Advisory Board Member

“Whales and dolphins, tethered to the ocean surface by their need to breathe air, are some of the best indicators we have of the health of the sea. As ecosystem engineers, their good health is essential if we’re going to save the ocean and ourselves. But we need to know where these highly mobile creatures live. We need to define their habitats. We need to understand their needs in order to protect their feeding and breeding areas, as well as their travel corridors. We need them just as much as they need us.”

Boris Worm

Advisory Board Member

“We are part of the ocean, the ocean is part of us. My work as a marine ecologist has shown me that the ocean connects to every single aspect of our lives, every minute that we live on this planet. Experiencing these connections has deeply changed my outlook on life itself, and made me more hopeful for our collective future.”

Governance

Committed to good governance

At Ocean us we have launched the development of a compliance program with the aim of putting the emphasis on a responsible code of conduct at the center of our activities. This encompasses all of us who form the foundation, and we extend it to cover all the collaborators, entities, companies, and institutions with whom we have a direct relationship. This amounts to integrating an authentic culture of compliance into the entire organization.