sarah milisen

marine Debris Technician II

Hometown: Kailua-Kona, Hawai’i Island

Current Residence: Kailua-Kona, Hawai’i Island

Being a Scuba Diver since age 13, the ocean was always her go-to. After her BS degree at UCSC for Marine Biology, Sarah moved to Big Island, Hawai’i, to pursue her Scuba Instructor dreams. Working with Ocean Defenders Alliance (ODA) to coordinate cleanups on Hawai’i, and her husband having done NOAA marine debris missions, Sarah was invited to join PMDP/NOAA in 2021 for her first trip to jump start her marine debris career.  Experiencing Papahānaumokuākea changed her entire perspective on ocean plastics, and she’s been hosting cleanups through ODA since then. She is most excited to return and see how the islands have changed, do her part to malama the ‘aina, and to appreciate the rare and beautiful islands and their marine life. Sarah’s favorite place in the world is in the pelagic ocean at night searching for weird unknowns.