Melia Paguirigan is a former RAY Marine Conservation Diversity fellow who worked on ocean acidification at Ocean Conservancy. She grew up Olympia, Washington surrounded by the beauty of the Puget Sound and evergreen forests, which first inspired her love for nature. As an avid hiker and plant nerd, she spends her free time outdoors contemplating the interactions between humans and their environment. She is enthusiastic about turning her scientific background into concrete action for protecting the ocean.