Mikayla Spencer is the Senior Manager of Equitable Ocean Communities on Ocean Conservancy’s Ocean Justice team. Her portfolio comprises our work to develop strong, authentic relationships with ocean and coastal communities in all the places where OC works—with a particular focus on Indigenous and Afro-Descendant people and places.

She also manages the Ocean Justice Community Grants Program, is a member of the leadership team for Ocean Conservancy’s Shipping & Ports Justice campaign and provides support for relationship-building and community outreach in other areas of Ocean Conservancy’s programmatic portfolio.

Mikayla received her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Analysis and Planning, with a focus on sustainability studies, biology and geography, and earned a master’s degree in Environmental Management. Drawing from her experiences from organizing anti-fracking campaigns and her past work at the Climate Reality Project, The Wilderness Society and The Marine Mammal Center, she employs storytelling to elevate marginalized and underrepresented voices around the world as she works to deconstruct harmful colonial frameworks.