Kelly Martin, who has over 24 years of expertise in the marine mammal sector and leadership, is the vice president of zoological care at Clearwater Marine Aquarium, a leader in the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of marine animals.
Kelly spent her early childhood visiting aquariums and parks dedicated to marine mammals, and her love for animals and the ocean led her to choose a career in the field of marine mammals. Martin moved to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1999 to work at the Mirage Dolphin Habitat, where she established a strong foundation in SCUBA diving, teaching, guest experience, marine animals, and water quality.
Her career continued when she relocated across the nation to work at Discovery Cove at SeaWorld Orlando where she continued to develop her understanding of leadership, her proficiency with in-water guest interaction and programming, her familiarity with cetacean births and calf raising, her deep awareness of marine mammal social groups, and the consequences of seasonal population shifts. In 2015 Martin accepted an offer to manage a group of Bahamians working on Atlantis, Paradise Island’s Dolphin Cay. As she gained more experience, her repertoire expanded to include pinnipeds and other bird species, the creation of an after-hours marine mammal performance, the transportation of marine mammals, and marketing and public relations initiatives involving high-profile guests.
At Clearwater Marine Aquarium, Martin is currently in charge of the programmes for diving, aquatic biology, animal care, and marine mammal rescue. During her time with the organisation, she has developed revenue-generating educational initiatives, helped with capital construction projects from conception to completion, and most recently collaborated with the team to secure CMA’s first certification from the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums. Kelly has the backing of a gifted and enthusiastic group of people whose main objective is to increase awareness and efforts to protect the environment and marine life.