Our Founders
Photo source: Micah setnik
Mary T. Crowley, Ocean Voyages Institute
Mary is the Founder and Executive Director of Ocean Voyages Institute established in 1979 as a public charity based in Sausalito, California, with the goal of preserving the maritime arts and sciences, the ocean environment and island cultures. She is also founder and CEO of Ocean Voyages, Inc, an international yacht chartering company which offers trips on sailing vessels and luxury yachts worldwide. As an educated and ardent environmentalist, Mary has found time to enjoy exploring the world via yacht, logging over 100,000 nautical miles. She was a teacher and program director for the Oceanic School of New York on board the 345′ Brigantine Statsraad Lehmkuhl for nine months, (a school year). She was also on the first voyage of S.E.A. of Woods Hole on board the Brigantine Westward as staff. She has sailed in the Galapagos archipelago 17 times as well as repeat visits to most of the world’s ocean areas. It is Mary’s lifelong passion for sailing, snorkeling, diving and exploring the world’s oceans that has fueled her continuing commitment and dedication to ocean conservation and the marine environment. She feels we all need to take action to improve the health of our oceans. Mary is actively involved in all expeditions, 2009 - ongoing.
hoto source: Ocean voyages institute P
Douglas Woodring, Ocean Recovery Alliance
Doug is the co-founder of the Ocean Recovery Alliance, which is focused on bringing innovative solutions, technology, collaborations and policy together to impact positive improvements for the health of the ocean. Two global preventative projects on the issues of plastic waste were announced at the Clinton Global Initiative in 2010: the Plastic Disclosure Project, and the Global Alert platform. Doug is also the founder of the Plasticity Forum, first launched at the Rio+20 Earth Summit, and since in Hong Kong. Doug has worked in Asia for the past 20 years in a number of industries which have been at the forefront of technology within their sectors, mainly related to the environment and new media platforms. Douglas was actively involved with the 2009 expedition.
HOTO SOURCE: OCEAN VOYAGES INSTITUTE P
George Orbelian, Ojingo Labs
George is a long time resident of San Francisco, and an avid surfer. He is very active as a member of the Board of directors of the San Francisco Global Trade Council which was founded by his late father, Harry Orbelian in 1992. George also sits on the board of the Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association, is the former Surfboard Design Editor of Surfer Magazine, and authored the standard reference on surfboard design, “Essential Surfing.” George’s network encompasses the ocean, environment, technology and diplomacy, with a focus on solutions. George was actively involved with the 2009 expedition.