Casey Darling Kniffin: Ocean Advocacy in the Sunshine State | Sea Change

December 8, 2023

At the intersection of leadership and change-making!

This episode features a prime example of the power of relationship-building and community-building in the world of ocean advocacy. Jenna and her guest, Casey Darling Kniffin, originally crossed paths during one of Healthy Ocean Coalition(HOC)'s Healthy Ocean Advocacy Academies. Following the Academy, Casey became an active and valued member of the HOC community, stepped into an ocean advocacy leadership role as Florida Oceanographic Society's Advocacy Coordinator, and now, as announced on the show, Conservation Policy Director for Florida Wildlife Federation. Casey is a driven changemaker whose leadership is very much needed in the conservation space. She's a true partner and visionary in this work, and Jenna is honored to call her a friend - and feature her story on this month's episode.

Show Transcription
This transcription was generated by a computer. Please excuse any errors.
Jenna Valente

A passion for conservation and appreciation for the natural world was engrained in Jenna at a young age. Her father was in the Coast Guard. This meant she always had the fortune of living near the ocean, including Hawaii, Washington State, and Maine. Both of her parents encouraged her to spend the majority of her time outside. As a result, she finds that she is most comfortable barefoot and exploring the coast, countryside, or mountains. Her favorite thing about the ocean is the sheer power of it all. Jenna joined the American Littoral Society as the Healthy Oceans Coalition Coordinator from the Chesapeake Research Consortium where she was a member of the communications staff and focused on building the brand of the program and ensure the health of the Chesapeake Bay. Jenna completed her Executive Master of Natural Resources from Virginia Tech in 2015 and also has her Bachelors in Communication and Journalism from the University of Maine.