FEATURED VOICES

Dr. Sherri A. Mason, a pioneering chemist educated at the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Montana, significantly contributed to understanding plastic pollution in freshwater ecosystems. Her influential research has been recognized in major media outlets and played a crucial role in the creation of the Microbeads-Free Water Act of 2015, signed by President Obama. Mason's achievements have earned her several prestigious awards, including the EPA Environmental Champion in 2016 and the Heinz Award in Public Policy in 2018. She now serves as the Director of Sustainability at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College.

Chelsea Rochman is an Assistant Professor in Ecology at University of Toronto and co-founder of the U of T Trash Team. Chelsea has been working on the topic of plastic pollution for 15 years, and has won awards for her research – e.g., Sloan Research Fellowship, NSERC Arthur B. McDonald Fellowship. Chelsea received her PhD in Ecology from UC Davis and San Diego State University. In addition to her research, Chelsea routinely advises local, federal and international governmental bodies on policies related to plastic pollution.

Daniel Brown is the co-founder of Rust Belt Riders, an organization dedicated to transforming regional food systems through the creation of value-added products derived from discarded food. Prior to starting Rust Belt Riders, Daniel worked to promote public health, green spaces, wealth building, and community engagement. He has served on the Cleveland-Cuyahoga Food Policy Coalition, the Cuyahoga County Next Generation Council, and the U.S. Composting Council’s steering committee for community composting. Daniel is a graduate of DePaul University, where he studied ethics. Daniel is a 2019 Echoing Green Fellow.

Jill Bartolotta, Ohio Sea Grant College Program Extension Educator, works with communities to conduct outreach and education about Lake Erie, identify community needs in regards to research, funding, or scientific expertise, develop partnerships to foster a collaborative approach to management of natural resource issues, and bring science into the decision-making process at the individual and community level. Her areas of focus include experiential environmental education, marine debris, wildlife ecology, climate change impacts on coastal communities, interdisciplinary approach to problem solving, engagement of relevant stakeholders, contextual mapping, and use of science in the decision-making process.

Joshua Dykstra leads Eriesponsible, a grassroots non-profit striving to protect Lake Erie from pollution, emphasizing the removal of marine debris and education on environmental stewardship. From his beginnings in Port Clinton, Dykstra combines his professional life in insurance with a profound commitment to his childhood lake, organizing clean-up events and spreading awareness about the impacts of trash and microplastics. Through Eriesponsible, he seeks to foster a culture of responsibility towards the lake, engaging the community in preservation efforts and aiming to inspire younger generations to uphold the health of Lake Erie for future enjoyment.

Eddie Olschansky, a former BMX biker and woodworker turned environmental activist, founded TrashFish after an accident led him to kayak fishing and noticing the overwhelming presence of plastic in Cleveland's Cuyahoga River. Transitioning from leisure fishing to a dedicated effort to clean the river, Olschansky quit his job to focus full-time on TrashFish, growing the initiative through social media and volunteer support. His mission extends beyond mere cleanup; it's a protest against the environmental damage caused by petrochemical companies and a call to action for legislative change and individual responsibility towards reducing plastic consumption. Eddie envisions TrashFish expanding to new cities and influencing sustainable practices, while personally committing to trash-fishing as a lifelong pursuit for environmental betterment.