Youth Ambassadors

Pooja was born in India, but grew up in the United States. In 2018, she graduated from American University in Washington, DC with degrees in Economics and International Studies, specializing in justice, ethics, and human rights, and South Asia. After graduating, Pooja worked on several ocean and climate-related projects at the Meridian Institute. Now, she works for the Kennebunkport Climate Initiative as a Youth Network Strategic Consultant. As their first Climate Career winner, Pooja started Youth Climate Collaborative, which makes it easier for youth to get involved and remain involved in environmental work and fosters meaningful collaboration with youth.

Hannah Rudd is a marine biologist and science communicator with a special interest in sharks. Her research focuses on marine policy and public perceptions toward sharks, which she studied during her MSc Marine Environmental Management degree with collaborations in the Maldives and South Africa. Currently, Hannah is working for a UK non-governmental organisation and is a coordinator for Youth for Our Planet. She is also a freelance writer, photographer and presenter, working on her first book. Hannah is passionate about promoting women in science and was a South African Shark Conservancy Woman in Shark Science, and founder of Leading Marine Women. 

Oluwaseyi Moejoh is a 19- year-old environmentalist, action-oriented leader, global change-maker and law student, her passion lies at the intersections between environmental justice, change-making, circular economy, climate action and ocean protection. 

Oluwaseyi is the Cofounder of U-recycle Initiative and a National Geographic Young Explorer. U-recycle Initiative is an award-winning youth-led organization, focused on advancing a circular economy in Africa through reinforcing environmental sustainability, climate action and recycling culture across schools and communities. Oluwaseyi founded this organization in September 2018 after winning the 2018 TNCI Social Impact Award. 

She is devoted to collaborating with others to design and implement sustainable, deep-rooted and innovative solutions to mitigate the environmental crisis in Africa and beyond

Olivia Livingstone holds a BSc in Environmental Science from the Cuttington University and has volunteered and worked with international and local institutions like Conservation International Liberia, Fauna & Flora International Liberia, Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia, and Cities Alliance. She is also an Alumna of the World Oceans Day Youth Advisory Council and the Sustainable Ocean Alliance-Cuttington Chapter. Olivia currently serves as a Community Mobilizer on the Environmental Justice Foundation “Communities for Fisheries Project-Liberia” funded by the European Union where she trains fishermen on how to use their smartphones to combat IUU fishing to safeguard their livelihood.

My name is Milla Heckler and I am 17 from Los Angeles, California. Since I was younger I have made myself a part of the ocean through emerging myself within it. I have been a surfer, free diver, and swimmer all my life and hope to continue being one for a very long time. While I may be young, I have been on this planet long enough to know that the ocean is not only the center of my life, but the center of all our lives. The sea is connected to everything and that is why I am so passionate about keeping it healthy and thriving. I’m excited to be a High Seas Youth Ambassador and an advocate for the high seas treaty to ensure we have a healthy ocean for many more years to come.

Lydia is a 19-year-old student and climate justice activist from Austria. Currently living in Sweden, she is enrolled in the marine science undergraduate program at the University of Gothenburg. Together with several movements and organizations, she spends most of her time as an activist and organizer for climate and environmental justice. With the ocean at the heart of all of her commitments, Lydia’s ultimate goal is to play her part in creating just and sustainable systems that protect and nurture our shared blue planet.

Leneka Rhoden is an Environmental Scientist and Consultant, Project Manager, Educator, Entrepreneur, and Business Development Consultant, and holds an Honors BSc. Degree in Marine Biology and International Relations, extensive certification in Project Management, and is currently an MPhil candidate in Environmental Biology at the University of the West Indies, Mona.

She serves as the Coordinator of the Commonwealth Youth Climate Change Network and is a certified PADI Open Water Diving Scientist, and Project Manager who specializes in Proposal Writing, Climate Change Mitigation, and Adaptation. For her work in energy sustainability, Leneka was awarded the International Energy Globe Award 2019.

John Paul Jose is a young environmental and climate activist from India. Hailing from an agricultural family that relies on the Earth and nature to survive, John has experienced first-hand the impacts of the climate crisis and ecological destruction. John’s love for nature and experiences since childhood led him to activism and conservation. He now has years of experience ranging from collaboration with NGOs, the UN Major Group for Children and Youth (UNMGCY), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Convention on Combatting Desertification (UNCCD), research with The Energy Research Institute in India, and the TED Countdown Youth Council.

Hello all! This is Jihyun Lee. I’m an undergraduate student, studying Economics (UD) at Yonsei University, South Korea. I have been a part of the Seoul Transition City Project as a research assistant, and am currently working as an intern in Citizens’ Institute for Environmental Studies. One of my life goals is to make the UN SDGs be more than merely a wish, but as actual indicators when countries make policies and decisions. I’m excited to be an Ambassador and help ensure youth voices are heard within the negotiations.

Ghaamid is a passionate & award-winning young environmentalist from Tanzania with a B.Sc in Environmental Sciences and Management from Sokoine University of Agriculture. He is a trained researcher on Eco-hydrology under the UNESCO Chair on Eco-hydrology and Trans-boundary Water Management in Tanzania, providing nature based and biotechnological solutions on water systems. He currently is the Earth Day Network Sub Saharan Africa regional coordinator where he leads a Youth and Citizen science programme that empowers people around the world to monitor threats to environmental and human health in their communities and leading citizens in taking action to drive policy change by the use of citizen generated data through smart phone technology to fight current and ongoing global environment and climate crisis.

Furthermore, Ghaamid leads the Global Youth Biodiversity Network Chapter in Tanzania, ensuring that youth voices are considered in the National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) as well as the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) on Climate Action for informed decisions. Ghaamid is also a National Geographic Young Explorers’ Programme Fellow 2021.