RTE Kayak Guides Participate in Local and Statewide Events to Advocate for the Everglades
ON A MISSION:
Rising Tide Explorers Guides go beyond the estuary to advocate for SWFL environments.
Florida Gulf Coast University graduate students Celina Ceballos and Susannah Cogburn recently took their science expertise one step further by participating in the Everglades Coalition Conference and Everglades Action Day.
Celina and Susannah joined Rising Tide Explorers in November of 2023 as kayak guides, each with their own unique passion and experiences. Getting their master’s degrees in environmental science, they are big advocates for Florida’s ecosystems, studying the impacts of natural red tide toxins on sea turtles and manatees and unnatural human-created toxins on bull sharks.
Susannah Cogburn
Cogburn knew at an early age she wanted to pursue a career in Marine Science and is currently working towards her graduate degree from Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) in Environmental Science. As an undergraduate student, Susannah began volunteering at Rookery Bay and has continued volunteering there for the past five years. This volunteer experience has led her to her graduate research.
Celina Ceballos
Ceballos developed her science curiosity working with terrapins for many summers at the Wetlands Institute at the Jersey Shore. More recently Celina spent time studying sea turtle nesting and rehabilitation at the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach and the Georgia Sea Turtle Center in Jekyll Island, Georgia. With a minor in journalism and experience as an interpreter, she is also driven to bridge the gap between science and the public through effective communication and inspiration. You can learn much more about these Southwest Florida heroes in the ABOUT US page or by joining them on an amazing guided kayak tour!