Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary "Coral Reefs of Texas and Louisiana"- VIRTUAL SPEAKER

Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, off the coasts of Texas and Louisiana, was designated in 1992 to protect some of the healthiest coral reefs in the world. The unlikely location of these beautiful reefs at East and West Flower Garden Banks, in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, led to further studies of surrounding reefs and banks to find out what kinds of marine life lived there and how they might be connected. This led to the addition of Stetson Bank in 1996, and in 2021 an additional 14 banks became part of the sanctuary. More than 30 years of exploration in this region have shown us the importance of conserving and protecting these coral reefs, coral communities, and deep coral habitats.

Kelly Drinnen joined the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary team in August 2004. As Education and Outreach Specialist, she is responsible for developing, revising and maintaining many of the communication tools used to share sanctuary information with the public. She also conducts workshops and presentations. Kelly holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish from James Madison University and has over 30 years of experience with informal science education, including Education positions at Moody Gardens and Sea World of Florida, as well as two years as a fourth grade teacher in South Houston. Kelly comes from a family full of educators and likes to say she has "teaching in her genes." This, coupled with her love of the ocean, and wildlife in general, led her to a career in marine science where she gets to share her interests in two languages and meet people from around the world. Kelly is also a certified scuba diver and has occasionally assisted with offshore research and monitoring activities.