Charlotte Frank
LEAD Marine debris Technician I
Hometown: Sleepy Hollow, New York
Current Residence: Kaimuki, Oʻahu
Charlotte is excited to be returning to her PMDP ʻohana! It is not everyday you get to surround yourself with people who are passionate about picking up trash and Charlotte is so happy she found her tribe. She grew up along the Hudson River, went to college in the Green Mountains and has since been migrating west where she landed in Maui, Hawaiʻi in 2018. She has been fortunate to have been a part of some incredible marine conservation projects—from researching mercury in fog along the California coast, to studying plastic debris in fisheries in The Bahamas, to assessing the impacts of ocean acidification on corals in the Florida Keys, to educating people about Humpback whales in Maui. She obtained her Master’s degree from the University of North Carolina Wilmington where she studied the biodegradation of styrofoam by the Yellow Mealworm. Outside of work you can find Charlotte hiking, surfing, free diving or reading a book at the beach. She gravitates towards the water and feels most at home beneath the surface exploring the underwater world. Her knives are sharp, the butterscotch chips are packed, and the GIS maps are ready—see you soon Papahānaumokuākea!