SEVENSEAS Mentor Network

Connecting the next generation of ocean conservation leaders with the people who’ve walked the path before them.

What is this?

The SEVENSEAS Mentor Network is a global, free, mission-driven matchmaking platform for the ocean conservation community. We connect students, early-career professionals, and career changers with experienced mentors across marine science, policy, communications, fisheries, education, advocacy, and the dozens of other fields that make up ocean conservation work.

We don’t run programs, host events, or supervise relationships. We do something simpler and harder: we curate a high-quality network of people who care about the ocean and are willing to help each other grow.

Who’s it for?

Mentees — Anyone at the start of their ocean conservation journey, broadly defined. High school students wondering if marine biology is the right path. Undergraduates trying to decide between graduate programs. Early-career professionals navigating their first NGO role. Career changers moving into ocean work from another sector. You don’t need to be in academia or have ocean experience yet — curiosity and commitment are enough.

Mentors — Mid-career and senior professionals across the ocean conservation sector willing to share what you’ve learned. You don’t need to be famous or have a perfect career path — most of the best mentors are people 5-15 years ahead of someone on a similar road. We welcome mentors from research, policy, NGOs, media, fisheries, ocean tech, advocacy, education, and every other corner of this work.

How does it work?

It’s deliberately simple.

1. Sign up as a mentor or mentee (or both — many people are both). The application takes about 5 minutes.
2. Get approved. We personally review every signup to keep the network high-quality. Expect a response in 2-3 business days.
3. Browse the directory. Mentees can search mentors by region, focus area, language, career stage, and shared experience. Mentors can browse mentees who’ve described what they’re hoping to learn.
4. Reach out via LinkedIn. All conversations happen on LinkedIn — we don’t host messaging on this site, because we’d rather you connect on a platform you already use, where you can see who you’re really talking to.
5. Build the relationship at your own pace. Some matches turn into one helpful coffee chat. Others become long-term mentorships. Both are valuable, and both are okay.

What we ask of you

• Treat each other with respect. Mutual care is the foundation of everything we do. All participants agree to our Code of Conduct.
• Show up honestly. Be real about what you offer or what you’re seeking. Specific beats vague every time.
• Mentors set their own pace. No minimum hours, no quotas. You decide which conversations to engage with and you can pause your profile anytime.
• 18 and over. This network is for adults. Younger ocean lovers — we see you, and we’ll be building something for you in the future.

A note on access

We believe ocean conservation is stronger when more voices are at the table. The Mentor Network is free, global, and built with intentional space for mentors and mentees from underrepresented communities, the Global South, first-generation students, career changers, and anyone whose path into this field hasn’t followed the standard route. Optional affinity tags help mentees find mentors with shared experience, while never requiring anyone to disclose their identity to participate.

Questions? Email info@sevenseasmedia.org.

The SEVENSEAS Mentor Network is a project of SEVENSEAS Media, a fiscally sponsored project of The Ocean Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.