Heal the Bay thrives because of our amazing volunteers. We are only able to celebrate those achievements because of the time, dedication, and support that our volunteers so graciously donate.
On March 21, 2024, Heal the Bay celebrated the incredible volunteers and supporters at our annual Super Healer Awards and Volunteer Party.
Our dedicated volunteers span a wide age range, from 12 to 87 years old, and hail from various corners of the greater Los Angeles area. From Malibu to Long Beach, South LA to the North East San Fernando Valley, volunteers share a common goal at Heal the Bay: to make coastal waters and watersheds safe, healthy, and clean for everyone. Whether they are participating in beach clean-ups or funding critical work, their collective contributions have made a tangible difference in our ongoing efforts to protect our oceans. Thank you to past, present, and future volunteers for your invaluable support and dedication!
2023 Was A Winning Year for Heal the Bay:
Volunteers who participated in our monthly Nothin’ But Sand Beach Cleanups and annual Coastal Cleanup Day programming contributed over 22,278 hours to protecting and conserving our local waterways and coastal waters.
On Coastal Cleanup Day, we had 7,337 volunteers remove more than 16,211 lbs of trash and 430 lbs. of recyclables from our waterways and neighborhoods.
Aquarium volunteers contributed 5,751 hours as they interpreted at touch tanks, engaged with visiting students, and assisted in caring for our animals.
Our MPA Watch volunteers conducted 572 surveys in 2023 to monitor use in the Palos Verdes and Malibu MPA sites.
Our Super Healer Awardees
Corporate Super Healer
The Many
The Many is a local values-based advertising agency headquartered in the Pacific Palisades of Los Angeles, CA. They deliver bespoke client solutions ranging from integrated brand experiences and world record-setting activations to social movements, influencer campaigns and earned media stunts. They are an active supporter of Heal the Bay and this year they have created the campaign design for our biggest fundraising event of the year, our annual Bring Back the Beach Gala. A big thank you to The Many for their amazing support!
Aquarist Super Healer
Bailey Cox
Bailey is a fantastic volunteer. Her ability to work through tasks with incredible speed and efficiency sets her apart. She has a vast knowledge of marine biology, which shows through all of her work. Bailey combines speed with expertise, effortlessly managing multiple responsibilities while ensuring the highest standard of care for our aquatic residents. Her dedication and proficiency make Bailey a valuable asset to our volunteer community, contributing significantly to our mission at Heal the Bay and the well-being of our animals. Thanks Bailey!
Laia Mayne
Laia is one of our most hard-working and meticulous volunteers. She is always eager to tackle whatever task is given to her. Her meticulous care in ensuring the tanks are impeccably clean reflects her dedication and desire to learn. Laia sees her time with us as a stepping stone towards her academic ambitions and brings outstanding professionalism and enthusiasm to our volunteer force. Thanks Laia!
Maia Flores
Maia joined our Aquarium family early on in 2023 and she has shown great enthusiasm and drive for Aquaristing. She is always on top of the tasks she has and is open to trying new tasks. She goes above and beyond in supporting our team in a variety of ways, to help aquarists finish big projects for the day like even getting in and helping scrub Under The Pier. Maia is trustworthy, reliable and dedicated to supporting with any Aquarium tasks for a given day. Thanks Maia!
Jake Bogart
Jake has been an excellent volunteer who shows up consistently and for longer than he is required to do because he enjoys spending time at the Aquarium. He goes above and beyond, staying extra hours to get as much aquaristing experience but also helping us complete tasks at hand. He always comes in with a positive attitude ready to work hard and has insightful questions about Aquaristing. We are grateful to volunteers like Jake who help us keep our Aquarium in tip-top shape. Thanks Jake!
Public Programs Super Healers
Samantha “Sam” Spero
Sam is an Aquarium Super Star. She volunteers with BOTH aquarists and public programs, which gives her a whole new perspective to share with aquarium guests! We also appreciate Sam’s work with Club Heal the Bay. Sam is reliable, creative, and cheerful. It’s a pleasure to work alongside Sam and are in awe of her passion for marine science and marine wildlife. Thank you so much Sam, for your dedication, reliability, and hard work!
Carter Yean
Carter is a spirited and confident volunteer. We appreciate Carter’s volunteer work with Public Programs and his experience advocating for environmental justice. He’s shown amazing leadership, dedication, and eagerness to try new things. Thank you so much for all that you do Carter, and thank you for being a super healer!
Jackson Yean
Jackson has taken on many endeavors as a Public Programs volunteer. From interpreting with guests at the Aquarium to taking part in educational outreach efforts on the Santa Monica Pier, Jackson is always ready and eager to support in any capacity. Jackson contributes not only his time but also brings along awesome animal facts to share with the team and guests. Thanks for all that you do Jackson, we appreciate your time and effort!
Gabriel Snyder
Gabriel has been a dedicated and enthusiastic volunteer since day one! Gabriel takes part in various Heal the Bay volunteer programs such as the Aquarium, Club Heal the Bay, and Adopt-a-Beach. He is passionate about protecting our environment and even wrote a book, Samson the Harbor Seal, to encourage readers to do their, part in reducing plastic pollution. We’re so lucky to have Gabriel be a part of our Heal the Bay family! Thank you for all that you do Gabriel!
Education Super Healer
Sue Liu
Sue has been volunteering with the Education Department for a while now and we absolutely adore her! She has been a positive energy for our team as well as a mentor of sorts. She is great with the students and we cannot thank her enough for her work here, and the kids love her too. Thank you Sue!
Beach Programs Super Healers
Art Salter
Art has been a dedicated Coastal Cleanup Day captain since 2018. He heroic heads up the Santa Monica Pier site at tower 1550 every year, Heal the Bay’s busiest CCD cleanup site! He communicates early and often about his CCD duties and helps keep the Beach Programs team on track for a successful Coastal Cleanup Day.
Samuel Jones
Sam is always ready to put in whatever work is needed to ensure we have a successful cleanup. He is prompt and very communicative.
Jerica Covell
Jerica joined Heal the Bay as a Beach Captain and never looked back. In one year, she has completed the Speakers Bureau training and volunteered as a summer intern for CCD 2023. Jerica’s dedication is invaluable to Heal the Bay. I cannot wait to see what more this incredible person is capable of!
Makayla Cox
Makayla started with the AAB program in November of 2022, quickly got involved as a Beach Captain and now runs her own beach cleanups every month in Venice though her own non profit, Clean Up the Beach. Did I mention she is a sophomore in High School? She started a secondary project, Be Nice to VeNice to help rid the plastic pollution problem along the boardwalk at its source! Makayla has spent countless hours cleaning the beach, leading CCD sites, educating the public, attending community meetings, and working with elected officials to make Venice and the Los Angeles Beaches a better place for all!
Community Science Super Healer Awards
MPA Watch: Olivia Rose Marie Muñoz
Growing up in North Hollywood Olivia used to daydream about taking a small boat down the LA River to get to the beach. She’s interested in how watersheds work and their impacts on coastal ecosystems, with an emphasis on water quality. She has been a Heal the Bay volunteer for multiple programs for many years. In 2022, she graduated with a B.S. in Oceanography from Cal Maritime, and is applying to graduate schools for next fall to continue her marine studies focusing on water quality and conservation. In her spare time, Olivia enjoys going on adventures, traveling, combing the beach, or just reading a book. She’s currently halfway through reading all of Stephen King’s books.
eDNA: Kate Swanson
Kate has been involved with Heal the Bay’s eDNA sampling events for just about a year now. Kate grew up in the valley and is a current senior in high school. She first became involved with Heal the Bay through beach captaining Nothin’ But Sand cleanups and heard about eDNA during volunteer orientation, signing up the instant they got notice they were back on. The events have brought so much excitement to Kate’s Saturdays and is looking forward to doing more. One of Kate’s favorite memories was at Latigo Point when Crystal and her found a sea hare!
Outreach Super Healer Award
Outreach: John Marshal High School, Club Heal the Bay
JMHS’s Club Heal the Bay has exemplified our efforts to strengthen our youth programming. They have participated in our eDNA events, adopted a beach (and park!), and provided public comment to bring green efforts to LAUSD campuses. They are our most dedicated club, and we look forward to continuing to collaborate with them. Thanks Club Heal the Bay, John Marshal High School for all that you do!
Are you ready to begin your volunteer journey with Heal the Bay? Discover all the ways you can work for a safe, clean coastline and watershed!
Tim began volunteering with Heal the Bay in 2017. Through the years, Tim has been instrumental to the Beach Captains team for Nothin’ But Sand and Heal the Bay public cleanup programs. In the past, Tim represented Heal the Bay at tabling events in the community and helped spread our virtual Knowledge Drop education series at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tim brings a strong sense of community to each cleanup and ensuring all team members feel informed and involved along the way, commanding the attention of our cleanup volunteers at Nothin’ But Sand every month, ensuring a safe cleanup. At the end of the cleanup, Tim leads the charge, weighing the trash and transporting large items to the dumpster, often by himself. There is no task Tim isn’t willing to do. 
Since joining Heal the Bay’s MPA Watch Program in February 2020, John has conducted more than 385 MPA Watch surveys. His surveys alone account for more than 25% of the submitted surveys on behalf of Heal the Bay’s MPA Watch program. John’s increased resolution in our data came during an exceptional need to record unprecedented changes in human recreational and consumptive behavior in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. John was awarded the MPA Watch Super Healer award in 2020 and his dedication to Heal the Bay has only grown stronger, serving as an active volunteer, a Beach Captain at monthly NBS beach clean-ups, Suits on the Sand events, and at Heal the Bay’s Coastal Cleanup Day in 2022. John’s contributions are invaluable
John Reyes attends every Heal the Bay volunteer opportunity. There isn’t a cleanup program or Heal the Bay event that John is not involved. Since 2018, John has captained Coastal Cleanup Day sites in Dockweiler State Beach and even organized his own Adopt-A-Beach team, “the Beach Reacher’s”, to clean up would-be marine debris from L.A.’s inland watershed. John is always one of the first volunteers to sign up to support special Heal the Bay events such as the Trash Bowl and Golf Open. Even during the rainy seasons John joins our Storm Response cleanup efforts. His leadership at Nothin But Sand Cleanups are instrumental and he has volunteered at over 100 Suits on the Sand cleanups. The current Beach Programs team wishes to express the greatest gratitude for John’s dedication and outstanding support.
Actress, philanthropist, and leader Sharon Lawrence is known to most as the 
Anthony Marguleas of Amalfi Estates often notes: “we are a philanthropic company that excels at selling real estate. Alongside our commitment to our clients stands our commitment to our community.” Every year the Amalfi team donates 10% of their commissions to Heal the Bay among six L.A. charities. 
Andrea is an actress, filmmaker, and artist, but we all know and love her as one of our most dedicated Beach Captains and Speakers. She has been a Heal the Bay volunteer for many years, inspiring countless attendees at our Nothin’ But Sand Beach Cleanups with her energizing educational safety talks. Rain or shine Andrea is always ready to help setup at the beach and a reliable amplifier promoting Heal the Bay’s messaging and advocacy through social media often serving as impromptu social media photographer for the Communications team. This year, Andrea furthered her passion for Heal the Bay’s mission with the completion on “Marina the Mermaid”. the single-use plastic recycle. This 6-foot-tall recycled mannequin is adorned with pounds of items collected during Nothin’ But Sand Cleanups and her own self-cleanups. Her artwork will be on display during the entirety of Earth Month this April at the Heal the Bay Aquarium to raise environmental awareness.
Celina is a real Ocean Hero, dedicating extensive time and effort to interpreting marine life for the public at the Heal the Bay Aquarium. She has helped countless visitors interact with ocean creatures for the first time at the Aquarium while exercising unwavering advocacy for the animals that live in Santa Monica Bay. Celina inspires people to connect with the ocean. We are so grateful to you, Celina, for all that you have done!
Hannah is a Heal the Bay regular and is always open to new experiences. Whether breaking down birthday parties or interpreting at the touch tanks on busy weekends, Hannah has made our aquarium programs unforgettable. Hannah is not only enthusiastic and dedicated but also extremely well-known for their unmatched button-making skills! We are grateful to Hannah for always coming to our rescue at the Heal the Bay Aquarium when it is needed the most. 
Sophia is a Wave Maker who has inspired her peers to take action in support of environmentalism. An amazing advocacy teacher for all our new public programs volunteers, Sophia dedicated time to the Aquarium by ensuring guests responsibly interacting with our animals. . Sophia is a kindhearted leader with compassion for the ocean, and we are proud to have her on our team.
Ren is a stellar Public Programs volunteer. Extremely knowledgeable, dependable, and always curious, Ron has been volunteering with the Public Programs team for more years than some senior staff members! We love talking with Ren about discoveries in marine science, and are grateful for Ren’s infectious passion as part of the Heal the Bay team!
Jim has been volunteering with the Aquarium Operations department for the past two years and is an invaluable member of our team. Jim’s curiosity and dedication to protecting our environment shines through in all the work he does with Heal the Bay. From helping keep exhibits squeaky clean to spending time out on the sand supporting a beach cleanup, Jim has done it all. He is easily our best and most reliable first mate on Dorothy for kelp collections and overall incredible support to have at the Heal the Bay Aquarium. We’re so honored to have Jim be part of our team!
Russell first volunteered with Heal the Bay in 2021, as a Beach Captain to help clean coastal areas. Russell is a tireless hero of our Nothin’ But Sand cleanups; always working and giving his all. Recently, Russell has developed into one of our leading Corporate Outreach volunteers, helping at Suits on the Sand cleanups, and on more than one occasion assisting at TWO cleanups in ONE day. Russell is our Suits on the Sand superstar. 
Brant started as a Beach Captain in 2022 and has exhibited multitalented capabilities of leading any station. Exceptionally helpful with uplifting all our new digital initiatives at our cleanups, such as the electronic check-in, waiver check, and DEI survey, Brant’s commitment to community outreach streamlines Heal the Bay’s Beach Program initiatives.
Alice began volunteering with Heal the Bay in 2022 and has been an excellent addition to the Beach Captains team. Alice hit the sand running, quickly optimizing our Nothin’ But Sand event procedures, most importantly, our registration booth protocols. With Alice at the registration desk the Beach Programs volunteer teams are able to check-in 300 attendees in an hour or less. In addition to serving as a teacher on the sand for other volunteers, Alice is one of our most dependable Beach Captains.
David started volunteering his data analysis skills to Heal the Bay in 2020. In the past, he helped our water quality scientists assess dissolved oxygen levels in the Channel Islands Harbor, painting an impressive overview of the data through visuals and a results overview video. This year, David has started volunteering his time and expertise to help the Beach Programs team revive the marine debris database, integrating our historic data with current datasets, and helping Heal the Bay bring our historic marine debris database into a modern, accessible format. Thank you for making that dream a reality! 
Tasha Kolokotrones has been an MPA Watch volunteer with Heal the Bay since 2021. Inspired by a love of the outdoors, Tasha has conducted more than 50 MPA watch surveys earning honorable mention as one our most active MPA Watch volunteers. In 2022, Tasha submitted more surveys than 90% of our other program volunteers. Thanks to Tasha, our Marine Protected Area in Palos Verdes had consistent MPA Watch monitoring in 2022, an accomplishment all on its own! 
