Amanda Hunter
​Founder/President

Amanda was born in New York and raised in California where she quickly developed an insatiable love for the ocean. After earning her degree at Oregon State University in Fisheries and Wildlife Science, specializing in Marine Science, she dedicated her time to traveling and volunteering with a variety of non-profit foundations around the globe.

As Amanda’s passion for education and travel increased, she gained experience working as an International Student Travel Guide throughout the South Pacific region. When stateside, she spent her time teaching hands-on marine biology to students at the Catalina Island Marine Institute. It was on Catalina where she realized the true magic that unfolds when connecting youth with our planet’s ocean.
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Today, Amanda works seasonally as a polar expedition guide and marine biologist. Much of her time overseas is spent lecturing about a variety of marine science topics relevant to the region she is in. After years of global experience learning, guiding and educating, Amanda realized the overwhelming need to better implement marine science education in schools and in March 2020, Amanda founded the Ocean Youth Academy.