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About Us
Saving the Seas is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to ocean education and conservation through arts and entertainment. Our nonprofit organization aims to raise awareness of the importance of preserving our oceans and therefore, our planet.
A Bigger Impact
From #SavingtheSeas to saving our planet. At Saving the Seas we believe that helping protect our oceans helps the entirety of Planet Earth. By #SavingtheSeas, since our oceans are 71% of our planet, we can help nature on a global scale.
A Global Community
With an online community of over 4 million supporters, Mermaid Elle® and SavingtheSeas Corp reach many homes and many hearts to inspire people across the globe to be conscious of our nature, think about how their daily actions affect our environment and how they can take action to improve our oceans health and our overall global collective.
Our Philosophy
We believe that through fun, play and entertainment children are more inclined to absorb information, ask questions, learn more and retain valuable information such as protecting our planet.
Events & Education
Taking action for our oceans can be as simple as diving into one of our monthly events, whether it may be a spectacular fundraiser filled with incredible art exhibits and performance acts, a dive day for certified divers to support our mission or an organized beach clean up. We are currently working on creating fun and interactive educational programs for children at schools, museums and community events.
Video & Film
At Saving the Seas, we also create educational films featuring Mermaid Elle who teaches children and people of all ages about our oceans. Mermaid Elle #SavingtheSeas can be enjoyed on Elle’s YouTube channel with over 1+ million subscribers. We also create incredible nature imagery, featuring underwater photography and landscapes to help our supporters connect deeply with the environment.
Start them young.
The action of #SavingtheSeas is an ocean conservation awareness action that can be taught from an early age so our children grow caring for our oceans, our planet and help protect them as they grow up.
Our Mission
Saving the Seas' mission is to educate the public on the importance of ocean conservation and inspire them to take action. We offer educational programs for families and individuals, schools, public events, and creative media like underwater photography, films and art to raise awareness and promote change.
Our Vision
Our vision is to create a world that values and protects our oceans and all marine life. We strive to empower individuals and communities to take action towards ocean conservation for a positive global impact. Together, we can make a difference #SavingtheSeas for generations to come.
Our Ambassador
Mermaid Elle®
Mermaid Elle® is a mermaid character our founder created in 2016, when discovering that through entertainment and this mermaid performance character, children are more open to learn about difficult topics like pollution and other threats to our planet. Mermaid Elle® has one job: #SavingtheSeas , and now you can be a part of it! With over 4 Million fans across the globe, Mermaid Elle® promotes awareness for ocean conservation to children during event performances, on her YouTube series and more. Mer-mazing, right?
Board of Directors
Our board of directors are a team of caring humans with array of backgrounds in various industries coming together to protect that which they love most: Mother Earth. Combining many different skills our team is able to plan events, formulate educational programs and continue #SavingtheSeas.
Elle Jimenez, Founder & President
Elle Jimenez, also known as Mermaid Elle, is a full-time professional mermaid entertainer, professional diver and filmmaker, and one of the most famous professional mermaids known internationally. Her background is in both film and performing arts, graduating from film school at the Motion Picture Institute of Michigan in 2010 and a performer in a variety of stage acts such as dance and acting. Later on a certified diver, Elle became a PADI Professional (as PADI Mermaid Instructor Trainer), a PADI Freediver, NASE Open Water Diver, SSI Marine Ecology Diver, and is certified as Emergency First Responder Instructor. With a strong focus on both diving safety and ocean conservation, and all her various skills she now is a professional diver, a mermaid entertainer, a conservationist and a filmmaker, earning her the YouTube Creator Awards for her professional mermaid content and the #SavingtheSeas YouTube series.
Darren Joshua Leonardi is a professional diver, PADI Freediver and published underwater photographer with a Bachelor's Degree in Fine and Applied Arts from the University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign. Working in Lanscape Architecture for over a decade and looking to fulfill his deep love for nature, Darren began his journey as a professional diver and underwater photographer capturing marine life on photo and film. He believes that the oceans are essential for humanity and it is imperative that humans of all ages learn about it, its marine life and how to preserve our nature. Darren has also experience as a dedicated voluteer for multiple charities and cares deeply about making the world a better place through love and kindness.
Darren J. Leonardi, Vice-President
Jeri Lynn Vizzi, Secretary
