EcoVybz Podcast

Continue with the Youth for The SDG's Series in partnership with Peace Boat US for the UN Ocean Decade of Science meet our next youth scholar Rigoberto Amaya!

Rigoberto is a third culture individual born in the countryside of Panama who moved to Southeast Asia at the age of thirteen to complete his middle and high school studies. Through his experience abroad, he developed a passion for cross-cultural exchange and recognized the disparities in access to quality air, water and natural resources.

Rigo is a firm believer that problems are best tackled through a multi-perspective approach and that current global issues need international collaboration and science-based actions in order to generate change. With a background in Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering focused on sustainability and process efficiency, Rigoberto has experience working in the energy sector at the regulatory level advancing the Energy Transition Agenda. He believes individuals must be lifelong learners and open-minded to be able to come together and mitigate the climate crisis. In his free time, you can find him playing sports, video and board games, as well as enjoying nature through hikes or scuba diving trips.

Together we explore SDG 7, the energy transition in Panama, the role of youth in achieving SDG 7 and the youth for the SDG's Program. If you would like to connect with Rigo be sure to follow him on

Meet Saeed Hamid a Guyanese attorney-at-law with a keen interest in maritime law, environmental law, and human rights law. Driven by his experiences in the Caribbean region, he is constantly pursuing opportunities to contribute to the development of policies and legislation which target social and environmental issues. Saeed holds a Master of Laws from the University of Aberdeen, where he completed courses on international law, politics, environmental regulation, and human rights. Following private practice, Hamid served at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of Guyana for two years, during which he participated in several national and international conferences and policy dialogues on numerous environmental matters, including Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ). He is currently the international plastics fellow at New York University's Guarini Center and Plastics Advisor to the Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States.

Meet Javier Pardo Díaz is a thesis student at the Biology School with an orientation in Marine Biology and Limnology at the University of Panama. He is currently working at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute on long-term projects on water quality monitoring and mangrove restoration in the Bay of Panama. Since the beginning of his career, he has been part of different NGOs such as Sustainable Ocean Alliance Panama, Reef 2 Reef Foundation, and the Ghost Net Removal project with the Panama Aquatic Resources Authority, among others, and is an active volunteer for many other foundations that they seek a more sustainable future for all. Javier was one of the 77 young people selected to participate in the Youth Leadership Summit and the Our Ocean 2023 conference, he also participated as a delegate to CITES COP 19 in 2022, both held in the Republic of Panama. In addition to being part of research projects, he works as an underwater cameraman focused on environmental education, educating the civil community, young students, children, and adults.

Originally from the Dominican Republic, Andrés Bisonó León is a ClimateTech entrepreneur working at the intersection of social impact and Climate Action. Andres holds a dual major in Mechanical Engineering and Finance from Drexel University. Social and environmental impact has always been part of Andres' life endeavours. Since 2018, Andres has been leading SOS Carbon Inc. Sargassum Ocean Sequestration of Carbon (SOS Carbon) which is a spin-off company from the Mechanical Engineering department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). SOS Carbon is focused on scaling its unique patented technologies to turn the sargassum seaweed invasions problem into an economical natural ocean carbon sequestering opportunity. As a member of the MIT Sloan School of Management and Legatum Fellow, Andres’ motivation is his capacity to transform society and the environment for a better tomorrow. SOS Carbon is committed to solving one of the Caribbean's most threatening problems, generating employment and value chains to the region, and fight climate change for a global impact.

In this episode I chat with Shreya K.C., a passionate climate justice activist from Nepal. Being an active member of YOUNGO and also the Contact Person for the NDCs working group, she has worked with a diverse group of young people across the world to champion the meaningful participation of young people in decision-making spaces. She is also the climate change champion of UNICEF South Asia and a Campaign Coordinator of Mock COP. Shreya has received numerous awards for her work including 'Youth of the Year' award. She was also a part of the national delegation of Nepal to COP26 and SB56. Her story has been featured in two books "Stone Soup for a Sustainable World" and "50 Girls Saving Our Planet".

In this week's episode, I chat with Dr Juli-Anne Russo! An Aquaculture Scientist specialising in aquaculture biosecurity and nutrition for

aquatic animals. She was an aquaculture Consultant for the Food and Agriculture Organisation of United Nations (FAO) in the Aquaculture branch, and has also consulted for USAID, IDB and Compete the Caribbean. She volunteers with USAID, Farmer to Farmer and Winrock International to

provide technical services to fish farmers in developing countries. Her interests are capacity building for fish farmers, women in aquaculture, aquaculture biosecurity, environmental sustainability and rural development. She is currently developing and delivering presentations on

Katie Storr is a Bahamian Ocean Entrepreneur. Though she is a woman of many talents and passions, she is widely known for private Scuba Diving Instruction onboard luxury yachts cruising throughout The Bahamas. Also specializing in Media and Content Curation, she creates specialized content for a variety of tour operators and maritime-related businesses in The Bahamas. With 12 PADI Distinctive Specialities, 200+ PADI Certified Students, and 5000+ Scuba Dives under her belt, Katie is a Bahamian ocean icon willing to venture where most wouldn't underwater in the Bahamas.

PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer, Reef Rescue Network Instructor and VIP AYI Chief Yacht Stewardess Katie Storr, was introduced to the ocean at a very young age. She has had an undeniable love for the ocean and its marine life since the first time her eyes ventured below the surface. Mermaid Katie, as she is affectionately called by many, is one of the few professional black women in the world to teach Underwater Photography as a Professional Instructor and loves curating memories and sharing them with others to spread her love and devotion for Ocean Education and Photography & Film.

She is Co-Founder of “The Ocean of Colour” an online community showcasing the importance of People of Colour within the ocean space and blue economy. They have successfully created the first black-owned ocean publication in the world - written, designed and published by Zandi Ndhlovu and Katie Storr. Melanin Yachties, a community formed to be a support system for People of Colour working in the Maritime and Yachting industry, is also the brainchild of Katie. Her strong belief in representation within the ocean space brought about this community that focuses primarily on bringing ocean awareness, education, jobs and training opportunities, and events featuring people of colour locally and internationally.

Adding to her portfolio as a Shark4Kids Ambassador, Shark Advocate and Shark Awareness Instructor, Katie has partnered with Shark Education to create innovative ways for young Bahamians – and potentially youth around the world - to grasp shark education in the classroom through online webinars and short films she creates using voice-overs, film and shark curriculum created by Shark4Kids founder Jillian Morris-Brake.

“We know that when we protect our oceans we’re protecting our future.”- President Bill Clinton

It’s the final episode of 2021! For this conversation, we head to Trinidad and Tobago to chat with Dr Michelle Cazabon Mannette, a local expert on sea turtle biology and conservation in Trinidad and Tobago, with a PhD in Environmental Biology from the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine (2016). Her Ph.D. research on sea turtles offshore Tobago was the first study of its kind locally, where research and conservation efforts have previously focused on nesting beaches. She investigated issues critical for management and conservation through the application of diverse disciplines such as ecology, population genetics and environmental economics. Michelle began her professional career as a research officer at Turtle Village Trust from 2008-2010 where she coordinated research and monitoring at sea turtle nesting and foraging sites around Trinidad and Tobago and worked closely with several CBOs.

Michelle currently works at Coastal Dynamics Limited (an environmental consultancy) as a Project Manager where she has gained significant experience conducting Environmental Impact Assessments and ecological studies in a variety of habitats. She continues to be actively involved in sea turtle conservation through her voluntary role as Technical Advisor to Save Our Sea turtles (SOS) Tobago. While Michelle’s research has largely focused on sea turtles, she is driven by a broader interest in marine ecology and is passionate about closing the gap between research and management of our natural resources. She is also a founding member and Director of SpeSeas, a local NGO working towards improved management of our marine ecosystems through research, education and advocacy (established in 2017).

In this episode, Michelle and I have a lovely chat about Sea Turtle Conservation in Trinidad and Tobago. We take a deep dive into the types of species found on the islands, the threats they face, climate change, the opportunities for research and all the amazing work being done to protect these species. To learn more or connect with Michelle check out the links below.

Sharks are beautiful animals, and if you're lucky enough to see lots of them, that means that you're in a healthy ocean. You should be afraid if you are in the ocean and don't see sharks- Sylvia Earle

Welcome to another great episode of the Caribbean Ocean Perspectives Series featuring Tadzio Bervoets, Director of the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance, a Network Organization that supports nature conservation on all six islands of the Dutch Caribbean and is involved in ensuring that some of the region’s well-known MPAs such as the Bonaire National Marine Park and the Saba National Marine Park receive the necessary capacity and financial support.

Tadzio recently co-founded the Caribbean Shark Coalition (CSC) in 2020 in response to international calls for enhanced, collaborative conservation efforts for sharks and rays in the Greater Caribbean region. The CSC is a collection of member experts from NGOs, local communities, intergovernmental organizations and governments, academia, and policy institutes working together to advance the study and conservation of sharks and rays found in the waters of the Greater Caribbean. The CSC has as its major goals and mission: To foster collaboration in shark and ray research, policy, and capacity building for conservation among stakeholders in the region, and to provide opportunities for knowledge transfer and data synthesis; To safeguard the long-term health of shark and ray populations in the region, and to promote the protection of critical habitat; To promote a sustainable future for these species as well as human livelihoods who depend on them. To effectively address ongoing and future areas of conservation and species management plans for countries and territories in the Greater Caribbean region; Greater collaboration and capacity building is fostered among and between actors and stakeholders in the Greater Caribbean region. Working with local scientists, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), intergovernmental organizations and governments, we target capacity building for filling critical knowledge gaps through science, as well as the advancement of specific conservation actions.

Tadzio is the first Dutch Caribbean Member of the Explorers Club for his contribution to Science in the Wider Caribbean Region and he is an experienced dive instructor who has recently started to use closed-circuit rebreathers to enhance his coral reef monitoring activities.

In this episode, we discuss the importance of sharks in the Caribbean, the threats they face, data collection on shark populations and the role of the Caribbean Shark Coalition and the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance in protecting these species. To learn more follow the social media accounts linked below and be sure to give the EcoVybz Podcast some love. 

“We need to respect the oceans and take care of them as if our lives depended on it. Because they do.” – Sylvia Earle

Welcome to another great episode of the Caribbean Ocean Perspectives Series featuring Jeffrey Bernus, a marine scientist from Martinique. At the age of 10, he started diving, loving the ocean and observing anthropogenic pressures deteriorate Martinique’s marine environment. This led to him studying marine biology having travelled to Canada and France to obtain a Masters degree in Biodiversity Management as well as the Bahamas (Cape Eleuthera Institute) and in Australia (Australian Institute of Marine Science) to gain more experience on sharks, rays and turtles. His studies were focused on diversity distribution and assemblages of deepwater sharks, Hidden Markov Models for megafauna tracking, predators role related to risk effects and the importance of environmental variables on fish assemblages and distribution. ​

Then he decided to go back to his native region and work for the government at the national park of Guadeloupe. This experience led him to be the scientific coordinator of the Caribbean Marine Mammal Preservation Network (CARI'MAM) project for the Agoa Sanctuary (Office Français pour la Biodiversité, European funded project). Wanting to go beyond the governments’ limitations and objectives for marine mammal conservation, he decided to co-create the Caribbean Cetacean Society to ensure the sustainability of this new community created with this network. His dream in the long term is to create an MPA at the Caribbean scale dedicated to megafauna conservation in order to better protect these fragile species who can't understand our frontiers.

In this episode, I have a lovely chat with Dr Rahanna Juman, acting Director at the Institute of Marine Affairs, a government-funded marine research institute in Trinidad and Tobago.  She holds a PhD in Zoology (2004) from the University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and a Bachelor of Law (2015) from the University of London. Dr Juman has been conducting research on the coastal environment for the past 25 years and has published in international peer-review journals.  Currently, she is leading efforts to develop and implement an Integrated Coastal Zone Management Policy Framework for Trinidad and Tobago and to implement Marine Spatial Planning.

“I thought I was the only one worried about the planet and then, suddenly, there are other kids taking the chance to change things -- and I am sure it will empower other kids to do the same.” -Anna Taylor, organizer, "Youth for Climate" movement UK

This week is all about youth and ocean protection! For this episode, I have a lovely chat with 18-year-old Summer Benjamin, an Antiguan-American student, ocean leader, pilot, and climate activist, based in the US Virgin Island of St Thomas. Summer has participated in several initiatives related to youth climate work, founding the Earth Warriors at Tahoe Expedition Academy and has participated in several international events including speaking at the POP International Conference and Festival in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico, COY 15, the World Sustainable Development Forum in Durango, Mexico, the POP Ocean Virtual Summit, WAAS Global Leadership in the 21st Century e-conference and POP Ocean Youth-Led Action and Advocacy Workshop. Recently, she has started the Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA) Virgin Islands Hub and continues her activism through beach clean-ups and ocean awareness initiatives.

“We know that when we protect our oceans we’re protecting our future.”- President Bill Clinton

Welcome to season 2, The Caribbean Ocean Perspectives Series! In this episode, I have a great chat with Christopher Corbin, Senior Programme Officer with the Ecosystems Division of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). He is based at the UNEP Cartagena Convention Secretariat & Caribbean Environment Programme in Kingston, Jamaica, which covers all the countries of the Wider Caribbean Region. Christopher is responsible for the Secretariat’s Marine Pollution and Communications Sub-Programmes and oversees activities on marine litter. 

As a Saint Lucian national, with over 30 years of programme and project management experience, his technical training is in Environmental Monitoring and Assessment and he has been involved in the development and implementation of multi-country projects on wastewater management, solid waste management and integrated coastal zone and watershed management. Christopher is also responsible for the development of the “Regional Action Plan for Marine Litter Management in the Caribbean” and is currently leading the preparation of a Regional Caribbean Marine Litter Strategy.

“The reality is this - a shark snatch out of the waters of T&T affects fisheries in the US, and a shark snatched out of the waters in Indonesia affects fisheries in South Korea because sharks are migratory species and the entire ocean is their home.”

In this conversation I chat with my friend and fellow activist La Tisha Parkinson from Trinidad and Tobago. She has a passion for people and this passion has driven all her efforts in life as she simply wants to ensure everyone can live their best lives. This has led to her working with various organizations over the years and supporting many causes. As an island girl however, the oceans have always been close to her heart, and she has chosen to work her magic at the intersection of education and ocean conservation.

"The risks are big, the opportunities are huge. We are all in the same boat, and it’s time to make the change, it’s time to move in harmony with nature around"- Eyal Kapulnik

"We as activists need to help fishing communities to deeply understand the marine ecosystem while also remembering that this very ecosystem is their daily bread."-Jake Lasi

“Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.”-Ryunosuke Satoro

"Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow." – Anthony J. D’Angelo

Continuing with the Action for the Oceans Series in this episode I have a really great chat with Silvia Cantu Bautista from Monterrey Mexico. Silvia is an Advanced PADI certified scuba diver and professional underwater photographer with a strong passion for marine conservation, youth education and storytelling for climate justice. 

In this episode, we dive into Silvia's Action for the Oceans campaign which is heavily focused on two main issues: community building and increasing ocean literacy across her country. In Mexico, 17 out of 32 states have a coast, which altogether comprises 57% of the country’s land territory. Despite this, there are many communities that still live far away from the coast or which haven’t had access to inclusive ocean literacy projects. For this reason, she wanted to help co-create virtual and physical spaces as well as networks that allows people who do not live near the oceans to learn more about marine environments and systems and support grassroots initiatives aimed at protecting marine environments and coastal communities.

“It's through curiosity and looking at opportunities in new ways that we've always mapped our path.” -Michael Dell

Continuing with the Action for the Oceans Series, in episode two I have a lovely chat with the director of Peace Boat US Emilie McGlone. We take a deep dive into this year's Ocean Week celebrations, her Peace Boat journey, and all the amazing opportunities she has had thus far volunteering in Japan, Central America and South America. We also touch on her environmental work in Japan with Bicycles for Everyone's Earth where she volunteered her time to help organize a 3-month environmental tour by bicycle to increase awareness about important issues such as climate change, recycling and sustainability as well as her NGO Parties 4 Peace which is a non-profit production team that organizes creative events to promote peace through dance and music.