OUR STORY.

Ocean Youth Academy is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2020 by a group of polar expedition guides, marine biologists, and friends, with time on their hands (covid-19) and dreams to nurture.

After spending years working aboard expedition vessels in the Arctic and Antarctica, the founders witnessed something extraordinary: some of the most powerful and important educational experiences on Earth were happening onboard polar expedition ships. Voyage participants were learning directly from the worlds best scientists, naturalists, conservationists, and explorers while immersed in some of the world's most remote and awe-inspiring environments.

The challenge was that these experiences were largely accessible only to a small percentage of people who could afford to travel to the polar regions.

Ocean Youth Academy was created to change that.

Built on the belief that every young person deserves access to world-class environmental education, OYA was founded to bring the wonder, science, and inspiration of the polar regions to students everywhere, regardless of geography or background.

Today, our global team of educators, scientists, expedition guides, conservationists, and ocean advocates spans multiple continents, united by a shared mission to inspire the next generation of ocean and climate leaders.

Through online learning, classroom programs, leadership initiatives, global partnerships, and life-changing student expeditions, we are creating pathways for young people not only to learn about the Arctic and Antarctica, but to experience them firsthand. Whether a student joins us from a classroom, a computer, or the deck of an expedition ship, our goal is the same: to foster curiosity, build environmental stewardship, and empower young people to become active participants in shaping the future of our planet.

At Ocean Youth Academy, we believe the world's greatest classroom isn't confined by four walls. It's our oceans, our wilderness, and the remarkable places that remind us how connected we all are

“In the end we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we are taught.”
— Baba Dioum, 1968
Beluga whales swimming through a fjord. Svalbard, Norway.

THE OYA TEAM.

  • Woman outdoors dressed in winter gear including a purple beanie, sunglasses, and a black jacket with blue accents, with a radio clipped to her jacket.

    Amanda Hunter

    FOUNDER & CEO

  • Woman in outdoor gear smiling, wearing a blue cap, sunglasses, and a red life jacket, near icy water and rocks with icebergs in the background.

    Gaby Pilson

    FOUNDER & PRESIDENT

  • Black and white close-up photo of a man wearing a Patagonia cap, outdoor jacket, and sunglasses hanging around his neck, looking to the left with a beard and serious expression, outdoors in nature.

    Phil Hunter

    FOUNDER & VICE PRESIDENT

  • Close-up of a smiling woman with wavy hair, wearing glasses, standing against a beige brick wall.

    Alyssa Bjorkquist

    BOARD SECRETARY & EDUCATION COORDINATOR

  • A woman with long blonde hair smiling and turned slightly to the side, standing on a rocky shoreline with water and rocks around her, wearing a navy blue sweatshirt with a white emblem on the back and carrying a camera around her neck.

    Zosha Wiktor

    BOARD MEMBER & OUTREACH COORDINATOR

  • Two people taking a selfie inside a capsule with a mirror-like reflection of themselves.

    Michael Gamerl

    ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER

  • Laura Mony

    Board Member

  • A young woman smiling and holding a camera, wearing a gray beanie and colorful outdoor clothing, crouching on a rock by a snowy river with evergreen trees in the background.

    Anna Campbell

    MULTIMEDIA PRODUCTION MANAGER

  • A woman with short dark hair smiling, wearing a red dress with floral embellishments near the collar, standing indoors with a wooden door and some papers pinned on the wall behind her.

    Gladys Mwaka

    MARINE SCIENCE EDUCATOR