Kelsey McClellan

Tell us about your work/ research. What kinds of things do you do?

Kelsey McClellan is the Program Coordinator and Instructor for the Natural Resource Management Program at Northern Marianas College, where she champions environmental stewardship through research, education, and community engagement. Kelsey has extensive expertise in coral restoration, fisheries management, and outdoor education. As Project Director for initiatives like the “Building Student and Professional Capacity in Agricultural and Natural Resource Management Fields through GIS and Remote Sensing Coursework at the Northern Marianas College” and “Navigating the Waves of Marine Stewardship: NMC Charting the Course for Marine Conservation Education, Empowerment, and Cultural Heritage”, Kelsey and the NRM Program are able to provide immersive and educational natural resource management experiences to students to help usher in a new generation of environmental stewards in the CNMI. She is dedicated to elevating the student experience in the Natural Resource Management Program at NMC and guiding students through their academic and professional careers.
 

What sparked your initial interest in your career?

Kelsey McClellan earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Conservation Biology from Clemson University, where work in Dr. Childress’s lab became fundamental in furthering her need to explore and research the environment. While pursuing a Master of Science degree in Environmental Science from the College of Charleston, she held various research and teaching assistant positions while working as a tour operator and USCG captain. In 2018, Kelsey moved to the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands and worked as the NOAA Coastal Management Fellow at the Division of Coastal Resource Management. In 2022, Kelsey worked as an Expedition Guide in Alaska, New Zealand, and Australia which sparked her passion for communicating the relationship between geology and ecology. 

In 2023, Kelsey started at the Northern Marianas College as adjunct faculty, but found her passion teaching Natural Resources Management. Using her academic background and the professional relationships she developed while working in the public and private sectors in the CNMI, Kelsey combines her passions of conservation and restoration while providing an immersive and educational natural resource management experiences to students to help usher in a new generation of environmental stewards in the CNMI.
 

Who influenced you or encouraged you the most?

Dr. Michael Childress from Clemson University was my first mentor - while working in his lab as an undergraduate researcher, my passion for marine ecology was ignited.
 

What element of your work/ study do you think is the most fascinating?

This voyage is one of the more interesting components of my work lately!
 

How did you get involved with Ocean Exploration Trust? How did you become part of the expedition team?

Attended a Community STEM Program and connected with Dan Wagner and Derek Sowers, Dan invited me on NA 171 as an assistant scientist.
 

What other jobs led you to your current career?

My graduate work was closely aligned with South Carolina Sea Grant, which led me to apply to be a NOAA Coastal Management Fellow. That opportunity lead to work as a coral ecologist and marine technician, which then lead to the Program Coordinator Position at the College.
 

What are your degrees and certifications?

Bachelor of Science in Conservation Biology and Minor in Biological Sciences - Clemson University 2013; Master's of Environmental Science - College of Charleston 2017 - Thesis Topic: Fisheries Management and Individual Based Population Modeling / relationship between recreational and commercial fishing
 

What are your hobbies?

I love to be in the water - surfing, SCUBA, freediving, swimming. I also train and play with the CNMI Women's National soccer team and love to bake.
 

What advice would you give someone who wants to have a career like yours?

Start generally -- figure out what you like to do and are curious about-- start pulling apart those threads of curiosity, don't be afraid to ask questions.