Rebecca Douglas is a visual storyteller, ocean advocate and President of the Board of Trustees at Whale Wise. Through photography, video, drone, writing and speaking, she creates immersive narratives that rewild our connection to nature and illuminate the wild edges of earth, sea and sky.

With an academic background in Geography and Marine Resource Management, Rebecca’s work is grounded in both scientific understanding and lived experience. Her practice is driven by a belief that storytelling can translate complex environmental research into emotionally resonant narratives that ignite curiosity, deepen connection and inspire meaningful action.

Over the past 15 years, Rebecca has built a career creating visual stories for purpose-led brands, organisations, destinations and founders whose work intersects with nature, conservation and human connection. Her experience spans commercial storytelling, higher education and strategic communication, bringing together creative insight with a deep understanding of audience engagement and impact.

Before focusing fully on visual storytelling, Rebecca spent five years in commercial recruitment before moving into higher education, where she lectured in photography and led the implementation of an employability strategy designed to bridge the gap between academia and industry. She holds a Certificate in Education (Cert Ed), strengthening her ability to communicate complex ideas in ways that are accessible, engaging and thought-provoking.

Rebecca is an Official FUJIFILM X-Photographer and has collaborated on projects with organisations and brands including VisitBritain, Dryrobe and Fujifilm. Her work has been featured by National Geographic, NASA, the BBC and in Hold Still, the Sunday Times Number One bestselling photography book published by the National Portrait Gallery.

In 2024, she was awarded second place in the Conservation & Impact category of Ocean Photographer of the Year for her image documenting the devastating impact of discarded fishing gear on northern gannets. Her work is regularly exhibited internationally through both solo and curated exhibitions.

Rebecca has firsthand experience responding to stranded seals and cetaceans, deepening her connection to the realities of marine conservation and rescue. Whether documenting whales beneath Arctic skies, entering sub-zero waters to photograph marine life or amplifying stories from the frontlines of conservation, her work is rooted in one enduring mission: to help people remember that we are not separate from nature, but part of it.

Helen is a marine scientist and solicitor with nearly two decades of experience dedicated to environmental protection, with a particular focus on our oceans. Growing up on the north east coast of England inspired a lifelong passion for marine life, which she pursued through academic study, fieldwork, and legal practice.

Helen’s career began in marine science, with a BSc from the University of Liverpool and an MSc in Marine Mammal Science from the University of St Andrews. Fieldwork in Scotland, the USA and Canada sparked a desire to bridge science and law, leading me to complete an LLM in Environmental Law at Newcastle University and qualify as a solicitor in 2019.

Helen now practises as an environmental lawyer, specialising in marine issues. She is also a director at Cet Law, leading UK-based initiatives to advance marine mammal protection. Helen speaks regularly at conferences and guest lecturer at the Universities of St Andrews and Edinburgh.

In 2022 and 2024, Helen was named on the ENDS Power List of the UK’s top environmental professionals. She also co-founded the UK Environmental Law Association’s Marine Working Party, where she leads on marine consultations and events to promote legal solutions for healthier seas.

Rebekka was born in Reykjavík but raised in her parents’ hometown, Húsavík, where for a time her father worked as a whale watching guide. From a young age she had a passion for whales and joined her first whale watching tour at the age of three. She has had the privilege of growing up with whales and now centers her life around them – working as a whale watching guide in Faxaflói and trying to ignite the same passion in her passengers. She recently got certified as a captain and looks forward to being a part of a more whale-friendly approach to whale watching, to ensure that we can continue enjoying their presence without disturbing the peace in their natural habitat. Rebekka has also worked on translating material into Icelandic for organizations such as Ocean Missions, Whales of Iceland, the Húsavík Whale Museum and, of course, her friends at Whale Wise.

Denise is a marine mammal ecologist interested in the study of underwater sounds and aquatic soundscapes. She uses passive acoustic monitoring to investigate how marine species use and are impacted by sounds and interested in the development of acoustic methods to study species distribution and diversity as a tool for conservation.

Abigail has a background in applied ecology majoring in biodiversity management. She then spent 6 years working for the New Zealand government in the biosecurity department. She currently sits in Norway as Chief Sustainability Officer at ECOsubsea, a company aiming to solve the biofouling issue with sustainable robotic hull cleaning solutions. Simultaneous to her studies and professional career, she has been voluntarily involved with whale research as a research assistant in the Cook Islands (where she met Alyssa) and in the early days of Whale Wise in Iceland.

Three years of her time at Biosecurity New Zealand was as a quarantine officer enforcing regulations on the border. The following three years she was a senior adviser writing and overseeing the national enforcement of the world’s first biofouling requirements for international ships to prevent the spread of marine invasive species.

Through her current role, she is still very much active in the policy world of the shipping industry, engaging at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) as part of the biofouling related industry. Her experiences allow her to see opportunity for scientific research to intersect with an industry struggling to adapt to reduce their negative impacts on the ocean.

Lizzie is an ecologist, filmmaker, and wildlife TV host whose lifelong interest in nature shapes both her scientific research and storytelling work. She has hosted and featured in wildlife series for the BBC, Animal Planet, and other broadcasters, using film as a way to explore and communicate the natural world.

Alongside her media work, Lizzie is undertaking a part-time PhD at Swansea University, using tag technology to study how wild animals move through changing landscapes. She has taken part in and led a number of field expeditions, often in remote or marine environments, combining research with outreach and public engagement. Growing up in South Wales, she developed a long-standing connection to marine ecosystems, which continues to inform much of her work.

Laura is a Sydney based science communicator, environmentalist and model, but mostly a curious human passionate about educating people on the natural world and what we can do to protect it for the future. Her background in Biology and Law, and keen interest in all things natural and adventurous, have lead her across all 7 continents working with conservationists, scientists and activists to bring real world solutions to an ever changing climate and biodiversity crisis.

Valentina is an international environmental lawyer, PhD candidate, and passionate advocate for marine mammals. She specialises in integrating scientific knowledge into international legal practice to drive innovative solutions for marine conservation. With a background in international law, interdisciplinary research, and NGO leadership, Valentina brings a unique and dynamic perspective to ocean governance.

Originally qualified as a lawyer in Colombia, she practised as a junior litigator for four years before moving to Scotland, where she earned her MSc in Marine Systems and Policies from the University of Edinburgh. Since then, she has focused on how international law can better respond to the conservation needs of migratory whales.

Valentina has contributed to research with WWF Arctic, worked at the Convention on Migratory Species at the United Nations, and holds a seat on the International Whaling Commission’s expert working group on procedural issues. She also leads the NGO Cet Law, working alongside an incredible team of women lawyers to address issues including whaling and captivity, and has been invited to lecture at the Universities of St Andrews and Edinburgh on marine mammal conservation and international law.

She is currently completing her PhD on the role of law in supporting migratory connectivity for the conservation of humpback whales in the Southeast Pacific.