Alison McDowell

As a lifelong resident of Okaloosa and Walton counties, Alison grew up swimming, fishing, and boating in the Choctawhatchee Bay. This youthful passion, paired with a mature appreciation of local waterways gained by working in the fishing and hospitality industries, sparked Alison’s drive to return to school and pursue a path that would allow her to give back to our local environment.

Through undergrad courses in fieldwork, internships, and volunteer opportunities with local environmental agencies, Alison gained an understanding and appreciation of the vital role of waterways in connecting and giving life to the landscape here in the Choctawhatchee watershed.

Alison began working at Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance (CBA) in 2007 after serving as a CBA volunteer citizen scientist for 2 years. Her early paid duties included coordinating municipal partnerships for compliance with stormwater permits, grant writing, and creating and developing the Restoration and Education programs.

She received her Master’s in Environmental Science from the University of West Florida in 2013, which eventually led her to the role of Director of CBA beginning in 2014. As Director, her goals for the organization focus on the growth and expansion of CBA’s mission and objectives, as well as the articulation of CBA’s brand, voice, and culture.

In her free time, Alison never stops exploring the watershed; she can be found in the woods or in the water almost every weekend, often with friends and family.