Ayana Elizabeth Johnson is the Co-Founder of the Urban Ocean Lab, responsible for cultivating creative, equitable, and practical climate and ocean policy for the future of coastal cities. As a marine biologist, policy expert, author, and podcaster, she received the Schneider Award for climate communication. Ayana is now available to speak at a myriad of events on marine biology, ocean protection, environmental policy, and climate change solutions.
Co-founder and Advisor for the All We Can Save Project since 2020, Ayana is on a mission to radically reshape society in this decade, by taking charge of climate leadership. Founder and former CEO of Ocean Collectiv, she consulted on ocean policy and communications for organisations like the Wildlife Conservation Society, XPrize, Greenpeace, World Wildlife Fund, Bezos Family Foundation, and Oceanic Global. In her time as the Executive Director of Waitt Institute, she co-founded and spearheaded the Blue Halo Initiative for the management and conservation of the ocean.
Author of “What If We Get It Right” and co-editor of “All We Can Save”, Ayana has delivered several TED talks such as “How to Find Joy in Climate Change”, “How to Use the Ocean Without Using It Up” and “A Love Story for the Coral Reef Crisis”. She has also spoken at the Smithsonian, Aspen Institute, United Nations, and for multiple Fortune 500 companies. She now sits on the Boards for Patagonia, Environmental Voter Project, Scientific American, The Explorer’s Club, and GreenWave. As a policy expert, Ayana was appointed to the Secretary of State’s Foreign Policy Board as well.
A regular contributor to the New York Times, Washington Post, and Scientific American, Ayana was included on the Time 100 Next List too. Co-host of the How to Save a Planet podcast, Ayana is seasoned at sharing her views on potential actions we can take to protect our planet. She is now available to hire for a wide range of events where she shares her expertise on marine biology, environmental policy, and ocean protection. Book Ayana Elizabeth Johnson today!
