Annual Go Blue Awards

The Fourteenth Annual Go Blue Awards
October 28, 2022 - 11:00 a.m.

On October 28, 2022 more than 400 guests gathered for the 14th Annual Go Blue Awards held at the Kravis Center-Cohen Pavilion in West Palm Beach, to celebrate the great strides in conservation being made locally, across the state, nation and world.

The Annual Go Blue Awards recognizes individuals, youth, businesses and nonprofit organizations who are making extraordinary contributions in ocean conservation and are on the leading edge of going "Blue!" This year's event featured guest speaker, Dr. Wallace J. Nichols.

Nominations for the 2022 Go Blue Awards opened on July 29th and closed on August 26th.

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Live Auction Now Open!

2022 Go Blue Awards Finalists

The finalists for the 14th annual Go Blue Awards will be announced on Tuesday, October 11 at the Go Blue Awards kick-off event being held at Season's 52 in Palm Beach Gardens. Tickets and limited sponsorships still remain.

All funds raised by this auction will directly support Loggerhead Marinelife Center and our sea turtle patients and programs.

Get ready to bid on some wonderful auction items to support sea turtle rehabilitation, research, education and ocean conservation.

Special Guest Speaker: Dr. Wallace J. Nichols

Wallace J. Nichols (J) has been called a water warrior, one who commits to helping others access their “blue mind state.” His visionary ideas related to ocean and aquatic ecosystems, migratory species, marine protected areas, fisheries management and plastic pollution inspire others to find a deeper connection with nature and embrace inventive approaches to issues ranging from protection of ocean life to global water supply to the mental health benefits of a life spent on or near the water.

Formerly a senior scientist at Ocean Conservancy, J holds a M.E.M. degree in Natural Resource Economics and Policy from Duke University and a Ph.D. degree in Wildlife Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Arizona. He received a Bradley Fellowship to study the impacts of sea level rise at Duke University Marine Lab, a Marshall Fellowship to study at the University of Arizona, and a Fulbright Fellowship to study at the Universidad Autonoma de Mexico marine station in Mazatlán. In 2011 he was inducted as a Fellow National member of the Explorers Club. In 2014 he received the University of Arizona's Global Achievement Award.

J has authored more than 200 publications, lectured in more than 30 countries and nearly all 50 states, and appeared in hundreds of media outlets including NPR, BBC, PBS, CNN, MSNBC, National Geographic, Animal Planet, Time, Newsweek, GQ, Outside Magazine, USA Today, Elle, Vogue, Fast Company, Surfer Magazine, Scientific American, and New Scientist. His book Blue Mind, published in summer 2014 by Little, Brown & Company, quickly became a national bestseller. It has been translated to numerous languages and inspired a wave of media and practical application. 

J lives with his partner Dana, two daughters, and assorted animals on California's Slow Coast, a rural stretch of coastal mountains overlooking the Monterey Bay where organic strawberries rule, mountain lions roam and their motto is "In Slow We Trust". The J chose to settle down in this area after trekking the entire 1,800 kilometer coast from Oregon to Mexico. He and Dana are slowly restoring the land after the summer 2020 wildfires took their beloved home.

Speaking Topic: Blue Mind – Read more
J knows that inspiration can come through adventure. It can come simply by walking and talking. Through writing, images, and art. Science and knowledge can also stoke our fires.

But J also knows that what really moves people is feeling part of and touching something bigger than ourselves. At every turn, he encourages people to disconnect from the grid and reconnect with themselves, those they love, and the special places they care about.
J’s research, expeditions, and work as a guide have taken him to coasts and waterways across North, Central and South America, to Asia, Africa, Australia, and Europe where he continually finds that the emotional connection to waters of all kinds—rather than force or financial gain—is what keeps his colleagues and collaborators working hard to understand and restore our blue planet.

His current focus is on what he refers to as Blue Mind, a powerful new universal story of water. In this narrative, society embraces all of the physical, ecological, economic, cognitive, emotional, psychological, physical, and social benefits of healthy oceans and waterways. By connecting neuroscientists and psychologists with aquatic experts and artists to ask and answer exciting new questions, J shows how blue mind positively impacts all facets of life, including health and wellness, education, parenting, the arts, architecture and design, urban planning, sports, recreation, and travel.

THANK YOU 2022 GO BLUE AWARDS SPONSORS

Sponsor's Reception Sponsor

A/V Sponsor
Lynne & Pete
Wells

Pacific Ocean Sponsor


Raymond Graziotto

 

Monique Brechter &
Steven Heinemann

Julie & Bart Livolsi

Barbara Savastano

ARCTIC OCEAN SPONSORS
Alice & Brian Waxman /

Karen Marcus &
Leanna Landsmann for

James Mullen

Natasha & Dirk Ziff

CARIBBEAN SEA SPONSORS

 

Kirsten & Telby Turner

Beau Standish /


Ann Miller Family    Krumholtz Family Foundation    WLS Vitamins - Dr. & Mrs. Jefferson Vaughan

In-Kind Sponsors: Sandy James Fine Food & Catering The Capital Grille Tiffany & Co.

Award Categories

The Eleanor Fletcher Award, named for the founder of Loggerhead Marinelife Center, recognizes an individual who has exemplified a lifelong, extraordinary commitment to marine conservation through their work or volunteer activities.

The Blue Ambassador of the Year Award recognizes a person who has made significant contributions in marine conservation through volunteer related activities.

The Blue Friend of the Year Award recognizes a person who has made significant contributions in marine conservation through work-related activities.

Loggerhead Marinelife Center Blue Staff Member of the Year
The recipient for this award exemplifies significant contributions in marine conservation through their work-related efforts at Loggerhead Marinelife Center.

The Blue Hatchling Youth Award recognizes students up to and including 12th grade who have made significant contributions in marine conservation through volunteer related activities.

The Blue Business of the Year Award recognizes a business or non-profit that has made outstanding contributions toward promoting and encouraging conservation, restoration, or preservation of marine life and/or marine ecosystems through their business practices, products or technology.

The Blue Nonprofit of the Year Award will recognize a nonprofit that has made outstanding contributions toward promoting conservation or restoration of marine life or ecosystems through their practices, products or technology.

Go Blue Awards Nominations are open to the public and are judged by an independent panel of judges. The esteemed panel of judges that will select this year’s finalists and winners includes:

Lad Akins - Curator of Marine Conservation, Frost Science

Greg Marshall - Filmmaker & Inventor of Crittercam, National Geographic

Sally Murray - Daughter of Loggerhead Marinelife Center Founder Eleanor Fletcher

Susan Murray - Granddaughter of Eleanor Fletcher & Oceana Pacific Deputy Vice Pres

Joel Sartore - Photo Ark Founder, National Geographic Photographer & Contributor

Jim Toomey - Creator of Sherman's Lagoon, former Mission Blue Director.

The Go Blue Awards program was created to recognize individuals and businesses that directly or indirectly support LMC’s mission to promote conservation of ocean ecosystems with a special focus on threatened and endangered sea turtles. Previous Go Blue Award recipients include Dr. Guy Harvey, Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation; Dr. Sylvia Earle, Mission Blue; Hardy Jones - Executive Director, Bluevoice.org; Nathaniel Reed, Everglades Foundation; Dr. Edith Widder, Ocean Research & Conservation Association; Florida Power & Light Company; Gary Adkison, U.S. Shark Foundation; International Game Fish Association; and Coral Restoration Foundation.

Please note, there are no refunds or exchanges for purchased tickets. All sales are final.