Growing up on the Catalan coast, the Mediterranean was always part of Ona’s life. It was only later, when she began learning about the wildlife living beneath its surface and the threats it faces, that she started to see the sea not only as the place she grew up alongside, but as an ecosystem worth understanding and protecting. Her interest in marine conservation began with loggerhead turtles and fisheries bycatch in Catalonia, which led her to seek hands-on experiences and eventually pursue Biology.
After high school, Ona spent a gap year gaining field experience in sea turtle conservation in Costa Rica with COPROT Tortugas de Osa and marine debris removal in Norway with In the Same Boat. She is currently completing her Biology degree at Sorbonne Université in Paris, with a particular interest in marine ecology and biodiversity.
Her conservation work combines science, GIS, storytelling, and community engagement. Through the National Geographic Society and The Nature Conservancy’s Community Conservation, Data Visualization, and Mapping Externship, she developed an award-winning StoryMap on loggerhead turtle bycatch in Catalonia and received seed funding to develop a project connecting fishers and scientists to improve bycatch data collection. She was later recognized as a Young Ocean Advocate by the European Commission, joined the EU4Ocean Young Citizens’ Council for the Ocean, and became an Ocean Protection Ambassador with EarthEcho International. Through EarthEcho, she led a campaign addressing destructive bottom trawling in Mediterranean marine protected areas, reaching more than 1,000 people through educational activities, outreach, and digital resources. She also contributed to youth advocacy efforts calling for stronger protection of European marine protected areas.
Ona has participated in international youth ocean initiatives, including the Ocean Uprise Externship, and attended the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice. She has spoken at international science and ocean events, and has worked with students, divers, scientists, and local communities.
She is currently developing a community-based marine conservation project on the Catalan coast combining underwater research, biodiversity monitoring, GIS, and storytelling. Her long-term goal is to work at the intersection of science, conservation, and community engagement, helping people better understand the ocean they are connected to and turn that connection into action.