Kellie Ralston, a fifth generation Floridian, serves as the Vice President for Conservation and Public Policy for the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust. She was also appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis to Florida’s Northwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board and Environmental Regulation Commission, and serves on NOAA Fisheries’ Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee, which provides guidance to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce on relevant issues. Ralston attended Florida State University where she furthered her interest in the natural and marine world and received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in biology. She began her professional career working on water quality and Everglades’ restoration projects with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and then served as an analyst for the Florida House of Representatives’ Water and Resource Management Committee. She subsequently worked for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission where she was involved in policy development and stakeholder coordination for the Division of Marine Fisheries Management, and served as the Southeast Fisheries Policy Director for the American Sportfishing Association covering recreational fisheries and conservation issues.
