About — Carla Perscky

Carla Perscky is a conservation leader, scientist, and U.S. Navy veteran whose work connects exploration, science, and community engagement to protect the ocean.

Her career began at sea. During ten years in the United States Navy, Carla served as a marine engineer and boat captain supporting dive operations, maritime security missions, and seafloor mapping surveys across the Pacific.

She deployed internationally, including missions supporting underwater recovery operations in Papua New Guinea, assisting efforts to locate aircraft lost during World War II.

These experiences shaped her lifelong commitment to understanding and protecting marine ecosystems.

Scientific Research

Carla is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Biology at University of Central Florida, where her research focuses on seagrass ecosystems and marine heatwaves.

Her work integrates:

• ecological monitoring
• genomics
• habitat restoration

to understand how coastal ecosystems respond to climate change and how they can be protected for future generations.

Her research has received funding and recognition for advancing the study of tropical seagrass resilience.

Conservation Leadership

Carla serves as Executive Director of Anglers for Conservation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting people with fishing, conservation, and stewardship of Florida's coastal ecosystems.

Through programs like Hook Kids on Fishing, Carla leads education initiatives that teach youth about:

• sustainable fishing
• marine habitats
• environmental stewardship

These programs now reach more than 1,500 youth and families each year.

Exploration & Community Engagement

Carla has presented research at national and international conferences and works to translate complex scientific findings into accessible stories that connect people with the ocean.

She also volunteers with organizations like Malama na Honu, supporting community-based efforts to protect Hawaiian green sea turtles.

Her work reflects a belief that protecting the natural world requires collaboration between scientists, communities, educators, and explorers.

Entrepreneurship & Operations Leadership

Before transitioning into full-time conservation work, Carla helped build and operate the Southeast location of Mainline Overland, an expedition and vehicle outfitting company specializing in remote travel and exploration.

As Chief Operations Officer, she played a key role in launching the newest store within the company’s three-location network. Carla designed the operational systems that supported retail operations, expedition logistics, and custom vehicle builds.

Military Service & Exploration

Carla Perscky served for ten years in the United States Navy as a marine engineer and boat captain supporting maritime operations across the Indo-Pacific region.

Her work focused on the operation and maintenance of critical shipboard systems, including seawater, potable water, fuel, and engineering infrastructure essential to mission readiness.

Carla also supported dive operations and maritime missions that included seafloor mapping and underwater recovery work. During one deployment, she traveled to Papua New Guinea to assist with a mission supporting the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, helping conduct side-scan sonar surveys used to locate a World War II aircraft lost during combat operations.