a small org. with a big impact!
Blue Frontier, “The Voice for Ocean Action” organizes people who care about our blue planet to impact policy and promote solutions to the many challenges facing our living seas.
For over 20 years Blue Frontier has been able to generate ocean media at the local, national and global level. This work includes six books with a seventh in the works, also several hundred articles, opinions and videos appearing in major media including the New York Times, NPR and National Geographic. Blue Frontier has conducted media training workshops for scientists and others, created the ‘Writers for the Sea’ project with over 120 authors and supports an online Blue Movement Directory describing over 1,200 ocean conservation groups. Its popular Rising Tide Ocean podcast also airs on a number of radio stations.
Blue Frontier’s policy and network building has included six DC-based Blue Vision Summits that have connected thousands of grassroots activists with policy leaders. These multi-day summits have included Capitol Hill Ocean Days where constituents from across the nation met with their elected representatives and advocated for ocean conservation measures. Blue Frontier has also sponsored several regional summits. Congressional leaders including Representatives Nancy Pelosi and Jared Huffman and Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Jeff Markley have spoken of the vital role Blue Frontier plays in creating ocean law and policy.
Blue Frontier’s Mission
Blue Frontier builds the solution-oriented citizen engagement needed to protect our ocean, coasts and the communities, both human and wild that depend on them.
We are a small organization with a big impact! Blue Frontier, “The Voice for Ocean Action” organizes people who care about our blue planet to impact policy and promote solutions to the many challenges facing our living seas.
For over 20 years Blue Frontier has been able to generate ocean media at the local, national and global level. This work includes six books with a seventh in the works, also several hundred articles, opinions and videos appearing in major media including the New York Times, NPR and National Geographic. Blue Frontier has conducted media training workshops for scientists and others, created the ‘Writers for the Sea’ project with over 120 authors and supports an online Blue Movement Directory describing over 1,200 ocean conservation groups. Its popular Rising Tide Ocean podcast also airs on a number of radio stations.
It’s policy and network building has included six DC-based Blue Vision Summits that have connected thousands of grassroots activists with policy leaders. These multi-day summits have included Capitol Hill Ocean Days where constituents from across the nation met with their elected representatives and advocated for legislation around illegal fishing, plastic pollution and other issues. Blue Frontier has also sponsored several regional summits. Congressional leaders including Representative Nancy Pelosi and Senators Sheldon Whitehouse and Jeff Markley have spoken of the vital role Blue Frontier plays in creating ocean law and policy.
Beginning in 2019 in partnership with the Center for the Blue Economy, Blue Frontier launched the Ocean Climate Action Plan (OCAP) published in 2020. Our OCAP coalition, built an effective nationwide network ranging from John Kerry and Jane Fonda to environmental justice and business leaders. By 2022 the Biden Administration launched its own White House Ocean Climate Action Plan that mirrored our earlier plan. It also included $10 billion dollars of ocean funding in the Infrastructure and IRA laws that our coalition had lobbied for.
In partnership with Wendy Benchley Blue Frontier launched the decade long Peter Benchley Ocean Awards that became known as the ‘Academy Awards of the Ocean’ with eight categories of award-winners ranging from heads of state (Costa Rica, Senegal, Monaco, etc.) to grassroots youth activists. Inspired by the awards that terminated in 2017, a network of aquariums, led by the National Aquarium, is now planning to relaunch the Peter Benchley Ocean Awards in 2025.
In 2018 & 2019 Blue Frontier organized ‘Marches for the Ocean’ of thousands of people in DC, across the U.S. and in 26 nations including youth led marches in Ireland, Belize, Cape Verde and the Philippines. The marches terminated during the COVID pandemic of 2020.
As part of its latest ocean climate campaign, Blue Frontier is now working to protect the world’s kelp forests through a documentary, book and a public impact campaign. It also recently acquired a classic 1934 Motorsailer, the 47-foot ‘Queen of the Coast,’ that it’s preparing as an educational platform to travel up and down the west coast’s ‘kelp highway.’
Locally, since relocating from D.C. to Richmond California in 2017 Blue Frontier has fought to save the 420-acre SF Bay headland named Point Molate as a waterfront nature park for this low-income under-parked community. After defeating plans for a casino and a luxury development Blue Frontier’s ‘Point Molate Alliance’ project helped secure $36 million from the state to establish the park which is now being negotiated. Blue Frontier also helped the Port of Richmond secure a $3 million grant to electrify (“decarbonize”) its main terminal under the new Infrastrucutre law.
Like the Coast Guard that it’s written about and celebrated (organizing a ‘San Francisco Coast Guard Appreciation Day’ that drew thousands) Blue Frontier continues to do more with less.
Since 2003 Blue Frontier has…
…worked on a simple idea: an ocean in trouble needs a citizen movement as restless as the tides. It began by mapping that movement, publishing a directory of some 1,200 U.S. ocean and coastal groups, then brought them together.
Between 2004 and 2017, its six biennial and two regional Blue Vision Summits drew thousands of grassroots activists (surfers, fishermen, scientists, divers and tribal leaders) to Washington, D.C. Its Healthy Ocean Hill Days became the largest citizen lobbies for the sea in U.S. history. In 2018 and 2019 it took the cause into the streets with Marches for the Ocean across the country and in 26 other nations, from Ireland to Belize, Cape Verde and the Philippines, many of them led by young people. It also backed adventurers who made the case at sea level. Roz Savage rowed solo across the Pacific and Indian Oceans and now sits in Parliament advocating climate solutions. Field organizer Margo Pellegrino paddled her outrigger canoe from Miami to Maine, Seattle to San Diego and New York to New Orleans, linking inland waterways to the health of the sea. Closer to home, in the working-class Bay Area city of Richmond, Blue Frontier’s Point Molate Alliance spent 17 years fighting off a mega-casino. It won a 422-acre nature park for a community short on green space and later trained local teens to defend it.
Blue Frontier has also kept telling the story. Its “Blue Beat” journalism has produced hundreds of stories, including on-scene coverage after Hurricane Katrina and the BP oil spill, in outlets ranging from National Geographic and Smithsonian’s American Indian magazine to the New York Times, the New Yorker and the Associated Press. Its eight books, including 50 Ways to Save the Ocean, have won the Herman Melville and Rachel Carson awards, and its documentary Sequoias of the Sea has reached audiences on PBS. The organization created what became the Peter Benchley Ocean Awards, the “Oscars of the Ocean,” and founded Writers for the Sea, now more than 150 authors strong. It launched the Rising Tide Ocean Podcast in 2020 and the Our Blue Frontier Substack in 2025. That same year it started a Youth Ambassador program for middle and high school students. Its advocacy has also shaped policy. A 2020 Ocean Climate Action Plan, developed with the Center for the Blue Economy, helped produce a White House ocean climate plan and about $10 billion in the 2022 climate law for greener ports and more resilient coasts. That is a strong record for a small group that has never stopped arguing that what we do on land, and in Washington, determines the fate of the blue planet.
Our Salty Crew
At the heart of our remarkable Blue Frontier community are some people helping turn the tide. Our team members are multi-talented individuals & activists who have a genuine love for the ocean and intimate connection with the issues that threaten it’s health and with that the health of the planet.
David Helvarg
Executive Director
David Helvarg is an author and Executive Director of Blue Frontier, an ocean policy group, and co-host of the Rising Tide Ocean Podcast (and radio show). He has written seven books: Blue Frontier (now available on Kindle), The War Against the Greens, 50 Ways to Save the Ocean, Rescue Warriors, Saved by the Sea, The Golden Shore and Forest of the Sea (2026). He’s editor of the Ocean and Coastal Conservation Guide and co-founder of the Peter Benchley Ocean Awards, the world’s top marine conservation prize.
Helvarg worked as a war correspondent in Northern Ireland and Central America, covered a range of issues from military science to the AIDS epidemic and climate, and has reported from every continent including Antarctica. An award-winning journalist, he produced broadcast documentaries for PBS, The Discovery Channel, and others. His print work has appeared in publications including The New York Times, LA Times, Smithsonian and National Geographic. He’s done radio work for Marketplace, AP radio, and Pacifica, as well as led workshops for journalists in half a dozen countries. David is also a licensed Private Investigator, body-surfer and scuba diver.
Natasha Benjamin
Executive Director
Natasha has almost 20 years’ experience working in marine science and policy and a strong dedication for ocean conservation. She is also the Media Director at Marine Applied Research & Exploration (MARE) where she works with deep sea robotic technology to collect data to inform ocean and fisheries policy. Natasha has a background in marine science and fisheries management and strong expertise in science, policy and partnership building. She also worked with the Institute for Fisheries Resources, the Ocean Conservancy and as a consultant for the Monterey Bay Aquarium and other ocean conservation groups. Natasha has a B.S. in Marine Biology from Boston University and M.S. in Marine Policy from University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science (RSMAS).
Margo Pellegrino
Field Organizer and Ocean Explorer
Margo has a BA in Labor Studies from Rutgers University. She is a life-long Jersey Gal who group up in an ocean loving family. Out of concern for the state of our ocean and what that means for the future of her children, she became a paddling ocean activist. Armed with David Helvarg’s “50 Ways to Save the Ocean” and a paddle, she feels that her outreach can be yet another tool in the toolbox to bring our ocean and water to the forefront of issues on which our great nation should focus. She believes that our country can and should take a leadership in ocean stewardship for the benefit of the global community and our children and generations to follow.
Eleanor Kerlow
Senior Communications Advisor
Eleanor is a marine-loving, award-winning PR professional. She has 30 years of experience in media and directing PR campaigns to advance strategic positioning and business goals. She worked for 12 years in legal media, including writing a book about Harvard Law School, and 18 years heading the public relations at three AmLaw100 law firms. Her joy is traveling the world with her family to dive and loves observing the small critters. After participating in recent Blue Vision Summits and 2017 Healthy Oceans Hill Day, she rededicated herself to advancing ocean communications and co-chairs the media committee of the March for the Ocean.
Nick Paz
Media Coordinator
Nick is an oceanography graduate from Cal Maritime with a passion for environmental stewardship, equitable outdoor access, and creating and fostering inclusive ocean communities. A former employee of the Estuary and Ocean Science Center, he has been on the forefront of environmental monitoring efforts in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is also an avid surfer, diver, and award-wining photographer – building a set of skills which has found him in a storytelling role focused around surfing, grassroots community growth, and environmental justice movements.
Myra Khan
Coordinator
Myra is the Coordinator at Blue Frontier, bringing a strong background in environmental advocacy to her role. Before joining Blue Frontier, Myra worked with various environmental and humanitarian organizations focused on climate justice and supporting the rights of asylum seekers. Her experience includes conservation fieldwork in diverse locations such as Costa Rica, Malta, and Indonesia. Her varied experiences have equipped her with a broad perspective and practical skills that she now applies to her work at Blue Frontier, helping to create a more sustainable and equitable future.
Pam Stello
Pam has worked for 15 years to protect Point Molate headlands and waters in Richmond, California and its rich environmental and cultural resources. She is co-founder and co-chair of the Point Molate Alliance, a project of Blue Frontier, and co-founder of Citizens for a Sustainable Point Molate, the group that led the grassroots movement that defeated the proposed mega-casino at Point Molate in 2010. She serves on the board of Citizens for East Shore Parks.
Pam grew up on Cape Cod in Chatham, Massachusetts. She was a student in South Africa, a Peace Corps Volunteer in Burkina Faso, and she’s traveled in 16 countries so far. She and her wife recently became bicoastal, splitting their time between the California and Portugal coasts.
Charles Landon
Podcast Editor
Charles Landon is a photojournalist who worked for 40 years at the CBS affiliate in San Diego. He has won numerous Emmy, Golden Mikes and a National Press Photographer award.
Born and bred by the beach he surfs, body boards and dives in the San Diego area. Charles has worked with David Helvarg on numerous documentary’s and edits the Rising Tide Ocean Podcast.
Holden Hardcastle
Podcast Producer
Over the last twenty years, Holden has produced award-winning strategic marketing campaigns. He is experienced art and creative director who has led high-performing teams at companies across various industries. Working with inspired and driven individuals, he aspires to create beautiful, exciting, and positive experiences. Whether it is bringing people together through an application or developing a dynamic brand to change the world, he believes that inspired teams yield inspirational results.
Board of Directors & Advisory Board
Our Board of Directors consist of activists, scientists, advocates, artists and environmental experts. Board members are nominated by existing members or selected because of the expertise they can provide to further our mission.
David Schwartz – President
Founder, Sustainable Plans International
David A. Schwartz is a founding Partner of Schwartz and Associates, an landscape architecture firm. He has over thirty years of design, planning and landscape construction experience. David earned a Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of California at Berkeley and a Bachelor of Science from Humboldt State University. His environmental sciences background is a key in the development of sustainable landscapes. He is also an avid fisherman, kayaker and diver.
Scott Fielder – Treasurer
Attorney, Fielder Law
Scott Fielder is a California attorney. He has been in private practice since 1978 and specializes in personal injury and wrongful death litigation. He has also worked extensively on a pro-bono (volunteer) basis on cases involving nuclear power plant decommissioning and safety. Along with his successful practice as an attorney Scott is an active scuba diver and marine conservationist.
Wendy Benchley
Marine Conservationist, Peter Benchley Ocean Awards
Wendy is a long-time environmental and marine conservation activist. She is co-founder and Trustee of the New Jersey Environmental Federation (NJEF), founder of the Mercer Citizens for Public Accountability, a member of the board of Shark Savers, and Advisory Trustee at Environmental Defense Fund. She served as an elected member of the Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Princeton Borough Council.
Vicki Nichols Goldstein
Founder, Inland Ocean Coalition
Vicki Nichols Goldstein is the founder of Inland Ocean Coalition. Vicki has worked in the non-profit and ocean conservation field for over twenty-five years addressing a multitude of issues including vessel traffic, sustainable seafood, oil spill contingency planning, and fisheries interactions. While working for NOAA she co-wrote the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Designation Documents. During her 10 years as Executive Director of Save Our Shores, she initiated and organized the first Central California Fishermen’s Forum on Marine Protected Areas and developed the Sanctuary Stewards Certification and Dock Walkers Programs. In 2010, she formed the Colorado Ocean Coalition where she is protecting oceans from a mile high.
David Helvarg
Founder and Executive Director, Blue Frontier Campaign
David Helvarg is founder and President of the Blue Frontier Campaign. A long time ocean enthusiast, he is the author of Forest of the Sea, Saved by the Sea, Rescue Warriors, Blue Frontier, 50 Ways to Save the Ocean and The War Against the Greens, and editor of The Ocean and Coastal Conservation Guide. He has worked as a war correspondent and award-winning journalist in Northern Ireland and Central America, and reported from every continent, including Antarctica.
Dr. Nancy Knowlton
Sant Chair in Marine Science Emerita, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Dr. Nancy Knowlton is Sant Chair for Marine Science Emerita at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C. Prior to coming to the museum she was faculty of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (1998-2007), where she founded the Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation. She is an Aldo Leopold Leadership Fellow, a winner of the Peter Benchley Prize and the Heinz Award, and was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences in 2013. She helped direct the Census of Marine Life coral reef program and has served on the boards of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Coral Reef Alliance. Dr. Knowlton’s research centers on the diversity and conservation of life in the ocean.
Cindy Zipf
Executive Director, Clean Ocean Action, NJ
Cindy Zipf is founder and Executive Director of Clean Ocean Action, a broad-based coalition of 180 organizations, and the Mid-Atlantic region’s largest and most effective voice for the sea. In her position as founder and Director of COA she has helped lead efforts that resulted in the passage of landmark federal and state legislation.
Joy Leilei Shih
Chair, Sierra Club National Marine Team
Joy Leilei Shih is the Chair of the Sierra Club National Marine Team, representing ocean issues and interests in the largest environmental group in the U.S. She received a Ph.D. in Oceanography from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and a Masters in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation from Scripps Institution of Oceanography. She has conducted research on coral reefs in French Polynesia, Hawaiʻi, and the Florida Keys, and was an aquanaut at Aquarius, the only undersea laboratory in the world. She has collaborated with Blue Frontier in a number of activities including most recently in our meetings this June with agency leaders to discuss our Ocean Climate Action Plan and report.
Sean Russel
Director, Youth Engagement and Partnerships at Earth Echo International
Sean Russell is Director of Youth Engagement and Partnerships for Earth Echo International (founded by previous board member Philippe Cousteau). For over a decade, Sean Russell has worked with a diverse set of non-profit organizations, corporations, and government agencies, to elevate the role of youth leadership in the fields of marine science, education, and conservation. Additionally, Sean is the founder and director of the Youth Ocean Conservation Summit. Sean serves on the National Marine Educators Association Board of Directors and as a member of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument Community Group, He is also the 2013 Peter Benchley – Christopher Benchley Youth Award recipient.
Mary Crowley
Founder, Ocean Voyages Institute
Mary is the founder and CEO of the Ocean Voyages Institute (OVI), a nonprofit started in 1979. Ocean Voyages seeks to bridge the gap between maritime traditions, island culture preservation, and environmental stewardship. Project Kaisei, a project launched under Ocean Voyages, is dedicated to studying and cleaning up plastic and marine-debris pollution. An ardent environmentalist and seasoned sailor, Mary has logged over 100,000 nautical miles at sea, and has also served as the Executive Director of the Oceanic Society and on the boards of multiple maritime, conservation, and cultural organizations.
Maria Brown
Former Superintendent, Cordell Bank and Greater Farallones Sanctuary
Maria is a lifelong Bay Area native with a deep passion for ocean wildlife and coastal ecosystems. She earned her B.S. in Wildlife Management from UC Berkeley and her master’s in Urban and Environmental Policy from Tufts University. From 2004, Maria served as superintendent of the Greater Farallones Sanctuary, and in 2021 she added leadership of Cordell Bank Sanctuary – overseeing both as a single management team, effectively safeguarding some of the most biodiverse and critically important ocean regions along the California coast. Under her leadership, the sanctuaries expanded, and she championed efforts in marine conservation ranging from kelp forest restoration to strategies for blue carbon protection and climate-adaptation planning.
Advisory Board Members
Dr. Sylvia Earle – National Geographic Explorer in Residence
John Racanelli – President & CEO National Aquarium
Jeremy Rifkin – Author, President, Foundation on Economic Trends
Randy Hayes – Founder, Rainforest Action Network, Foundation Earth
John Hocevar – Ocean Campaign Director, Greenpeace USA
Philippe and Ashlan Cousteau – TV Hosts and Ocean Explorers
Marc Yaggi – Executive Director, Waterkeeper Alliance
Greg and Barbara MacGillivray – MacGillivray Freeman Films
Liz Taylor – President, DOER Marine
Jason Scorse – Director, Center for the Blue Economy
Mark Haver – Youth Ocean policy advisor
Ms. Hannah Testa – Sustainability Advocate, Hannah4Change
Dr. Stephen Palumbi – Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University
Andres Soto – Richmond Shoreline Alliance
Serge Dedina – WILDCOAST
Cynthia Sarthou – Executive Director, Healthy Gulf
Ana Blanco – Executive Director, International Ocean Film Festival
Craig McLean – Director of NOAA Research (Ret.)
Casi Calloway – Chief Resilience Officer – Mobile, AL