ACF Team
Mark was asked to serve as the Alabama Coastal Foundation Executive Director in October, 2011. He was drawn to the ACF because of its vital mission of protecting our coast through cooperation, education, and participation. He has experience in each of those areas through his past work as a leader in Alabama’s state constitution reform movement and as the Director of Community Engagement for the Mobile Area Education Foundation. Mark earned his B.A. in English with a double minor in Political Science and Philosophy at Birmingham Southern College, and received his M.P.A. at the University of Texas at Austin. A 2006 graduate of the Leadership Mobile program and 2007 graduate of Leadership Alabama, Mark has a broad network of local and statewide contacts. Mark enjoys playing tennis and pool, camping and spending time with his wife and two daughters.
The Alabama Coastal Foundation is honored to have Jill Chenoweth serve as our first-ever Deputy Director! Prior to ACF, Jill was the President and CEO of United Way of Southwest Alabama helping to raise millions of dollars to support vital needs in our part of the state. Before taking that larger role, she worked for two of United Way’s partner agencies and was also an original founder of the South Alabama Coalition of Nonprofits. Jill is passionate about advocating for children’s rights, social justice for people without a voice, and our coastal environment where she loves to exercise. She is a lifelong tennis player and looks forward to connecting with all ACF supporters!
M’Kiyah Conner grew up in Phenix City, and is a graduate of Alabama State University where she obtained her bachelors degree in Political Science and a minor in Legal Studies. During M’Kiyah’s tenure at Alabama State University, she contributed to many volunteer efforts including starting her own Political Science club for elementary students and being a volunteer for Pearls Leadership Academy, an academy geared towards mentoring young girls and helping them with their efforts toward after school success. M’Kiyah enjoys networking, spending time with her family, and volunteering.
Haley Jackson is ACF’s new Coastal Relations Coordinator. Haley received her Bachelor of Science Biology degree at Jacksonville State University concentrating in Marine Biology at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. She considers Gulf Shores her home now, and enjoys educating locals and visitors alike about our coastal environment. Previously she has worked both for the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo and for the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources at the Claude Peteet Mariculture Center. She has gained valuable experience in the hospitality field and works closely with different aspects of recreational saltwater fishing.
Sara Johnson, who hails from Pennsylvania, grew up on the east coast and dreamed of a career in marine science. She earned a Bachelor’s in Animal Bioscience from the Pennsylvania State University and has worked in science and conservation ever since--first in veterinary medicine before finding an ocean conservation home at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. Sara enjoyed over 11 years helping to run the education programs in Discovery Hall at the Sea Lab, coordinating professional development for teachers, camps for students and outreach around the state. In addition, she was a Share the Beach (STB) Team Leader for Dauphin Island for over a decade. Outside of sea turtle work, Sara spends time with her husband and two children swimming, helping with soccer practices, biking, camping, and of course, visiting the beach.
Joe McEnerney lives in Fairhope, and is a native of Montgomery. Joe became a Board member of the Alabama Coastal Foundation in 2005 and served as ACF's President in 2010-2012. Joe originally volunteered with ACF because of its vital mission of protecting the place he had come to love. Also, as a business person, he embraced the organization's goal of cooperation and education as tools to protect the environment. Joe earned his MS in Environmental Sciences from Auburn University and MBA with an emphasis in finance and operations from Indiana University. Joe and his wife Jane have two daughters. In his free time, Joe is a passionate fan of college football, an avid gardener and a jogger.