The 5 Gyres team are scientists, artists, educators, adventurers and lovers of this big blue marble.
Anna Cummins, Executive Director, Co-founder
Anna Cummins received her undergraduate degree in History from Stanford University, and her Masters in International Environmental Policy from the Middlebury Institute for International Studies. Anna spent much of her early youth playing in Santa Monica storm drains and exploring beaches, experiences that sparked her interest in the land-sea connection. Anna has spent the last 20 years working in the environmental field, in marine conservation, coastal watershed management, bilingual outreach, and sustainability education.
In 2008, Anna completed a month long, 4,000-mile research expedition studying plastic debris in the North Pacific Gyre. The journey inspired her and her husband Dr. Marcus Eriksen to co-found 5 Gyres in 2009, with a goal of communicating marine plastic pollution on a global level, and engaging communities in solutions.
Marcus Eriksen, Director of Research, Co-founder
Marcus Eriksen received his Ph.D. in Science Education from University of Southern California in 2003, months before embarking on a 2000-mile, 5-month journey down the Mississippi River on a homemade raft. His experience on the river led to a career studying the ecological impacts of plastic marine pollution, which has included expeditions sailing 35,000 miles through all 5 subtropical gyres to discover new garbage patches of plastic pollution in the Southern Hemisphere.
His first book, titled “My River Home” (Beacon Press, 2007) chronicled his Mississippi River experience paralleled with his tour as a Marine in the 1991 Gulf War. The experience of war, sailing across the gyres with diverse crews, and long rafting voyages, have led to a strong conservation ethic worth fighting for.
“We must understand and define conservation as self-preservation – a rationale that crosses all boundaries between all people.”
Carolynn Box, Environmental Program Director
Photo Credit: dimnikolov
Carolyn helps run our environmental and education programs, and has participated in three research voyages to the South Atlantic, North Pacific and Western Pacific “Garbage Patches.” She received a Master’s from University of Rhode Island in Marine Affairs in 2005 and worked in the field of Coastal Management for seven years in San Francisco Bay until she met Anna Cummins and Marcus Eriksen, co-founders of 5 Gyres Institute. After her first voyage, she decided to change the course of her life and apply her science and organizing background to efforts to fight plastic pollution. Carolynn lives in San Francisco and can be found at one of the local beaches.
Lia Colabello, Director of Global Partnerships & Community Engagement
Lia grew up surfing in the pristine waters off the North Shore of O’ahu in Hawai’i. She attended Punahou School before leaving the island for the University of Southern California, where she earned degrees in Broadcast Journalism and Anthropology, and played for the Women’s Varsity Water Polo Team. After college, she worked around the world in the sports industry, managing projects with the PGA TOUR, NFL and the World Surf League.
While working at a golf event in México and witnessing extreme environmental degradation, Lia had an epiphany. She packed her bags and pursued her MBA at Thunderbird School of Global Management with the goal of transitioning from sports into the international non-profit sector. Prior to joining 5 Gyres, Lia managed global chapters and initiatives for the Surfrider Foundation and business development for SecondWave Recycling. She lives in Charleston, SC and enjoys paddle boarding and copious amounts of beach time with her husband and son.
Haley Jain Haggerstone, Development Director
Haley Jain Haggerstone is passionate about environmental conservation, nonprofit management, and development. She has a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Conservation from the University of British Columbia and a Master of Arts in Nonprofit Leadership and Management from the University of San Diego. Growing up in Vancouver, she spent a lot of her time exploring and enjoying the natural beauty of British Columbia. She worked in the surf/skate/snowboard industry for several years before pursing her passion as an environmental activist, nonprofit manager and development professional. Haley was with the Surfrider Foundation for eight and a half years, initially as a volunteer with the Vancouver Chapter and then on staff as the San Diego County Chapter Manager. She is now 5 Gyres Development Director, sits on the Board of Directors for Surfrider Foundation Canada, and volunteers as a snow/surf mentor with STOKED Mentoring.