Yancy William Welch, born on December 9, 1965, in Lake Charles, Louisiana, is a lifelong resident of Oak Grove, a small town located approximately 40 miles away. Raised in a family deeply rooted in the rural traditions of Louisiana's wetlands, Welch's upbringing was characterized by a strong sense of community and family involvement in shared tasks, such as gardening and cattle rearing. His family's livelihood was primarily based on agriculture and hunting, with his father working as a school teacher to supplement their income.

Victoria Sagrera Bourque, born on December 31, 1990, in Lafayette, Louisiana, is a passionate advocate for coastal restoration in Louisiana. She grew up in Mouton Cove, a small area just south of Abbeville, Louisiana, and north of Intracoastal City, in a family with strong agricultural roots. Her childhood memories are filled with experiences on the farm, from following her grandfather around to testing the soil for salinity after storms. These experiences, coupled with her coastal upbringing, fueled her passion for coastal restoration.

Mrs. Lauderman was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on December 14, 1937. She grew up in Orleans and Jefferson Parishes. She attended St. Martin’s Episcopal School in Metarie, Louisiana. She worked as a social worker. She currently encourages students to get more involved in wetlands preservation through the use of oral histories.

Sherrill Sagrera is an advocate for the preservation and restoration of Louisiana's coastal wetlands. Born on November 12, 1941, in Abbeville, Louisiana, Sherrill grew up in Cheniere au Tigre, an island in South Vermillion Parish. His family's connection to this ecosystem goes back generations, as they owned and managed land that was once a thriving resort community. Sherrill witnessed the island's evolution from a bustling community with a hotel, dance hall, and school to a region grappling with wetland loss and environmental challenges.

Richie Blink, born on August 31, 1986, in New Orleans, is a native of Louisiana with a deep-rooted connection to the state's wetlands and coastal ecosystems. He spent his childhood in Empire, Louisiana, a small fishing village located about 60 miles south of New Orleans. His father, a commercial fisherman, introduced him to the intricacies of the delta ecosystem through various fishing activities such as oystering, shrimping, and crab trapping. This early exposure to the wetlands fostered a profound understanding of the delta's systems and their importance to the local community.

Mrs. Green was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on October 18, 1935. Her grandfather, Jim Webb, managed her father-in-laws land for 50 years. After his passing, Mrs. Green along with her cousin, Skip Haller, took over the management of the land which spans seven parishes. Upon realizing the devastation facing the land, Mrs. Green began working with CWPPRA to restore the land. She has been a wetlands and coastal restoration advocate since then.

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Mr. St. Pé was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on June 15, 1950. He has lived in Southeast Louisiana his entire life. He is a biologist. He worked for Water Pollution and Control under the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and later under the Department of Environmental Quality starting in 1974. Mr. St. Pé was appointed to be on the scientific technical committee of the Estuary program and was later elected Chairman. He currently works for the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program. Mr. St.

Kellyn Lacour-Conant is a dedicated environmentalist with a deep-rooted connection to the wetlands of Louisiana. Born on April 13th, 1993 in Houston, Texas, she spent her childhood summers in Louisiana, where her family originates from. Her early experiences with the water, both in Houston, the "Bayou City", and in Louisiana, where her family engaged in fishing and hunting, instilled in her a profound appreciation for wetland ecosystems. This appreciation eventually led her to pursue a career in environmental conservation.

Jacqueline Mary Richard, born on August 30, 1980, in Naperville, Illinois, is a prominent advocate for coastal restoration in Louisiana. She moved to New Orleans to pursue her graduate studies at the University of New Orleans, initially intending to become a vertebrate paleontologist. However, her academic journey took an unexpected turn when she took a class on coastal restoration with Denise Reed. This class inspired her to contribute to the cause of coastal restoration, leading her to volunteer and learn more about the coast.

Eddie Joseph Sapia, Jr. was born on March 27, 1934, in New Orleans, Louisiana. He spent his entire life in Lafitte, Louisiana, a small town nestled in the state's coastal wetlands. As a child, he was deeply influenced by his grandfather, who introduced him to the local fishing and trapping practices. Despite his father's insistence on formal education, Sapia found his true calling in the outdoors, particularly in the wetlands, that he grew to love. He began working on boats at an early age, driving his grandfather's vessels and learning the intricacies of the local waterways.