Russell Gayle is the Founder and President of the Clean Coast Initiative Foundation (CCIF), a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring and protecting America's waterways through environmental restoration, scientific collaboration, and nationwide volunteer engagement.

Russell's passion for environmental conservation began as a teenager while working aboard commercial crabbing, shrimping, and scalloping vessels along the North Carolina coast. After periods of heavy rainfall, he repeatedly witnessed the devastating effects of polluted runoff as crab pots that had previously held thriving marine life were suddenly filled with dead organisms. Seeing firsthand how runoff could impact rivers, estuaries, and coastal ecosystems inspired a lifelong commitment to finding practical solutions that protect aquatic environments.

At eighteen years old, Russell began contacting local leaders, agencies, and organizations in search of ways to address the pollution he had witnessed. While many respected his determination, he was also told that meaningful environmental change required substantial financial resources, technical knowledge, and broad public support. Rather than allowing that reality to discourage him, it became the foundation of his long-term vision-to build an organization capable of creating the impact he believed was possible.

Following high school, Russell attended Merchant Marine training before beginning a seven-year career in Alaska's commercial fishing industry, working aboard vessels targeting king crab, snow crab, and Pacific cod. During those years he worked alongside fisheries observers and marine biologists, using every opportunity to expand his understanding of marine ecosystems while dedicating his off-seasons to environmental research, education, networking, and planning for the organization he intended to build.

After stepping away from seasonal commercial fishing in 2023, Russell devoted himself full-time as an unpaid volunteer to building what would become the Clean Coast Initiative Foundation. Years of preparation culminated in the incorporation of CCIF on May 8, 2025, establishing a national organization focused on practical environmental action, scientific collaboration, and community engagement.

Under Russell's leadership, CCIF has developed a nationwide environmental response network, including the Clean Water Response Coalition (CWRC), which connects trained volunteers, partner organizations, and environmental professionals to help identify, report, and coordinate responses to pollution incidents throughout the United States. The organization also established its nationwide Report Pollution Map, providing communities with a centralized platform for reporting environmental concerns and helping direct response efforts where they are needed most.

Driven by a commitment to developing practical environmental solutions, Russell also conceived and developed CCIF's PCB Elimination Initiative. After studying contamination in aquatic ecosystems and the limitations of existing remediation methods, he proposed a nature-based approach exploring the use of freshwater sponges to accumulate contaminants such as PCBs from affected waterways. The initiative envisions carefully harvesting the contaminated sponge biomass and transporting it for permitted high-temperature incineration, with the goal of permanently removing the captured contaminants from the environment while minimizing disturbance to surrounding aquatic ecosystems. CCIF continues to research and develop this initiative through scientific collaboration and responsible evaluation.

Today, Russell leads CCIF's long-term strategy, national partnerships, organizational development, and the effort to establish the foundation's permanent national headquarters. Planned as the operational hub for environmental research, volunteer coordination, education, and collaborative project development, the headquarters reflects Russell's vision of building an organization capable of creating lasting, measurable improvements to the health of America's waterways. Alongside the foundation's volunteer leadership team, he continues to serve without compensation, driven by the belief that protecting our nation's waters requires persistence, innovation, and the willingness to act.

Sarah Peck serves as Vice President of the Clean Coast Initiative Foundation and has been a key member of the organization's leadership since its earliest stages of development. From the beginning, Sarah has played an essential role in helping transform CCIF from an ambitious vision into a functioning national nonprofit organization. Working alongside Founder and President Russell Gayle, she has volunteered countless hours assisting with organizational planning, policy development, administrative operations, strategic decision-making, and the continued expansion of the foundation's nationwide network.

Sarah has been instrumental in establishing many of the systems and organizational structure that support CCIF's ongoing initiatives. Her dedication, reliability, and willingness to invest significant personal time without compensation have helped provide the stability necessary for the organization to continue growing while remaining focused on its mission.

As Vice President, Sarah works closely with the Board of Directors to guide long-term planning, strengthen partnerships, support organizational governance, and help ensure the foundation remains well-positioned to expand its environmental programs and national impact. Her commitment reflects a shared belief that meaningful environmental change is achieved through persistence, collaboration, and long-term dedication.

Jayden Donski serves as Board Secretary for the Clean Coast Initiative Foundation, where he supports the organization's governance, administrative responsibilities, and environmental mission.

Jayden first became involved with CCIF as a volunteer, contributing his time because of a shared interest in protecting and restoring aquatic ecosystems. His dedication to the organization's mission and his interest in marine ecosystem resilience led to his appointment to the Board of Directors.

As Board Secretary, Jayden assists with board administration, organizational planning, recordkeeping, and project coordination while supporting the foundation's ongoing environmental initiatives. Like the rest of CCIF's leadership team, he volunteers his time in support of the organization's mission to protect and restore America's waterways for future generations.