A champion for cleaner oceans

Holly Bamford, director and chief, Marine Debris Program, National Oeanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Best known for: Leading the creation and development of NOAA's Marine Debris Program. The four-year-old initiative has supported more than 160 projects to identify, prevent and dispose of marine debris polluting oceans and coastal waterways.

Government service: As an undergraduate, Bamford was a business major with a minor in environmental studies who fell in love with the environmental side of science. After earning her doctorate in environmental chemistry, Bamford joined NOAA in 2002, which she calls the "perfect marriage" of her diverse interests. Her work at NOAA has allowed her to combine research and on-the-ground projects to make a difference in the health of oceans and seacoasts.

Biggest challenge of the job: Changing the behavior of those who litter the oceans. This requires an education campaign, she says, to show people that improperly discarded fishing gear, plastic bags, water bottles and other nondegradable items damage marine resources and jeopardize human safety. "Debris and litter [do] not fall from the sky, but from people's hands," she said. "We are the main cause of the problem, but also the key to the solution."

Quote: "Marine debris knows no political boundaries. It is an international problem. The vision of the program down the road is global oceans and coasts free of the impact of marine debris. The whole purpose is to protect our marine environment."

-- From the Partnership for Public Service

For more on Bamford, visit washingtonpost.com/fedpage.

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