Christopher Boykin joined Miami Waterkeeper as Chief Development Officer in January 2024. Christopher’s most recent role was as the Executive Director for Pelican Harbor Seabird Station. During his nine years there, the organization experienced explosive growth, and over $12,000,000 in funding was secured for the capital campaign.
Prior to that, he served as the Communications Director for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Coral Reef Conservation Program, where he worked for nine years managing projects for the Southeast Florida Coral Reef Initiative’s Local Action Strategy. Before joining the Coral Program, he worked for the Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserves for two years and the St. Martins Marsh Aquatic Preserves in Citrus County studying ornate diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin macrospilota) at offshore bird rookeries.
His non-profit work as Program Coordinator for the Environmental Education Providers of Miami-Dade County and Director for PFLAG and GLSEN in Pinellas counties gave him a diverse foundation in nonprofit management, administration, and fundraising. His early work in Florida, including two years of sea turtle surveys in the Dry Tortugas National Park as one of the first Americorps deployments, as well as working as a commercial lobster and stone crab fisherman.
Like Rachel, Christopher has been a SCUBA diver since the age of 14. He has been a Florida resident since 1990 and has a deep passion for Florida’s diverse aquatic habitats, natural areas, and fauna. Christopher’s knowledge of the bay, corals, seagrasses, and issues, paired with his extensive non-profit and fundraising experience, make him an excellent fit for the MWK team in the role of Chief Development Officer.