WANT TO BE A CHAMPION FOR OUR OCEAN?

Are you passionate about protecting our ocean and looking to make a difference? We often hear that the ocean is in trouble or that it’s too late to act, but we want to show you that just one person can make a difference.

The Inland Ocean Ambassador Training Program is a 5-session, 5-week online program offered twice per year that prepares individuals to take action to protect our ocean and waterways. Inland Ocean Coalition runs trainings twice a year, one spring cohort and one fall cohort, with each session covering different themes relevant to topical marine conservation issues. The course is designed to empower individuals to act as leaders in ocean advocacy from anywhere in the world, no matter how close or far they may live to a coast.

While we know that our ocean is in trouble, it’s also not too late to act. According to a major recent scientific review, our ocean can be restored to its previous bountiful state, but only with a redoubling of conservation efforts. We’ve already seen dramatic improvements in many areas. In 2000, less than 1% of our ocean was protected; now it is almost 8%. Many whale, sea lion, and other marine animal populations are increasing and good things are happening because people are more aware and taking action.

A big part of turning things around will include getting more people involved around the country and across the globe, and not just those who live on the coast. Join us in building this Inland Ocean movement, and bring ocean action to your community!

TRAINING DETAILS

The virtual IOA Training Program is designed to prepare individuals with the skills and tools to be powerful advocates for ocean and watershed health. Over five weeks, Ambassadors from all over the country learn from top ocean advocates, scientists, and policymakers, and network with other Inland Ocean Ambassadors and partner organizations to expand their ocean and water expertise. Ambassadors gain experience in community engagement and advocacy and get the tools needed to be effective ocean and water champions in their communities from experts in the field of ocean conservation. Previous speakers have included Violet Sage Walker, Wallace J Nichols, Enric Sala, David Helvarg, Hilary Stevens, and Andrew Lang Wong

The training covers watershed health, plastic pollution, the ocean as a solution to climate change, marine protected areas, fisheries management and sustainable seafood, the power of storytelling, how we are Heartwired to love the ocean, and much more. 

We accept applicants who want to be effective ocean and watershed advocates and be actively involved in our Inland Ocean Network. This training is designed to be interactive and participants will be expected to engage with the group throughout the five weeks. 

 

INLAND OCEAN NETWORK (ION)

After completion of the Inland Ocean Ambassador Training Program, participants will become members of the Inland Ocean Network (ION). ION is a network of Ambassadors spanning across the nation and serves as a hub for ocean protection initiatives, problems, solutions, and calls to action. Through ION, Ambassadors have access to engagement activities including call-in days, nationwide cleanup days, campaign involvement, and more.. ION provides resources, forms relationships, connects members, and catalyzes movement actions to create a more just and equitable representation of the inland ocean movement. 

Since the ocean is not only a coastal issue, ION will grow the involvement of inland communities, unite inland and coastal communities, and grow the actions and measures taken to protect and restore our ocean.

US Ambassador Map

World Ambassador Map

US states and countries represented by Inland Ocean Ambassadors

Ocean Ambassadors Trained
375
US States Represented
40
Countries Represented
41
Trainings
13

Fall 2026 Guest Speakers

Miriam Goldstein

National Ocean Protection Coalition
Dr. Miriam Goldstein is a marine scientist and policy expert with over a decade of experience bridging scientific research and environmental policy. She currently serves as the Executive Director for the National Ocean Protection Coalition (NOPC). Prior to joining NOPC, Goldstein served as the Director for Ocean Policy at the White House Council on Environmental Quality, where she coordinated federal implementation of Biden-Harris ocean priorities, resulting in the designation of Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary and development of the first-ever federal Ocean Climate Action Plan and Ocean Justice Strategy. Goldstein holds a Ph.D. in biological oceanography from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, where she studied the ecological impacts of plastic pollution in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. She lives in Washington, D.C. with her family.

Imani Black

Minorities in Aquaculture
Imani is an African American oyster farmer building a career in the rapidly growing aquaculture industry. She was born and raised on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and her love for conservation and restoration on the Chesapeake Bay started at a young age. Imani comes from a long family history of watermen from Rock Hall, Crisfield and Cambridge, MD that dates back over 200 years. Imani attended Old Dominion University and graduated with a Marine Biology degree and was a Division 1 student athlete in lacrosse. Following graduation, Imani founded Minorities In Aquaculture, a nonprofit organization that strives to empower and support the underrepresented demographics (i.e women of color, women in general, men of color, etc) in the aquaculture industry by providing opportunities such as paid internship, technical skills training and career development resources.

Mara Welton

Chile Colorado and One Fish Foundation
Colorado-born Mara Welton spent most of her adolescence in her landlocked home state. A camping trip with her dad taught her just how incredible wild caught fish could be. Fast forward a dozen more years to her Peace Corps service in the island nation of the Solomon Islands. She finally understood why the ocean matters. In each village she served, she lived amongst subsistence fishers and learned what pristine, perfect seafood tasted like. In her 20+ subsequent years as a veggie farmer and Slow Food leader, she worked with chefs in her new home of Vermont – the only landlocked New England state – and saw them searching for the best seafood they could possibly source. Connecting the dots between chefs, fishers and eaters is exactly what she did as a farmer: connecting farmers market customers and chefs alike to rare and interesting varieties, encouraging them to expand their palates and gardens to embrace new flavors and cultivars to their lives.

Gillian Dueñas

Gilli.Art
Gillian is a mixed-race CHamoru woman who was born and raised in Bremerton, WA. Self-taught, she began acrylic painting when she started college as a means of healing and connecting to her cultural identity. Her art centers her stories and perspectives as an Indigenous woman told through traditional legends, motifs, and aesthetics brought into a modern context. Themes that Gillian centers in her art include matriarchy, vulnerability, Indigeneity, and healing. In addition to acrylic painting, Gillian practices traditional artforms of her culture such as weaving with pandanus leaves and jewelry making/carving with clam and spondylus shells. As her art journey progressed, Gillian saw how art could be used to connect with her ancestors and homeland while in the diaspora as well as practice storytelling and relationality with her community.

Nick Kemble

The 5 Gyres Institute
Nick, having grown up near the New Jersey coastline, has held a lifelong admiration for the oceans and marine ecosystems and is an advocate for environmental protection and conservation. He joins 5 Gyres after completing internships with the US House of Representatives, the United Nations, and the Green Climate Fund, where he helped advance international sustainability initiatives and development. Nick is eager to support 5 Gyres by engaging with partners and stakeholders and providing programmatic support to help limit the impacts of plastic pollution on the oceans, ecosystems, and environmental and community health.

TRAINING SNAPSHOT

Module 1: Course Intro and the Power of Storytelling (September 9th, 2026)

  • Introduction and course overview
  • The power of storytelling: how we are Heartwired to love the ocean
  • How the ocean impacts our lives and how we can advocate for Marine Protected Areas

Module 2: Sustainable Food Systems by Land and Sea, plus Community Engagement with TrashBlitz (September 16th, 2026)

  • Understand how what we do on land impacts watershed health and the ocean  
  • Learn how to perform data-driven clean ups in your neighborhood

Module 3: Art and Activism (September 23rd, 2026)

  • Learn about how art can be used to tell stories, visualize the ocean, create access, and build movements
  • Get insights on how using social media can strengthen connections to the ocean and each other

Module 4: Organizing and Engaging with Legislative Leaders (September 30th, 2026)

  • Boost your strength in bringing people together for community action
  • Empower your voice and advocate for the ocean

Module 5: Supplements and Introduction to the Inland Ocean Network (October 7th, 2026)

  • Inland Ocean Ambassador Graduation Ceremony
  • Inland Ocean Network and next steps as an Ambassador

TESTIMONIALS

“I am so happy and grateful for being guided to take part in the Inland Ocean Coalition Cohort. Through this program, not only have my eyes been opened to the problems surrounding our oceans but also ways to educate and reach out to people around the nation on solutions for future generations! I feel I have grown as a student and leader in my community through this program and I recommend anyone interested in learning about problems existing in our natural world to take part.” -DaRon Shavers

“The IOA program is an inspiring experience full of people who encourage each other to put their best fin forward for the ocean!” -Tabitha Birdwell

“The IOA training is knowledge-packed, inclusion-focused, and action-forward! It left me feeling inspired to work with my new colleagues and friends to apply what we learned to protect our ocean and land – starting with the 30×30 campaign.” – Angie Joerin

“I truly loved hearing from all the speakers, learning all the different ways that we can help, and knowing there are ways to get involved in our communities on so many different levels. I’m excited to start doing my part to help save our ocean and to spread the word of how everyone can help!” – Suzi Fowler

“I liked the topics studied. Real issues, how to address them. Also, the real life opportunities that follow the training. I signed up because I wanted to make a difference in my community. We got together, learned and now it’s time!” – Priscila

“I most liked getting to hear from different speakers and all the resources that were shared with us each week. I also really loved making friends through this process.” – Michelle