South Pacific II: Bay of Islands to Tongatapu

US Navy

Hello! I’m Alexis and I am from San Diego, California! I have recently transitioned out of the US Navy and am currently studying and applying for a masters degree in Climate Sciences. I love all things outdoors, to include surfing, hiking, and running. My forever adventure buddy, my black Labrador Tuna, comes with me on almost all of my adventures! I’m stoked to be apart of this crew!

Sustainability leader

Alex Michalko is a sustainability leader with 20+ years of experience in the public and private sectors across a range of industries, including technology, consumer electronics, retail, media/entertainment, and real estate. Most recently she served as the Director of Climate and Responsible Sourcing at HP. In this role, Alex led HP’s worldwide climate and human rights teams, driving strategies to reduce carbon emissions, protect workers’ rights, advance sustainable forestry practices, and ensure alignment with global compliance standards to support the company’s sustainability commitments and improve business resilience. In this capacity, she also led HP’s supplier engagement initiatives across social and environmental impact areas. Prior to HP, Alex served in leadership roles at Amazon, REI, and The Walt Disney Company, in addition to a research fellowship at Project Drawdown.

Alex earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Stanford University and both an MBA and a master’s degree in environmental management from Duke University, with concentrations in strategy, environmental economics and policy, and social entrepreneurship. When she’s not traveling the world, she lives in Seattle, Washington, where she enjoys every opportunity to get outdoors and appreciate the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

Ex-Paramedic & Pickleball Player

Bonita was born and raised in London, where she worked in finance. Drawn to the ocean, she learned to scuba dive and spent many years diving in the English Channel and internationally. Fascinated by the underwater world, she later became a dive instructor so she could share her passion and help others understand the fragility of marine ecosystems. Her love of the water also led her to learn to sail.

Working as a paramedic heightened her awareness of growing health challenges. In 2020, as a member of the eXXpedition team, she saw firsthand how plastic pollution is affecting the oceans she loves and the potential impacts on human health.

Now retired and playing pickleball internationally, Bonita is keen to raise awareness within this rapidly growing sport about the environmental impact of broken plastic pickleballs, thousands of which end up in landfill. She hopes to support and encourage initiatives that seek to reduce this growing environmental burden.

Bonita is delighted to be part of a team of passionate women committed to making a difference through research and collaboration, highlighting the harmful effects of plastic on our oceans, wildlife, and human health.

Marine Field Ecology

Elayne Looker, also known as Noora Bint Bob, is a British-Omani marine scientist with over 17 years of international experience across the Middle East, Fiji, the Caribbean, the USA, and the UK. Her work is driven by a strong commitment to marine environmental protection, combining scientific expertise with hands-on conservation in diverse and often challenging environments.

She specialises in marine field ecology, with extensive experience in underwater visual surveys, habitat assessments, and monitoring marine megafauna, including cetaceans, sea turtles, and coral reef ecosystems. Elayne is also a dedicated mentor, supporting early-career marine scientists and strengthening regional capacity. As a certified Arabian Marine Species Observer (AMSO) trainer, she helps advance professional standards in marine monitoring.

Her conservation work includes active involvement in cetacean and sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation. She is a member of Oman’s National Marine Animal Stranding Response Network, supporting emergency response and post-release monitoring. Her practical expertise and understanding of marine species behaviour have earned her a strong reputation in the field.

Based in Muscat, Oman, Elayne is the founder of Bait El Bahar (“House of the Sea”), a marine consultancy focused on research, conservation, and education. She leads initiatives such as the Oman Whale Shark Research Project (launched in 2025), in partnership with international organisations, while promoting sustainable practices and public engagement. She also contributes to regional coral reef assessments through the IUCN Species Survival Commission.

Beyond her scientific work, Elayne is a keen opera singer and aspires to be recognised as Oman’s premier soprano – a true mermaid in and out of the sea!

Marine Science & Non-Profit Leadership

Ellen has a diverse background in marine sciences, non-profit leadership, storytelling, logistics, and business operations. She holds an undergraduate degree in environmental studies from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and a master’s degree in international logistics management from Maine Maritime Academy.

Ellen co-owns and operates Drift Oceanside Inn in Camden, Maine with her husband, and works in storytelling and impact operations for a startup company called Moms. She is deeply committed to volunteerism, especially work that supports environmental sustainability, promotes outdoor education and connection, or uplifts and highlights the unique abilities and contributions of women. Ellen serves on the board of Sundog Outdoor Leadership Initiative, the Megunticook Riverkeepers, and as a member of the Megunticook River Citizens Advisory Committee.

She lives in Rockport, Maine, with her husband, Casey; her two sons, Forest and Anders; and her dog, Noodle. She loves the ocean and the woods alike, and is in awe of what a gift it is to simply be alive on this beautiful planet.

Public Policy

Hannah brings over a decade of experience shaping public policy in the UK and with international partners. She is passionate about tackling the world’s most pressing challenges through collaboration across sectors and states. As a lifelong outdoor lover, she has seen first hand the impact of environmental damage and climate change on places she has lived and worked, and the need for a systemic approach to making positive change at scale. She is joining the eXXpedition community to help do something about it!

Founder of The Last Plastic Straw

Jackie created the No Plastic Straws movement when she founded The Last Plastic Straw in 2011 as a volunteer project for Save Our Shores. The Last Plastic Straw has been a project of Plastic Pollution Coalition since 2016.

Formally the Advocacy and Engagement Manager for Plastic Pollution Coalition since 2018 and now a Plastic Pollution Coalition Notable.
She lives in Aguadilla Puerto Rico, where she teaches people of all ages how to speak truth to plastic and be an agent for change in their communities. She has advised on more than 20 local ordinances and state laws limiting single-use food ware including plastic straws, and on the historic Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act of 2020.

Jackie has a BS in Health and a AS in Horticulture, and has a passion for travel, ocean sports, design, gardening, the environment, and community service. Jackie is a frequent speaker at international conferences, in the press, and was featured in the award-winning documentary Straws.

Environmental Manager at Flocean

Kendall has spent most of her life finding excuses to be near, in, or thinking about the ocean — so joining eXXpedition felt like the perfect opportunity. She grew up sailing in New England and more recently has taken to offshore racing.

She holds a Master’s from UC Santa Barbara’s Bren School, specializing in Corporate Environmental Management and Eco-Entrepreneurship, and a Bachelor’s in Environmental Science from the University of Virginia with a focus on marine ecology. Over the past decade she’s worn a lot of hats — marine field researcher, global expedition planner, and most recently Environmental Manager at Flocean, a Norwegian deep-sea desalination company working to make freshwater access more sustainable by working with the ocean, not against it.

Kendall is drawn to the growing, complicated intersection where community needs meet environmental limits, and believes that’s exactly where the most interesting work gets done. She cares deeply about our oceans and working with organizations brave enough to tackle problems that benefit people and planet.

When she’s not working, you’ll likely find her trying out a new recipe, urban exploring with her pup, or planning her next trip on the water.

Industrial Ecology

Kristin Reed Lone has a background in Industrial Ecology, she is used to looking at environmental challenges through a systems lens. In her work, she combines data analysis with hands-on insight into waste streams, exploring how better knowledge can support more circular and responsible resource management.

Kristin is driven by curiosity and inspired by role models who turn knowledge into action. Through eXXpedition, she hopes to connect ocean research with the work she does on circular economy on land.

Outside of work, Kristin spends much of her time outdoors. She enjoys long days in the mountains on skis, climbing rock, sailing or running. These experiences reinforce her motivation to better understand and protect the systems that sustain them.

Kristin joins eXXpedition on the voyage from New Zealand to Tonga to gain first-hand insight into plastic pollution at sea.

Advocate

Natascha Fürst is a lawyer, author, and recognized expert in gender equality, with a strong focus on social justice, feminist economics, and sustainability. As CEO of Female Founders, Europe’s largest network for women in the startup and tech ecosystem, she is driving structural change by increasing the visibility, connectivity, and influence of female founders, investors, and talent across innovation-driven industries. Through her writing, public speaking, and work on international panels, she is a leading voice for a more inclusive, sustainable future. Guided by a hands, heart, and head approach, she believes in building the new instead of fighting the old. After crossing the Atlantic in 2019, she is rejoining “eXXpedition” to help shape bold new narratives for the future.