Meet Kendra Bergman | Founder and Executive Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kendra Bergman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kendra, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Saving sea turtles is a global effort, successfully achieved by a network of partners from universities, government agencies, nonprofits, and consulting firms. Every partner plays a role in research, rehabilitation, education, conservation, policy, and human behavior change. When deciding to start Coastal Connections, I identified a need, and that need was to include all people in the conservation success story of sea turtles; helping them identify their personal role for sea turtle recovery. I knew there was a need for public education, immersive experiences and volunteer assistance from the community. Over the last 6 years, Coastal Connections has grown into a respected organization that connects people to the environment and inspires human behavior changes that protect the environment and our sea turtles.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have always been drawn to the human dimension of conservation. I attended The University of Central Florida for graduate school and completed a thesis about the “Socio-Economic Impacts of Sea Turtle Based Eco-Tourism”. I was surrounded by biologists, studying human dimensions which I believe prepared me for this very unique career. Human dimensions of conversation is a field of study that is just beginning to blossom and over the next 10 years, we are going to learn so much about how our individual actions impact the world around us. The first step is to help people believe that their actions matter and are very important.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My husband and I love the outdoors. Florida is so special in that it is home to about 80 different eco-types across the state, many of which cannot be found in other parts of the USA. When we have family or friends visit, we go outside to explore National and State Parks to explore the natural wonders of our backyard.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The successes of Coastal Connections would not be possible without our entire team. CCinc is made up of over 100 trained and regularly scheduled volunteers, three staff, a powerhouse Board of Directors, and hundreds of donors. The work we do is only possible because of the entire team and their passion and dedication to our mission of helping sea turtles survive. If you want to join our team, reach out! Our goal is to include all people in the conservation success story of sea turtles.

Website: www.coastal-connections.org

Instagram: @coastalconnections_inc

Facebook: @coastalconnectionsinc

Other: TikTok: @coastalconnections_inc

Image Credits
All phots were taken by Joe Rimkus Jr.