Sydney Gallagher

Marine Stewardship and Monitoring Specialist

sydney.gallagher@noaa.gov

Born and raised in Key West, Sydney Gallagher grew up with the sanctuary as her playground. The local waters always felt like home, inspiring her to pursue a path in marine science. Her studies took her to the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, and finished at the University of Florida. She has since returned to the Florida Keys, gaining experience in coral conservation and disease intervention with Coral Restoration Foundation, Nova Southeastern University, and Mote Marine Lab. As a member of the Mission: Iconic Reefs field team, she is excited to give back to her community and protect what she loves most, especially the coral in her photo, which was retrieved in the sanctuary under permit.