Maria Lopez Bringuier

Maria Lopez Bringuier is originally from Puerto Rico, where her love for the ocean was sparked. Having grown up in Cincinnati, frequent visits to the Newport Aquarium fanned that spark into a lifelong flame of fascination with the ocean and its incredibly vulnerable and biodiverse ecosystems. With a background in public relations and advertising, she leverages her broad skillset to represent organizations dedicated to protecting and advocating for the ocean’s health. Maria completed a research fellowship with Love the Oceans in Inhambane, Mozambique, deepening her love and appreciation for marine protected areas and biological conservation. As the Communications and PR Coordinator at Marine Conservation Institute, Maria leads the organization’s outreach, digital communications, and all press to support global marine conservation efforts. Now based in Chicago, Illinois, she is preparing to pursue a master’s degree in marine biology to further her work in ocean protection. Maria can be found working as a dockhand on the famous Chicago River in the summer, riding her bike down the lakeside trail, or reading classic horror novels (her current favorite being The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe.