Meet the 2019 Ocean Talks Speakers

Dee Caffari MBE

Director, Dee Caffari Limited

Dee Caffari is the Director of Dee Caffari Limited and in 2006, she became the first woman to sail solo around the world the wrong way, non-stop. In 2009 her 6th place finish in the Vendée Globe made her the first woman to sail solo and non-stop in both directions around the globe. Dee has completed more non stop circumnavigations of the globe than any other woman. As skipper of 'Turn the Tide on Plastic' - a mixed, youth focused team with a strong sustainability message - Dee completed her sixth lap of the planet in the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18. Outside of sailing, Dee continues to showcase her talents in other areas such as TV and radio presenting, motivational speaking and supporting her chosen charities.

Erika Gress

Marine Ecologist

Erika Gress has close to 7 years of research and conservation experience with her current focus being on mesophotic reefs (30 – 150m depth reefs) and black corals. She recently led a book review chapter on Mesoamerican mesophotic reefs for the ‘Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems, Coral Reefs of the World’, a Springer book. Additionally, she holds some experience working in the deep-sea (>200m depth)on invasive lionfish.

In recognition of her early career commitment to marine conservation, she was awarded the ‘Marine Conservation Leadership Award 2018’ by Fauna and Flora International and the Marsh Trust. Her work on mesophotic reefs and black corals spans different areas in the Mesoamerican Reef, Madagascar and Indonesia. Erika seeks to follow up this year with her work achieved in Mexico and plans to conduct research in the Indonesian reefs for consecutive years.

Dr Dominic Andradi-Brown

Marine Scientist, World Wildlife Fund

Doctor Dominic Andradi-Brown is a Marine Scientist at World Wildlife Fund (WWF), where he works on the monitoring and evaluation of marine conservation projects. He works closely with WWF teams and other partners in Indonesia, Fiji, and Mexico to incorporate best-practice science to inform marine protected areas.

Dr Andradi-Brown completed his PhD in the Ocean Research and Conservation Group at the University of Oxford, researching fish ecology on mesophotic coral reefs (reefs 30-150m depth). During his PhD, he worked as part of a team supporting the inclusion of these deep reefs into reef management plans and conservation actions in Honduras and Mexico. He has over 20 scientific publications, and his previous academic background includes a masters degree and a undergraduate degree in ecology from Imperial College London.

Dr Andradi-Brown is a member of the Reef Conservation UK steering committee, and in the past, has worked for organisations such as the Zoological Society of London and Operation Wallacea.

Frederikke Magnussen

Co-founder, A Plastic Planet and Ocean Family Foundation

Frederikke Magnussen is the Co-founder of A Plastic Planet (APP) and Ocean Family Foundation (OFF). Frederikke left Denmark at an early age to pursue a career in fashion, living in Paris, Australia and New York. She studied Psychology at NYU and Birkbeck, exploring her passion for helping others, setting up ‘Being Human’ wilderness retreats to reconnect stressed people with nature, alongside Sille Lundquist.

During the mid-2000s, Frederikke became aware of the growing problem of plastic pollution in our ocean, during a screening of the first documentary feature on ocean pollution – A Plastic Ocean in which she played a role in the making. During the film launch Frederikke joined forces with Sian Sutherland to create the first APP campaign that asked supermarkets to give their customers choice by providing Plastic Free Aisles. After 12 months of extensive pressure on the food and drink industry, support from Theresa May as part of her 2025 Environmental Plan and considerable media coverage, the world’s first Plastic Free Aisle was launched; a symbol of possible change for the world. APP have this year alone opened another supermarket in London as a living lab to show that change can happen today with new innovations.

Privately, Frederikke and her husband have set up Ocean Family Foundation (OFF) with two other families who are passionate about conservation and education to protect the oceans the families share and love.

Dr Alan Jamieson

Chief Scientist, The Five Deeps Expedition and Senior Lecturer, Deep-sea Biology, Newcastle University

Doctor Alan Jamieson is the Chief Scientist on The Five Deeps Expedition and a senior lecturer in deep-sea biology at Newcastle University, UK. His research has made him a world leader in the biological exploration of the hadal zone (depths exceeding 6000m). He has designed multiple Hadal-Landers and has deployed them over 250 times in the ultra-deep subduction trenches of the Pacific Ocean and surrounding areas. Dr Jamieson has participated in, and often led, over 55 deep-sea expeditions covering every ocean. He has published over 80 scientific papers and sole authored the book 'The Hadal Zone, life in the deepest oceans', in 2015.

Highlights of his work include filming the deepest fish in the world, discovering supergiant amphipods in the hadal zone and a hadal species being named after him. He has also filmed in the deepest places on Earth; the Sirena Deep and Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench. His work has featured in the BBCs Blue Planet II, and NHKs Deep Ocean, Descent into the Mariana Trench documentaries, and his discoveries have received extensive international media coverage. Dr Jamieson is also a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

Dr Madhavi Colton

Programme Director, Coral Reef Alliance

As Programme Director at the Coral Reef Alliance, Dr Madhavi Colton oversees an international portfolio of community-driven conservation programmes that are addressing local threats to reefs, including overfishing, land-based pollution and unsustainable tourism. Dr Colton is also spearheading new scientific research into how ecosystems adapt to the effects of climate change. This knowledge can then be applied to develop innovative approaches to coral conservation that can be replicated globally.

Her most recent paper, “Conservation plans that prioritise diversity can leverage evolution to adapt to climate change” (currently in review) analyses the results from a multi-year research project that used a powerful mathematical model to simulate different future scenarios for coral reefs, identifying the types of management networks that best facilitate coral adaptation.

Dr Colton’s expertise lies in building partnerships between academic researchers, conservation organisations, governments and local communities to implement durable solutions to conservation. She has worked in California, Hawaii, the Mesoamerican region, Indonesia, Fiji and Australia and has a Ph.D. in Marine Ecology from the University of Melbourne, Australia.

Brandon Harvey

Board of Trustees Member, Polar Citizen Science Collective and Director of Expedition Operations and Programme Development, EYOS Expeditions

Brandon Harvey is a Board of Trustees Member for the Polar Citizen Science Collective and also the Director of Expedition Operations and Programme Development for EYOS Expeditions. He grew up on the shores of the Salish Sea, in British Columbia and his early passion for marine mammals lead him to a long career in the polar regions aboard a variety of expedition vessels and yachts. Brandon has participated in countless expeditions to the Southern Ocean and the High Arctic as an educator, adventure guide, and Expedition Leader.

Over the past 20 years, Brandon has demonstrated his proficiency in developing exceptional client experiences and engaging educational programming. The past decade has found Brandon directing operations for tourism operators, previously as Operations Manager for Maple Leaf Adventures, Director of Expedition Operations for Polar Latitudes and currently as Director of Expedition Operations and Programme Development for EYOS Expeditions. Brandon was a key partner in developing a dedicated Citizen Science programme aboard polar expedition vessels. In 4 seasons the programme has become the model for integrating citizen science on polar expedition vessels and maximising client interaction with citizen science projects.

Working for EYOS Expeditions Brandon’s goal is to integrate citizen science projects aboard private yacht expeditions. While exploring remote regions client’s experience can not only be enriched by conducting research but legitimately contribute to scientific research. Brandon’s field expertise as a marine ecologist and environmental scientist is supported by a Master of Science in Environmental Practice.

Simon Evans

Sustainability Director, Ecobooth

Simon Evans is an experienced project manager of sustainability strategy programmes for multinational companies. As the Sustainability Director of Ecobooth, Simon helps drive a new use for ocean waste plastic, through repurposing the material to create high quality event and exhibition stands using innovative technologies. Ecobooth ensue that ocean waste is put to use, and not incinerated or sent to landfill. Ecobooth are working to turn the wasteful events industry into a positive one, manufacturing with circularity in mind to create positive events from ocean waste.

Simon works with businesses, NGOs, governments, industry bodies and consumers to deliver advice to the executive level of brands in a variety of sectors including those just beginning their sustainability journey and those who wish to lead the way. Simon has 10+ years’ experience in the designing, implementation and strategic communication of sustainability strategy for brands who want to maximise positive environmental and social impact.

Dr Tessa Hempson

Senior Marine Scientist and Operations Manager, Oceans Without Borders

Doctor Tessa Hempson is a Senior Marine Scientist and Operations Manager for Oceans Without Borders, a project partnership between &Beyond and Africa Foundation dedicated to marine conservation and community development in East Africa. She is also an Adjunct Researcher at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University in Australia, where she completed her PhD, and continues to work with many of the world’s leading marine scientists on the most pressing issues facing our oceans.

Recognising the importance of working at multiple scales and the need for effective inter-sectoral partnerships, Oceans Without Borders offers a unique platform for bringing together diverse stakeholders to address the complex inter-related challenges facing coral reefs. At a local scale, Dr Hempson’s work in East Africa focuses on the inseparable links between coastal communities and the marine resources on which they depend. At a global scale she endeavours to raise awareness around marine conservation issues, highlighting that many of the threats facing our oceans are driven by consumer and political choices in the developed world, and that each of us can take positive steps in our daily lives to secure a bright future for coral reefs and oceans on which we ultimately all depend.

Amanda Keetley

Founder, Less Plastic

Amanda Keetley founded Less Plastic in 2015 to raise awareness of the ocean plastic crisis and inspire individuals and organisations to use less plastic. She has brought the “less plastic lifestyle” to a wide audience via her blog, infographics and social media following. She has also written a book, Plastic Game Changer, to empower professionals to accelerate plastic reduction efforts in their organisations. This features her practical five-step framework to become a Plastic Game Changer and invaluable insights from real-world Plastic Game Changers. She also offers talks and workshops, consultancy services and educational materials to inspire positive change.

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