Ginaia Kelly, Executive Director, presented on the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. She stated a National marine sanctuary is like a national park underwater. The purpose of the Foundation is to educate the community in their interaction with the ocean, and protect the Sanctuary environment and resources by supporting its programs, projects, and partnerships.
Ginaia Kelly is the Executive Director of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Foundation with more than 15 years of leadership experience with global and local nonprofit organizations. She has lived near the sanctuary for over 25 years and spent much of that time advocating for its conservation and protection.
Before joining MBNMS Foundation, Kelly served as the Board Chairperson for Save Our Shores, as well as the Interim Executive Director of Save Our Shores and Save the Waves Foundation. She led the Santa Cruz County Chapter of the American Red Cross and was the Director of Workforce Development Services, Santa Cruz County, as well as served as a consultant to several marine conservation nonprofit start-ups. Kelly holds a law degree and worked as an attorney in Santa Cruz for many years before making the jump to full-time non-profit management.
She holds a BA from University of California, Santa Barbara and a J.D. from University of San Diego School of Law. Kelly and her family have volunteered for numerous community organizations, including having volunteered to take children with disabilities out surfing in the sanctuary with Ride A Wave Foundation for 19 years.
Kelly lives along the coast in Davenport with her husband and two sons. She is a former competitive surfer and professional high diver. She can still often be found having "board meetings" at Steamer's Lane.
