At Ocean Blue Project, every pound of debris removed, every student reached, and every waterway restored is powered by people who choose to give their time, energy, and heart. This year, we are honored to celebrate a remarkable group of volunteers whose leadership, creativity, and dedication are transforming communities and protecting our one shared ocean.
Please join us in congratulating our 2025 Ocean Blue Project Volunteers of the Year.
Heather Sinfield
Volunteer Editor-in-Chief, OBP Environmental News Blog and Waves of Change Newsletter
If you’ve ever been inspired by a story you read on the OBP Environmental News Blog, there’s a good chance that Heather helped bring it to life.
A digital marketing and communications professional with more than ten years of experience, Heather brings the perfect blend of creativity and data-driven strategy to Ocean Blue Project. As Volunteer Editor-in-Chief, she oversees our blog content and newsletter, helping us tell powerful stories about ocean health, community cleanups, and the people behind this work.
Heather loves designing content that tells stories, makes connections, and creates meaningful experiences that drive results. She has elevated our voice, sharpened our messaging, and helped us reach new audiences who care deeply about protecting our oceans, rivers, and waterways.
When she’s not carefully crafting compelling narratives, Heather is an adventurer at heart—most at home outdoors, staying active, and enjoying time with her family. Her passion for both people and the planet shines through in every story she helps shape.
We are deeply grateful for Heather’s leadership, creativity, and commitment to amplifying Ocean Blue Project’s mission.
Karisa Arterbury
Volunteer Director of Operations + Development
As Ocean Blue Project continues to expand its reach and impact, strong, thoughtful leadership behind the scenes is essential. That’s where Karisa Arterbury comes in.
Karisa serves as our Volunteer Director of Operations and Development, helping to provide communities worldwide with the educational and technical resources needed to restore and preserve our planet’s oceans, rivers, and waterways. From coordinating projects and systems to supporting partnership and fundraising efforts, Karisa’s work keeps our mission moving forward every single day.
Her strategic mindset, steady presence, and heart for service have helped Ocean Blue Project grow in sustainable, impactful ways. Karisa’s leadership ensures that volunteers, partners, and community members have what they need to make a difference on the ground and along the shorelines.
We are honored to recognize Karisa for her dedication, professionalism, and unwavering belief in what’s possible when communities come together for clean water.
CleanUp Crew Leaders of the Year
Ocean Blue Project’s work is built on community action—neighbors, students, families, and coworkers coming together to clean rivers, beaches, and parks. Our CleanUp Crew Leaders are the ones who make that possible. They organize volunteers, coordinate logistics, educate participants, and turn a day of service into a lasting connection to the ocean.
This year, we are proud to recognize the following outstanding CleanUp Crew Leaders for their leadership in their local chapters:
Alondra Garcia
CleanUp Crew Leader, Oregon Chapter
Based in Oregon, Alondra has led cleanups for three consecutive years that bring together TRIO and Upward Bound students and community members at Oregon State University, where the Ocean Blue Project began its mission in 2012, to care for local waterways.
Her leadership not only removes litter from our environment but also introduces young people to environmental stewardship, advocacy, and the power of showing up. Alondra’s events are welcoming, well-organized, and rooted in education. She helps participants understand how local action connects to global ocean health, inspiring the next generation of environmental leaders in the process.
Victor C
Youngest CleanUp Crew Leader, Florida Chapter
Victor represents the future of ocean conservation. As our youngest CleanUp Crew Leader in the Florida Chapter, he proves that you’re never too young to lead.
Victor has stepped up to organize cleanups in his community, rallying peers and neighbors to protect local beaches and waterways. His enthusiasm and determination show others—especially young people—that they have the power to create change right now.
We are incredibly inspired by Victor’s initiative and proud to recognize him as a Volunteer of the Year.
Bertha Penenori
CleanUp Crew Leader, Florida Chapter
As a Liberty Mutual Crew Leader in Florida, Bertha plays a key role in connecting corporate volunteers with hands-on environmental action.
Bertha helps organize and lead cleanups that bring Liberty Mutual team members out of the office and onto the shoreline, where they can see the impact of their efforts firsthand. Her ability to mobilize volunteers, build team spirit, and keep everyone focused on the mission makes each cleanup both effective and meaningful.
Through her leadership, Bertha has helped deepen corporate engagement in ocean conservation and shown how businesses can be powerful partners for clean water.
Desiree Heath
CleanUp Crew Leader, Texas Chapter
In Texas, Desiree leads cleanups in partnership with The Foundation for the Horse, bridging a love of animals, land, and water.
Her cleanups highlight the connections between healthy waterways, healthy ecosystems, and the well-being of horses and other wildlife. Desiree brings volunteers together around a shared purpose: protecting the environments that support both animals and people.
Her thoughtful leadership and cross-sector collaboration help expand Ocean Blue Project’s mission into new communities and conversations.
Joey Schneiderhan
CleanUp Crew Leader, Oregon Chapter
Joey leads cleanups with Mountain Rose Herbs in Oregon, connecting a values-driven business with on-the-ground environmental action.
Under Joey’s guidance, Mountain Rose Herbs volunteers roll up their sleeves to care for rivers, streams, and coastlines. His leadership helps weave environmental stewardship into corporate culture, creating experiences that are not only impactful for the planet but also deeply meaningful for participants.
Joey’s work demonstrates how community partners and local businesses can amplify Ocean Blue Project’s impact through consistent, hands-on involvement.
Thank You to All Our Volunteers
While this blog celebrates a handful of outstanding leaders, every volunteer who has shown up for Ocean Blue Project, whether at a cleanup, behind a camera, in a classroom, behind a spreadsheet, or at a community table, is part of this story.
Together, you:
- Remove debris from oceans, rivers, and waterways
- Inspire and educate the next generation of environmental stewards
- Build partnerships that strengthen communities and ecosystems
- Show what is possible when people choose to act for the planet
To Heather, Karisa, Alondra, Victor, Bertha, Desiree, Joey, and every Ocean Blue Project volunteer: thank you. Your time, energy, and passion are helping to restore and protect our blue planet—one shoreline, one riverbank, and one community at a time.
If you’d like to get involved as a volunteer, CleanUp Crew Leader, or partner, we’d love to hear from you. Together, we can keep our oceans blue and our waterways clean.
