Casi(kc) Callaway, Executive Director and Baykeeper
Education:
Julius T. Wright, Mobile, Alabama, 1987
Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia,
Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Human and Natural Ecology, 1991
Alliance Francaise, Summer, 1989
Relevant Experience:
Mobile Baykeeper, (formerly Mobile Bay Watch, Inc.) August, 1998 – present.
Executive Director and Baykeeper. Responsibilities include organizing, researching and educating the community on issues that affect our public health, environment and quality of life for the Mobile Bay Area. Specific duties include fundraising to maintain a minimum $325,000 budget; small business management including budgeting and development of three full time and four part time staffers; building and developing membership; researching environmental issues; community speaking; acting as liaison between the community, business and civic leaders; and working to build a coalition of citizens who are concerned about Mobile Bay. Since 1998, our membership has grown from 300 to nearly 3,500 and our budget has been as high as $450,000.
Mrs. Callaway’s responsibilities as a board member and chair of a committee of Waterkeeper Alliance requires her to travel the country working with new and existing organizations to help them strengthen their programs and improve their campaign strategies. She works regionally on Gulf of Mexico program issues and brings broad issues back to South Alabama for implementation.
Canvass Director, 1997-1998. Duties included managing a staff of between 5 and 20 organizers, developing and implementing training plans for new leaders and new staff; creating and tracking a yearly budget of $250,000; leading information sessions to develop staff communication skills and awareness of campaign issues; running weekly staff meetings; participating in monthly meetings to brief the campaign directors on community concerns; coordinating with other organizations to efficiently build membership in the region; and continuing to fulfill the role of a field manager.
Elections Coordinator, 1994-1998. Duties included organizing campaign staff and volunteers to identify and/or register voters; dropping literature and talking to members of voting precincts on behalf of the selected candidates; assisting with strategy; planning and writing literature pieces for candidates at the local, state and federal level in more than 7 states.
Phone and Field Manager, 1994-1997. Duties included organizing and facilitating crews of up to 15 people; training new staff and developing leaders; and educating, organizing and fundraising to build and develop members both by phone and in communities in 12 states across the country.
Congressman Ben Jones’ District Office in Atlanta, Congressional Intern, Spring Semester 1991. Duties included reviewing and organizing constituent files; ordering publications; and taking and responding to legislative opinions.
Congressman Sonny Callahan’s Washington, DC Office, Congressional Intern, Summer, 1990. Duties included reviewing and organizing constituent correspondence; reviewing casework; studying and reviewing legislation and community concerns; and researching local issues.
Earth Day 1990, Southeastern Regional College Campus Coordinator, 1989-1990. Duties included overseeing campus activities for the five Southern states; acting as a liaison between headquarters in California and each campus’ student leaders; generating media; organizing a calendar of events for the region; recruiting and organizing volunteers to participate and attend local workshops and a regional symposium; and giving lectures to student and environmental organizations.
Memberships – National & Regional
- Waterkeeper Alliance – Gulf Regional Board Member & Chair, Waterkeeper Relations Committee
Waterkeeper Alliance is an international organization with 191 member organizations in 19 countries on six continents. The Alliance provides Baykeepers, Riverkeepers, Coastkeepers and more with legal, scientific and communications support, and unites their voices as they take on major global water issues together. Duties include representing, mentoring and working with 26 Gulf programs who elected me to be their representative on the board; participating in quarterly board meetings, the Annual Board Retreat and Waterkeeper Conference; interview potential new programs within the region; and develop and administer the Strategic Plan for Waterkeeper Alliance. As Chair of the Waterkeeper Support Committee, my responsibilities include reviewing programs for compliance with the 13 quality standards; assisting programs with their business and campaign operations, develop standards to work with, strengthen and support the 191 and growing Waterkeepers.
- Gulf Fisheries Alliance – Executive Committee
- Clean Air Network
- Clean Water Network
Memberships – Statewide & Local
- Junior League of Mobile – Training Chair
- League of Women Voters – Mobile and Baldwin Counties
- Mobile United Natural Resource Committee
- Alabama Department of Environmental Management Reform Coalition – Co-Chair
- Mobile Air Quality Study – Stakeholder
- Government Street Presbyterian Church – Evangelism & Membership Committee
Honors, Publications, etc.
- Environmentalist of the Year, 2009
- Environmental Organization of the Year, 2008
- Numerous articles in FOLIO, a Junior League of Mobile publication
- Numerous articles in Waterkeeper Alliance Magazine
- Co-Developed Provisional Program for the Junior League of Mobile which won the Leadership Development Award from the Association of Junior Leagues International
Gubernatorial and Other Appointments
- Alabama Commission on Environmental Initiatives – Commissioner – appointed by Governor Don Siegelman
- Coastal Resources Advisory Council – appointed by Governor Bob Riley
- Gulf of Mexico Program – Environmental Representative, Citizens Advisory Committee and Management Committee – appointed by Governor Riley
- Mobile Bay National Estuary Program – Management Committee – appointed by Governor Riley
- Alabama Department of Environmental Management – Funding Committee (appointed by the Environmental Management Commission under Director Jim Warr-2004)
- Alabama Department of Environmental Management – Hiring Committee (appointed by the Environmental Management Commission-2004/5)
- Alabama Department of Environmental Management – Strategic Planning Stakeholder Committee (appointed by the Environmental Management Commission under Director Warr-2004 and Director Glenn-2005)
- Alabama Department of Environmental Management – Cancer Panel (appointed by the Environmental Management Commission under Director Glenn-2005)
Personal
I am blessed to have a wonderful husband, Jarrett, and a handsome baby boy – Coleman Peter Callaway (born 12/1/2007). My family is also here in the Bay/Beach area which keeps us grounded and allows us to continuously enjoy our home.
