Arctic 2026

Academic Expert and Lecturer

Based in Vienna, Austria, Katja has always been curious about people, systems, and the natural world. She currently works as an Academic Expert and Lecturer at the University of Applied Sciences for Management and Communication, following a 20-year career in banking.

Her connection to the sea began in childhood, when her parents introduced her to sailing. Although she did not sail regularly for many years, her passion for being on the water remained, and she has always felt a strong connection to the ocean.

What motivates her to join eXXpedition is the contrast between the oceans she remembers and the ones she sees today. Places that once felt felt untouched, such as remote beaches and quiet bays, are increasingly marked by plastic pollution, while marine life appears less abundant than she remembers from her younger years.
Joining eXXpedition represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to contribute to research on plastic pollution while sailing alongside and learning from an inspiring group of women. She hopes to contribute curiosity, calmness, and a collaborative spirit to the voyage.

Marine Conservationist

When I was eight years old, I came face to face with a walrus at a California aquarium. Since then, that walrus has become a symbol of my lifelong passion for marine conservation and the ocean’s wild power.

I grew up in Arizona and have lived in Southeast Alaska and Hawaii. Now, I live on the Oregon Coast with my husband, our dogs, and chinchilla. Every day, while surfing, walking on the beach, or just driving by, the Pacific Ocean reminds me that we all share one connected ocean.​
I earned my master’s degree from Oregon State University in Marine Resource Management where I studied how to inspire people to understand that individual actions about plastic use can create meaningful change for the ocean at the Oregon Coast Aquarium.
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Now I engage in a wide variety of marine conservation projects locally and beyond in my role at Sea & Shore Solutions.
Eight-year-old Katy was full of big dreams: space travel, movie stardom, and a life filled with adventure. Somewhere along the way, I realized I could probably retire the astronaut and actress ambitions, but the dream of the ocean never left me.

Joining the all-woman crew with eXXpedition and sailing in the Arctic is the opportunity of lifetime. Honestly, eight-year-old Katy would have found this entirely reasonable. Of course adult Katy would end up on the deck of a sailboat in the Arctic, surrounded by women in science and conservation, chasing answers across blue water.
As I look towards this journey, it feels both like catching up to a dream that began long ago and discovering new dreams.

Marine Conservationist

Coming from a long line of fishermen and coastal people, the ocean has always been part of Lyssa’s heart and her history. Joining eXXpedition is a meaningful and exciting continuation of that story.

As Senior Manager of Conservation Operations and Plastics at Ocean Conservancy, Lyssa’s work spans two worlds: building the conservation strategy, metrics, and frameworks that help teams move together, and developing the zero waste and circular economy partnerships that keep plastic out of the environment in the first place. Her time working at the intersection of community-led solutions and marine plastic pollution, particularly across Asia Pacific, has deepened her conviction that locally-led solutions aren’t just more equitable, they’re more effective. The most powerful interventions happen long before plastic ever reaches the water.

Lyssa joins eXXpedition not as a scientist, but as a practitioner. She is drawn to the connective tissue between source and sea, between community action and global impact, and between the inner work of relationship-building and the outer work of systems change.

She comes to the Arctic ready to listen, to learn, and to bring what she witnesses back to the communities and collaborators she works alongside every day.

Environmental Engineer

Waverly Wadsworth is a PhD student in the College of Engineering at the University of Georgia and a graduate research assistant in the Jambeck Circularity Informatics Lab. Waverly completed her master’s on spatial variation and environmental drivers of methylmercury in river basins at Texas State University, where she worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Her background is in aquatic resources, ecotoxicology, wildlife ecology, and microplastics in rivers and wastewater. Waverly aims to serve as a conduit between fields, bridging the gaps between environmental engineering and ecotoxicology while fostering collaboration across disciplines. Her research focuses on the impacts of plastic pollution and the interconnections among policies, human behavior, and waste management infrastructure.

Waverly is an avid enthusiast for the outdoors and exploring nature. She has always been drawn to aquatic and marine environments, learning how to sail and whitewater kayak from a young age. Her love of water drew her to the start of her scientific studies, which has only grown over time, along with her drive to communicate the importance of microplastic research and sustainable practices to protect all environments, whether terrestrial, aquatic, or marine.

Communications Expert

Sofía sailed with eXXpedition Round the World from Aruba to Panama in 2019, contributing to ocean research while also bringing her learnings back to her community through media interviews, as well as presentations and panel sessions at town halls, companies, and schools to influence positive change.

She is deeply connected to the sea. Having grown up by the Mediterranean, she has spent her life sailing and surfing and has become a strong advocate for sea and ocean conservation. In recent years, she has focused on reducing plastic waste and co-leads the environmental resource group of Clarivate.

Sofía has built her career in external communications, driven by a passion for storytelling and the belief that words can shape understanding and inspire action. She studied journalism with that purpose in mind — to write with intent and make every message meaningful. Today, she brings that mindset to her work, creating narratives that connect, inform, and influence.

In addition, she is a committed advocate for women’s rights having collaborated with the International Women’s Initiative and TEDxBarcelonaWomen.

Nurse Practitioner

Hi, I’m Liz! I grew up in Tallahassee Florida and II currently reside in Atlanta, Georgia. I’ve always had a deep curiosity for the ocean and a respect for all of the knowns and unknowns within it. Following my strong nurturing passion for helping people, I became a nurse. I worked as a travel nurse throughout various places in the US (often a stones throw from the water) and eventually carried my career forward to become a nurse practitioner. I specialize in the electrical system in the heart. I love understanding our bodies and how the environment (and how we treat it) plays a (critical) role in acute and chronic diseases. My curiosity for the ocean, my love for our environment and my unwavering passion for people lead me down the road of exploring everything plastics and how it disrupts our ecosystems both externally and internally. I am courageous and brave, patient and kind and I absolutely love the outdoors and feeling the awes of the Earth. Every day I am humbled with what the world (and each other) has to teach me and I hope together we can leave a positive impact on our world and within each other as a team. When I’m not working or researching, you can find me running or nose deep in the latest fiction series. I also hope to learn the harmonica, start making my own sourdough bread (little behind the curve) and deepen by curiosity into the world of microplastics!

Sustainable Energy Scientist

I am Ukrainian-Canadian and have been living in Germany for the past 18 years. I studied Materials engineering in Ukraine and Environmental Chemistry in Canada.

For the past 15 years, I have been working as a scientist in Max-Planck Institute for Kohlenforschung in the field of sustainable energy, with the focus on hydrogen storage in metal hydrides. My research aims to advance the development of clean hydrogen energy technologies and contribute to a more sustainable future.

I am also a passionate sailor and during my sailing journeys across the Mediterranean Sea, the North Sea, and the Baltic sea I have witnessed firsthand the widespread contamination of our waters and coastlines. However, one of the most impactful experiences was seeing the huge level of pollution in the Strait of Malacca in Thailand during a holiday with my daughter.

That experience left a deep impression on me and strengthened my determination to contribute more actively to understanding and addressing plastic pollution on a global scale.

Through the eXXpedition journey in Greenland, I hope to witness firsthand the extent of plastic pollution in one of the world’s most remote environments and gain a deeper understanding of human impact on marine ecosystems.

Scientist

Stephanie is a climate specialist and marine biologist with a strong track record in using data and analysis to support evidence-based decision-making and advance net zero ambitions. She has particular expertise in carbon accounting, emissions analysis, and translating complex data into actionable insights that inform climate strategy and policy.

Brought up by the coast, Stephanie developed an early connection to the ocean that inspired her lifelong ambition to become a marine biologist. She completed an integrated Master’s degree at the National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton, researching basking sharks off southwest England, followed by a PhD at Swansea University on the long-term impacts of climate change on North Atlantic plankton communities. Her postdoctoral work focused on monitoring sensitive marine habitats, including seagrass meadows, using underwater video systems.
Stephanie brings experience across fieldwork, laboratory research, and strategic roles. Her core strength lies in analysing complex datasets, developing carbon baselines, and producing clear, engaging visualisations.

She has a deep personal connection to the ocean and loves being in the water, whether surfing, diving, or swimming. Now balancing her career with raising her young son, Stephanie is driven to create a more sustainable, biodiverse future. She is motivated to reconnect with fieldwork, demonstrate that meaningful change is possible, and show that scientific ambition and family life can go hand in hand while inspiring others to take action for the planet.

Journalist and Writer

Shannon Osaka is a climate and environment reporter for the Washington Post, where she covers climate science and policy, the clean energy transition, and plastics. As a journalist, she is a two-time winner of the SEAL Award for Environmental Journalism and her work has been recognized by the National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation, Covering Climate Now, and the Online Journalism Awards. 



She is currently on leave from the Post to write a book on the emerging science on microplastics for HarperCollins. Her book project has taken her from landfills in Mumbai and laboratories in Nebraska to a town in Shikoku, Japan, that tries to recycle 100% of its plastic materials. Prior to becoming a journalist, she studied environmental policy at Princeton University and the University of Oxford and has authored several papers on perception of climate science and modeling.

Operations & Strategy Leader

Natalie Foote is a Colorado native who finds inspiration in nature, adventure, meaningful experiences, and lifelong learning. She feels happiest outside, spending her time camping, practicing yoga, hiking, and exploring new cultures and landscapes. While the mountains are home, she has always been drawn to the water and the beauty of the ocean. One of her favorite places is by the water, watching the sun dip below the horizon.

Much of her life has been spent in and around nature, from backyard adventures and family road trips to leading summer camp programs and a yoga retreat. Time outdoors has taught her to slow down, shift perspective, and feel more connected to herself and the natural world. These experiences have shaped a strong appreciation for wild places and a strong desire to protect them.

In her work in operations and community leadership, Natalie leads teams, brings structure to complex projects, and turns ideas into action. She enjoys creating clarity, solving problems, and supporting work that moves meaningful missions forward. She is dedicated to supporting women and empowering others to grow.

Inspired by eXXpedition’s work since 2019, she is drawn to its blend of science, adventure, environmental action, and female leadership. Joining this Arctic voyage feels like a natural extension of her curiosity and values, and an opportunity to better understand plastic pollution in one of the world’s most remote and fragile environments.

Natalie is grateful to join this mission alongside an incredible group of women and hopes to return with a deeper understanding of the ocean and stories that inspire greater care for our planet.

Health Expert

Catherine is an integrative therapist with over 25 years’ experience, using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), NLP, EFT, and nutrition to connect and improve physical and mental health. One of a handful of UK-based practitioners to have completed Dr Bredesen’s ReCODE health coach training, she is working with doctors reversing cognitive decline. The doctors do the “”what “” she does the “” how”” and she sees the reality of toxic exposures and the impact on people’s health daily.

Author of the bestselling book Gut Well Soon. Founder of www.resetyourhealth.com, an online personalised meal planning platform designed to support individuals with specific health conditions and dietary needs, which is now part of Elevate, a cutting-edge AI-powered health and wellness platform. Works via www.resetyourbrainhealth.com to help patients reduce toxic load and sustain lifestyle changes.

So why eXXpedition? The mission lead by women to collect data of plastic pollution worldwide (never been done) is inspiring. She is hoping it will challenge people to change their behaviours around single use plastic by showing its distribution globally in our natural environment. Also, personally aware via a Apherix treatment how insidious plastic pollution is in our bodies.

Random facts: worked in corporate treasure before seeing the light and heading off to manage a birdwatching resort in Guyana, set up an expedition business for under-18 students, stopped debilitating migraines after 34 years, trustee of the Public Health Collaboration and loves learning.