Dr. Sylvia Earle is a prominent American marine biologist, author, and lecturer. She has written over 150 publications, mainly highlighting the natural beauty and ecological importance of the world’s oceans. Dr. Earle also served as the first female chief scientist of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Throughout her career, Dr. Earle has won dozens of awards, including the 2001 National Parks Conservation Association’s Robin W. Winks Award for Enhancing Public Understanding of National Parks, the 2009 TED Prize, and being named Time Magazine’s first-ever Hero for the Planet in 1998.

In 2009, Dr. Earle founded Mission Blue, a nonprofit that works to establish marine protected areas, which they call “Hope Spots,” around the world. The Mission Blue alliance brings together more than 200 ocean conservation groups and other organizations to fight for a shared goal: for 30% of the ocean to be protected by 2030 (commonly known as the 30X30 movement).