Born and raised in Maine, Jillian’s love for the ocean started at an early age and has continued to play an integral role in her adult life. She is a marine biologist, shark advocate, scuba instructor, explorer, educator, unabashedly obsessed with sharks and a lover of all things water. As the executive director of Oceanicallstars conservation media group, she combines her love of these animals with a passion for photo, video and writing. As a videographer she has worked with National Geographic, Discovery, BBC, Animal Planet, PBS, ESPN, ITV, E!, ABC and numerous other international networks.

In 2012, after several years of working on the project, Jillian launched Sharks4Kids, Inc. combining the filming, photography and science to create shark education curriculum, activities and videos to bring into the classroom. The goal is to create the next generation of shark advocates through education, outreach and adventures. “Kids offer hope for the future of our planet and it is critical that they have the knowledge to save these amazing creatures. They have a voice, they will be heard and they will save sharks.”