Why ResiliReefs?
Our Team
Camille, Samantha, and Zoe met at the University of California Santa Barbara while doing their Master’s in Environmental Science & Management. For their Eco-Entrepreneurship master’s project, they decided to design a product or service to increase the success and scaleability of coral restoration to help mitigate the loss of our coral reef ecosystems. ResiliReefs launched out of their master’s project.
Founder
Camille Kaczmar
Camille's diverse upbringing, spanning across three continents during her formative years, profoundly ignited her passion for conservation. After earning her BA in Environmental Science from UC Santa Barbara in 2014, she immersed herself in our planet's unique cultures and habitats, living and working in 25 different countries. Her global journey provided her with a fresh perspective on the damaging impact of plastic pollution on the environment, leading to her pursuit of a Divemaster certification in Indonesia. There she contributed to coral reef and mangrove forest restoration, conducted environmental education at local schools, and engaged in conservation efforts for turtles and manta rays.
Camille's extensive journey has instilled in her a relentless commitment to safeguarding wildlife and humanity from the detrimental impacts of plastic pollution. Her specialization is centered on combating marine plastic pollution by pioneering sustainable bioplastic alternatives. Embracing a forward-thinking approach to minimizing waste and optimizing resource utilization, she actively explores solutions within the realms of the circular economy and biomimicry, driving innovation toward a greener, more sustainable future.
Founder
Samantha Cole Mislinski
Growing up on the North Shore of O‘ahu, Hawai‘i, Samantha developed a deep connection to the ocean. While the ocean inspired her to pursue a marine science degree, the lack of effective conservation policy has driven her to study at Bren.
Samantha graduated in 2020 from Stony Brook University with a bachelor’s degree in marine science. There, she worked in the Gobler lab, which specializes in water quality, phytoplankton, climate change, and restoration.
After undergrad, Samantha worked for the nonprofit Mālama Pūpūkea-Waimea (MPW), whose mission is to protect and restore the natural and cultural resources of the Pūpūkea-Waimea Marine Life Conservation District (MLCD). Her research investigated the relationship between human activity and fish abundance. She presented her findings at the 2022 Hawai‘i Conservation Conference.
At Bren, Samantha specialized in Coastal Resource Management and Environmental Policy. Samantha’s ambition is to advance adaptive conservation policy informed by science and to pursue scientific research based on community needs and adaptations to climate change.
After Bren Samantha will be pursuing a part-time second Master’s degree in Data Science at Hawai‘i Pacific University while working full time for Colorado State University’s Center for Environmental Management of Militarys ’ Water Program Support on O‘ahu.
Founder
Zoe Jiarui Zhou
Zoe Zhou graduated from the University of Washington in 2016 with Bachelor of Science degrees in both Economics and Earth Science. This educational background informed her approach to addressing environmental inequities as a sustainable development project officer.
During her career so far, Zoe has led efforts on coastal conservation projects on the Island of Hainan, China, from deploying drones for ecological assessments to navigating complex grant processes with international entities such as UNDP, WWF, and the International Climate Initiative. Her previous roles emphasized her commitment to integrating local insights with sustainable practices, underscoring her capability to manage projects that require technical proficiency and an understanding of ecological and community needs.
Zoe intends to specialize in Conservation Planning at Bren to refine her skills in ecosystem services modeling and restoration planning, which will help her design and execute comprehensive strategies that bolster sustainable development and community resilience against climate challenges. Email — LinkedIn — GitHub
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Email Us: resilireefs@gmail.com
