McKenzie Mungai (she/her)

Biography:

McKenzie Mungai graduated from Eckerd College with a degree in Marine Education and Conservation and is currently pursuing a degree in Veterinary Technology at St. Petersburg College. Her passion for ocean conservation began at an early age, and she has dreamed of working with sea turtles since kindergarten. Growing up, McKenzie frequently visited Mote Marine Laboratory and looked forward to the day she would be qualified to contribute to its mission. Today, she brings more than ten years of animal care experience and a strong commitment to wildlife conservation.
 
McKenzie’s professional background centers on marine animal rescue, rehabilitation, research, and education. Before joining the rehabilitation team at Mote, she worked as a Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Technician with the Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute in Hawaiʻi. In this role, she helped provide medical care for hundreds of sick and injured sea turtles each year. She also assisted with responses to stranded marine animals, including sea turtles and cetaceans, supervised interns and volunteers, and collaborated closely with veterinarians and biologists on conservation and research initiatives.
 
McKenzie aims to combine her veterinary training, rehabilitation expertise, and passion for conservation to continue making a meaningful impact on the lives of marine animals and the ecosystems they inhabit.