Paul has always felt a deep connection to the ocean. His journey began as the owner of a dive centre in Koh Rong Samloem, where he witnessed firsthand the beauty of marine life, but also its fragility towards human impact. Inspired to make a difference, he founded MCC in 2008. Paul’s courage, passion, and relentless drive to protect our oceans continue to define who we are and what we stand for.

Fighting alongside Paul is Sao, who has been his constant pillar throughout MCC’s journey. She stands with him every step of the way, offering unwavering support in building MCC from the ground up.

Rachana began her journey with us as an intern, completing a six-month placement during her Environmental Science studies at Pannasastra University of Cambodia. Alongside three classmates, she developed the Artificial Reef Team Project, which has grown into one of MCC’s most significant and impactful initiatives. Today, she serves as our inspiring Executive Director, fighting for our cause with remarkable passion and determination.

Tanguy has been with MCC for many years. He studied Political Sciences at the Sciences Po Toulouse and first came to us as a volunteer, and we’ve been lucky to have him ever since. Over the years, he has taken on many roles within MCC. When he’s not underwater building artificial reefs, he is busy keeping finances in order. Tanguy is pragmatic, dedicated and does so much more than anyone notices, looking after all of the team always and keeping on top of all the big and small jobs that keep MCC running. Today, he is our dedicated Finance Manager, ensuring our financial systems run smoothly and responsibly.

Chhen first came to us for her final-year project, where she launched MCC’s marine bivalves mariculture project. She studied Fisheries Science at the Royal University of Agriculture and is deeply passionate about community livelihood and the ocean, especially her interest in oysters research and mariculture. Honest and outspoken, she always speaks her mind and finds solutions to every situation on the island. She is the one who keeps us organized and on track.

Vicheka holds an MSc in Biodiversity, Ecology, and Evolution, with a focus on tropical biodiversity. Fluent in English, French, and Khmer, he brings energy and strong leadership to the team, leading our IUU Team with passion and determination. He is deeply devoted to nature, the ocean, and conservation, with a particular love for birds and his dog Smoking. Known as our very own “Swiss army knife”, Vicheka supports in countless situations, from translating and outreach, stepping in wherever he’s needed. His versatility, and commitment make him an invaluable part of MCC.

Vin is known for his cheerful, cheeky personality and strong hands-on skills. He is capable in repairs and building, he takes on many roles at MCC, from refilling dive tanks and supporting underwater work to building and maintaining our premises. He also works as an IUU Officer, joining patrols at sea, and serves as the island’s electrician, keeping machinery and equipment running. Vin is also skilled in flying the drone to help spot marine mammals.

Phon is the speedboat captain and second medium boat captain and part of the IUU team. He also leads the construction and design of the island buildings. He has been with MCC since the early days and was one of the first staff members to join when we moved to Kep.

Thea is our medium boat captain and part of the IUU team. His skilled driving at sea helps keep the team safe during the nightly IUU monitoring. Now also trained as a diver, he helps with underwater work such as maintenance of the mussel farm. His easygoing personality always manages to put a smile on everyone’s face.

Jong is our boat boy and a valued member of the IUU team. He also helps with underwater work and marine mammal surveys. Known as our island comedian, he’s always keeping spirits high.

Abigail is our seagrass expert. She holds a joint honours master’s degree in Biology and Marine Biology, and has gained extensive experience in seagrass research across the UK, the Mediterranean, and Asia. She is a passionate freediver and bird watcher, and practically goes crazy if she has to spend a whole week without diving, which makes her perfect for her role, as she spends half of the week in the water anyway.

Sebas holds an International MSc in Marine Biological Resources from Ghent University, building on a background in biology and environmental management. His research experience focused on fish diversity, conservation, and bioacoustics, with work across research institutions, universities, and the private sector, and several peer-reviewed scientific publications.

Becky first joined us as a volunteer during her undergrad in zoology with international experience and after finishing this and her masters in marine conservation in Plymouth, joined us again on Koh Ach Seh as a full-time scientist. Apart from her love and passion for marine mammals, Becky is a talented and passionate artist. When she is not studying dolphins, she is creating wonderful oil paintings.

Sophea Yaem, known as Phea, is a community leader in Prek Tnoat. She began working with our CMMCP team there and was trained in dolphin surveying. She then started assisting with data collection. This year, Phea has taken on a leading role in conducting dolphin surveys in the area. She supports MCC by gathering vital data and strengthening the link between the community and conservation work.

Sämphors first joined MCC as an intern and quickly became involved in a variety of research projects. She later completed a master’s degree in Marine and Lacustrine Science and Management through a joint programme at Ghent University, VUB, and the University of Antwerp, where her thesis focused on meiofauna. After finishing her studies, she returned to MCC as a junior researcher. Her work now includes seaweed taxonomy and benthic habitats, with a particular interest in seagrass ecosystems.

Dr. Francesca Pasotti is one of our Senior Scientists. She brings extensive expertise in benthic research and the ecosystem functioning of extreme habitats. She earned her PhD in 2015 from Ghent University (UGent, Belgium), where she also continued her work as a postdoctoral researcher. She joined our team in 2018, driven by a strong passion for mentoring and capacity building. Since then, she has contributed to academic development through collaborations with the Royal University of Agriculture of Phnom Penh (RUA), the Fisheries Administration (FiA), and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), supporting the development of Cambodia’s first marine biology curriculum and supervising Master’s thesis research in benthic ecology. Her expertise in soft-sediment communities, food-web ecology, ecosystem functioning, and biodiversity strengthens our team and broadens MCC’s research scope.

Nang has been with MCC since the very beginning, joining us in our early years on Koh Rong Samloem. He is part of our Deployment Team, working as a diver and helping ensure the safety of the block deployment crew. He started out as a boat captain, but over time fell in love with diving and made it his specialty. He is one of the most passionate people we know, and has dedicated much of his life to restoring marine habitats.

Jai has been our big boat captain for a few years now. He knows the boat inside and out and is practically one with it. He has a dog called Maybe, who lives with him on the big boat.

Krabei is part of the MCC block deployment team and also works as a safety officer, making sure the team moves the FPS safely. When it comes to food, he eats like it’s a full-time job.

Tin has been with MCC for over 10 years and is a key member of the block deployment team. Known for his eagle eyes, Tin is an expert at spotting marine mammals, dolphins and dugongs rarely escape his notice, and he is often the first to see them from the boat.

Pok is part of the deployment team. He was previously a member of our team when we were based on Koh Rong Samloem and rejoined MCC over the past year. He is a skilled diver, and works on the underwater assembly of our FPS and is always good for a joke.

Maly is part of the deployment team, working as a diver to assemble our FPS structures underwater. Maly is a very gentle person, passionate about the ocean and ist preservation, always welcoming everyone with a warm smile.

Mao is our island chef and has been with us since 2015. She originally started as one of Paul’s children’s nannies, but after seeing the work we do, she chose to join the team. She is a natural jokester and an excellent cook, her creations could easily belong on MasterChef. Besides making everyone laugh, she also runs our very own one-woman island beauty salon, from braiding your hair to painting nails.

Sokleng Thun, known as Leng, is our kitchen assistant and an excellent cook. With her joyful personality and constant smile, she brings warmth to the island kitchen and to everyone around her.

Eoun is involved in the day-to-day upkeep of the island, fixing anything that needs repair and helping to build new infrastructures. Always with a smile on his face and a catchy laugh, he’s the person to go to if something is broken in your dorm.

Matou, Samnang’s mother, has been with MCC since the very first days on Koh Rong Samloem. Over the years, she has become a second mother to everyone on the island, offering warmth, care, and constant support. She also takes loving care of the island’s beautiful plants, watering them and keeping the gardens free of weeds.

Phalla has 14 years of work experience in marine conservation. She was involved in the creation of Cambodia’s first Marine Fisheries Management Area around the Koh Rong Archipelago and also worked on establishing the Kep MFMA. Her strong relationships with local fishing communities are invaluable in helping balance effective management of protected areas with community needs. Alongside her research experience, Phalla is deeply involved in training and supporting the next generation of Cambodians in all aspects of marine conservation.

Laura holds a Master in Communication and Marketing. She first joined us as a volunteer and later stayed on as volunteer manager, also taking over our communications, including social media. She makes sure volunteers and interns live a happy life on the island, offering support and advice whenever needed. Somewhere along the way, her role unexpectedly expanded into photography, video editing, HR questions, and a bit of everything in between. Laura fell in love with the ocean when she first arrived and is always happy to joke around.

Puppet describes himself as having been fortunate to work with many organizations that have enriched his knowledge of the environment, with MCC being his favourite. He is part of the patrol team protecting the MFMA and the animals living within it, and is now also involved in outreach, working closely with local coastal communities.

Jasmine is the daughter of Paul and Sao, and part of MCC future. Having grown up on the island, she knows both the community and the organization inside out. With her joyful spirit and fresh perspective, she brings new energy and insight to our projects.

Mirko holds a Master of Science in Marine Biology and trained as a dive instructor in Italy, on Elba Island. His background also includes studies in agronomy and enology, as well as a research internship in Mozambique. As an SSI Diving Instructor, he is responsible for training all team members in diving and providing new volunteers with the skills they need to take part in underwater activities. In his role as Safety Officer, Mirko looks after safety on our boats and across the island, implementing safety protocols and offering first aid and wound care. While he may sometimes appear a little grumpy, he is kind, and known for his dry, sarcastic humour.

Simon is our cartographer and MCC’s GIS coordinator. He uses data collected across all MCC projects to create maps for reporting and adaptive marine management, including mapping for FPS deployment and seagrass meadow edges. As a professional diver, he also helps out with block deployment and gets involved in field projects such as seagrass research and the FPS project whenever he can step away from the computer. Simon is a great person to talk to, always offering thoughtful advice and often sparking the most unexpectedly interesting conversations.

Lux first came to MCC while he was still in high school, joining a three-year project through a partnership between MCC and the Liger Leadership Academy. He and his classmates visited multiple times, each stay lasting several days and strengthening their connection to the island and our conservation work. After graduating, Lux continued to follow his passion for the ocean by studying Marine Affairs at the University of Miami. Now back with MCC, he assists our IUU team, contributes to the scientific side of our projects, and partakes in government meetings.