Silver Spring, Md. – September 19, 2024 – The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation announced that Sarah Elizabeth Porter has been named the Foundation’s new Chapter Director for its Gray’s Reef chapter, based in Savannah, Ga.
In this role, Porter will support and strengthen awareness of the sanctuary as a unique and vital seascape for coastal communities from Cape Hatteras to Cape Canaveral along the South Atlantic Bight.
“We are thrilled to welcome an experienced fundraiser and communicator like Sarah to the Foundation,” said Peggy Knudson, Vice President of Development at the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, which serves as the official nonprofit partner to the National Marine Sanctuary System administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). “She brings passion for the ocean and its diverse flora and fauna as well as terrific nonprofit experience to our fundraising team.”
With over 15 years of experience in development and building partnerships, Porter is dedicated to inspiring support for marine ecosystems. Most recently, she was the Director of Innovative Philanthropy at Hope for Haiti, where she not only spearheaded all northeast fundraising campaigns but also launched the organization’s pioneering Virtual Reality (VR) project, allowing users to virtually explore a school in rural Haiti.
Porter’s commitment to service includes more than two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Republic of Macedonia, after which she founded the New York City Peace Corps Association.
A new SCUBA diver and avid kayaker, Porter also co-produces short documentaries about nature in urban environments and is passionate about sea creatures.
“Sarah is a seasoned storyteller, which is critical to helping increase public awareness about Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary and its importance to the community, but also to raising funds needed to support critical education and conservation work,” said Stan Rogers, Superintendent of Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary.
Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary, one of 16 sanctuaries and marine national monuments in the National Marine Sanctuary System, is an ocean park teeming with life. The natural live-bottom habitats of the sanctuary are representative of others across the region. The sanctuary provides year-round opportunities for sport fishing, recreational diving, and boating. The research area within the sanctuary hosts one of the only designated no-take zones in the region, which makes Gray’s Reef a catalyst for scientific research studying water quality, ocean noise, hurricane prediction, and climate change.
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The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, established in 2000, is the official non-profit partner of the National Marine Sanctuary System. The Foundation directly supports America’s national marine sanctuaries through our mission to protect species, conserve ecosystems and preserve cultural and maritime heritage. We accomplish our mission through community stewardship and engagement programs, on-the-water conservation projects, public education and outreach programs, and scientific research and exploration. The Foundation fosters innovative projects that are solution-oriented, scalable and transferable, and develop strategic partnerships that promote the conservation and recovery of species and their habitats. Learn more at marinesanctuary.org.
Contact: Chip Weiskotten
Director of Strategic Communications
301-754-6134
chip@marinesanctuary.org