"If we're serious about addressing the challenges facing our planet we can no longer afford to write off young people as leaders of the future. It is imperative that we engage young people as leaders today." 
                                                                                                                                            - Sean Russell

​Sean Russell brings a decade of experience designing and implementing effective programs to empower young people as leaders in the fields of environmental conservation, education, community service, and research. He has formed global partnerships to support the work of young leaders in these areas. Sean has also supported and developed high impact youth engagement programs to meaningfully integrate youth leadership into the work of diverse non-profit organizations, corporations, and government agencies. 
Interested in designing an effective youth engagement program for your organization?
 
Sean can help your organization:
- Launch a youth council to integrate youth voice into your organization’s leadership
- Develop a youth outreach and engagement strategy
- Bring young people on your organization’s board of directors or advisory council
- Coordinate youth-focused events
- Develop a grant program to support youth-driven community based projects
- Create a youth awards program to recognize young leaders
- Develop strategic partnerships to support youth programs
- Create hands-on science education programs for students
Contact Sean to learn how he can support your organization’s youth engagement plans!
Want to learn more? Check out these examples of Sean’s recent work developing impactful youth programs:
​Youth Engagement with SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment:
Since 2014, Sean Russell has worked with SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment to meaningfully integrate youth leadership into their work to connect people to the natural world and inspire them to care for the environment. Sean designed, launched and coordinates the inaugural SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Youth Advisory Council – uniting a group of young leaders from across the United States to provide strategic input and recommendations to SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment staff and partners on topics including education programs, conservation efforts, marketing, and the development of youth programs, while playing a direct role leading projects and campaigns to support SeaWorld’s conservation mission. Sean has also helped SeaWorld develop national level youth program partnerships, expand programs to recognize young conservation leaders, and roll out the SeaWorld myActions platform – an innovative social networking style site and app allowing students to highlight their conservation work and connect to global conservation initiatives. 
​Youth Ocean Conservation Summits - Empowering the Next Generation of Ocean Conservationists:
Sean is the founder and director of the Youth Ocean Conservation Summit, an event he launched with Mote Marine Laboratory in 2011 to empower young people with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to launch ocean conservation initiatives in their local communities. Now entering its sixth year, the Summit annually unites 200+ youth and adults from across the country, allowing student attendees to learn from scientists and conservationists about current threats to marine ecosystems, hear from their peers already leading conservation projects, and work with mentors to develop their own ocean conservation project. Summit attendees then take part in trainings on topics including social media marketing, fundraising, public speaking, filmmaking, using art to communicate conservation messages, citizen science and marine research to equip them with the skills needed to carry out their projects. Since 2014, Sean has worked with diverse aquariums, conservation organizations, and universities to launch youth-driven satellite summits across the country – bringing this program to nine U.S. cities to date. Sean also coordinates the Youth Ocean Conservation Team – a year round, virtual support network for Summit alumni, and has launched fundraisers/developed strategic partnerships to launch a mini-grant program to directly support the ocean conservation projects planned out by Summit attendees – with over 50 grants distributed to date. 
Launching the EarthEcho International Youth Leadership Council:
In 2015 Sean teamed up with EarthEcho International, the non-profit organization founded by Philippe and Alexandra Cousteau whose mission is to inspire young people worldwide to act now for a sustainable future, to launch the inaugural EarthEcho Youth Leadership Council to provide a meaningful role for young people in helping shape and lead the organization. Working with EarthEcho staff, Sean created a plan to integrate the Council into the organization, developed the Council’s role and application process, and coordinated a global marketing plan which resulted in dozens of applications received from young people on five continents. Sean coordinated with the EarthEcho team to select finalists for the Council, and launch the program in the spring of 2016. Sean oversees the Council members work on projects and campaigns to support EarthEcho's mission. 
Engaging Students as Scientists with Mote Marine Laboratory:
As a Youth Programs Specialist at Mote Marine Laboratory, Sean has worked with Mote researchers and education staff to launch and coordinate the Research-based After School Program for Students, a hands on marine research program involving high school students in the Florida Keys in real world coral reef research and conservation outreach work. This unique program provides high school students a chance to take part in hands on research projects focused on coral health, while developing outreach activities to teach members of their community about the importance of taking action to protect coral reefs.