In 2017, Chloe McKenna started her journey as a youth ocean advocate when she founded the Heirs To Our Ocean Orange County, California Chapter. She has been involved in various H2OO programs over the years, including SEAL and RAISE. From 2020-2022, Chloe served as the Co-Chair for the 1st and 2nd Cohorts of the US Youth Advisory Council for the UN Ocean Decade. Her experiences with H2OO starting at just 15 years old drive her continued advocacy for meaningful youth inclusion in ocean governance spaces.

Chloe is currently a student in the Marine Systems and Policies MSc Program at the University of Edinburgh. Her Master’s thesis is focused on the socio-ecological and cultural impacts of marine plastic pollution on Scottish island communities. In 2023, Chloe graduated from Eckerd College with a BA in Environmental Studies and a BA in Animal Studies.

As an Education Consultant with the National Marine Sanctuaries Foundation, Chloe works directly with NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. Inspired by her work with H2OO, she co-founded the NOAA Ocean Guardian Youth Ambassador Program in 2023 to support young ocean leaders with skill- and leadership-development opportunities.

Chloe’s LinkedIn