Amber Ortiz is a member of Heirs to Our Ocean who joined in 2020 during the first Cohort of the US Youth Advisory Council for the UN Ocean Decade. Born in Brooklyn, New York, she developed a passion for the environment from a young age although she didn’t always see the best parts of it outside of her window.

In high school, she worked on various environmental projects, from cleaning up local beaches to helping plan more resilient coastal communities in South Queens. More recently, she began advocating for stronger environmental protections at U.S. Capitol Hill with other members of H2OO.

She is currently completing her degree in Marine Biology at the University of Delaware, finding her passion in research, and just completed a term on the Support Team for the U.S. Youth Advisory Council for the UN Ocean Decade.

Outside of her work with Heirs to Our Ocean, Amber enjoys kayaking, gardening, biking, and reading on the beach. She also continues to advocate for the environment in her personal life, from engaging in environmentally focused student-run organizations on campus to learning more about environmental racism affecting her community.