Voices of Courage with Ken D Foster

Guests, Johnney Zhang and Dr Sarah-Jeanne Royer

Show Topic: The Courage of Changemakers

Guest #1, Dr. Sarah-Jeanne Royer

Dr. Sarah-Jeanne Royer is an oceanographer and currently doing a post-doctorate on plastic and microfibre degradation at Scripps Institute of Oceanography with Dimitri Deheyn.

In addition, prior to this post-doctorate, she investigated on the emissions of greenhouse gases from plastics in the environment at the Center for Microbial Oceanography, Research and Education.

She also worked with Prof. Nikolai Maximenko on marine debris at the International Pacific Research Center at the University of Hawaii where her research was linked to the pathways and fate of marine debris and plastic accumulation in the ocean in relation with the North Pacific Garbage Patch.

She has been highly involved with the organization named Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii, which is the biggest organization of beach cleanups in Hawaii. For three years she served as the science advisor and started using data collection from volunteers for citizen science projects. She is now the science advisor for Parley for the Oceans and works closely on related science topics with The Ocean Cleanup.

Her goal is to pursue plastic research to understand better the degradation and fragmentation processes of plastic and fate in the ocean in addition to the plastic accumulation on the different islands of Hawai’i. Her long-last objective is for policymakers to use data from scientists and volunteers to design better laws and policies to reduce plastic production & consumption.

In addition to her background in environment and marine biology, she was the first female sergeant leading a group of 40 people in the first French Canadian regiment of the Canadian Army. She served for the Voltigeurs de Quebec for 13 years and participated in two missions in Kabul and Kandahar (Afghanistan) on international development and lead a project on Afghan women.

https://deheynlab.ucsd.edu

Guest #2, Johnney Zhang

Johnney Zhang is the founder and CEO of Primior, based in Diamond Bar, Calif. Primior is one of the countrys most successful real estate investment and management firms with over $400 million in assets under management. His story is one of self-motivation and entrepreneurism that spans a humble beginning in China, education in the United Kingdom and quick success in the United States.

He has created a uniquely integrated approach to the business with a strong strategic plan. The firm has focused on assisting potential investors in China or newly arrived in the U.S. and is now moving more aggressively into the broader market. It is also developing innovative programs around current initiatives such as Opportunity Zones and Opportunity Funds.

Johnney Zhang photo download: http://www.kcomm.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/johnney-headshot.png