Alley McConnell

Alley McConnell is studying seagrass restoration projects as her 2023 Vision Fellowship professional development project. Her goal is to bring knowledge of successful off-island seagrass restoration activities to the Island and, in the process, educate and engage people interested in this topic. Alley has been the Restoration & Communications Coordinator and Hatchery Assistant for the Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group since 2019. She earned a B.A. in biology with minors in marine science and anthropology from Eckerd College in 2020. As part of her project, Alley visited eelgrass restoration programs along the east coast with one of her mentors, Phil Colarusso, Marine Ecologist for the EPA. She also attended educational conferences and is working to become a Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner through the Society of Ecological Restoration. Alley has been sharing what she is learning through engagement events with the Island community.