Virginia Institute of Marine Science

Dr. Mark J. Brush is a Professor at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences at William & Mary. He is a coastal ecologist and modeler focused on the response of coastal ecosystems to nutrient enrichment and environmental change, nutrient and sediment removal by best management practices, and development of user-friendly online modeling tools for direct application by end-users to support coastal management. His group has recently developed an online calculator for determining nutrient and sediment removals by living shorelines which can be used to offset stormwater loads.

Pocahontas State Park

Rebecca Whalen has worked with Virginia State Parks since 2009 and has been at Pocahontas State Park since 2015. As Chief Ranger Visitor Experience her primary role focuses on interpretation and environmental education. Her and her team of educators work with thousands of guests to ensure the protection and appreciation of Virginia's natural, historical, recreational, scenic, and cultural resources. When not at work, she enjoys spending time with her son, reading, running and visiting home (North Carolina).

Chesapeake Bay Foundation

Joe Wood is a scientist at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, where he leads efforts in water quality, toxics, agriculture, stormwater, and freshwater mussel restoration. He holds a Ph.D. in Life Science from Virginia Commonwealth University and has published research on harmful algal blooms, nutrient loading, and stream restoration. Joe also serves on key Chesapeake Bay Program committees and previously managed stormwater grants at Virginia DEQ.

Old Dominion University

Dr. Xixi Wang, P.E., is a Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. He has extensive teaching and research experience in hydrology, hydraulics, and water resources. Dr. Wang has authored and coauthored numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, conference papers, technical reports, books, and book chapters. He has received multiple honors and awards, including serving as a Fulbright Scholar (2022–2023) at the University of Canberra, Australia.

Virginia Institute of Marine Science

Dr. Courtney Harris' research focuses on the development of methods for calculating the transport of materials in the coastal ocean, with a special emphasis on the transport of sediment. Recent projects include development of coupled numerical models that can represent the impact of coastal storms including runoff, storm surge, and wave impacts. She has been at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science since 2001, where she conducts research and teaches numerical modeling and transport to graduate students. 

Clean Virginia Waterways

Christina Trapani is the Program Director of Clean Virginia Waterways. She spent more than a decade working with sea turtle and marine mammal strandings at the Virginia Aquarium and led her first ICC cleanup in 2002, beginning her relationship with Clean Virginia Waterways. Some of her work with CVW includes a state-wide balloon litter study, a state-wide marine debris monitoring program, the Keep It Beachy Clean Litter Prevention program and co-founding the VA Plastic Pollution Prevention Network.

Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program

Will Isenberg is a Coastal Planner in the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program (Virginia CZM). He manages various grants and provides coordination support for coastal partners with a focus on coastal resilience topics and marine debris initiatives. Will is also the State co-lead of the Mid-Atlantic Marine Debris Work Group, sharing the role with Katie Morgan from NOAA’s Marine Debris Program. Will has a Masters of Science in Environmental Science from Virginia Commonwealth University and has spent over 10 years working in state government.

Clean Virginia Waterways

Zach is the Marine Debris Strategy Director for Clean Virginia Waterways. He is an experienced environmental researcher and analyst with a background in communicating the impact of plastic pollution on people and the planet. His work focuses on using data and graphical analysis to identify environmentally and economically sustainable strategies to address waste-related challenges. Zach has a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Sustainability and Environmental Compliance and a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources and Conservation.