Conservation Leadership Initiative Students Soar to New Heights

by Natalie Al-Shihabi, Conservation Leadership Initiative Intern

Audubon Florida’s Conservation Leadership Initiative (CLI) grants 25 undergraduate students annually the chance to match with a local Audubon leader for mentorship and work on a conservation project of their choosing. Each cohort kicks off at the annual Audubon Florida Assembly, providing students the unique opportunity to network with conservation leaders while learning about the organization and its mission. 

Meet Clara Soloa, Jennifer Quintero, and Robin Marquez: three CLI alumni who are currently thriving in their respective conservation careers, and for whom the CLI program proved instrumental.

Clara Soloa

Clara, a member of the 2024-2025 CLI Cohort, paired up with Sabeena Beg, the executive director of the Audubon Everglades chapter. Clara has maintained a strong connection with the chapter, where she currently works as an environmental management intern. In this role, Clara assists in field trip coordination, outreach, advocacy, extra projects for the chapter, and the new Conservation Pathway Program, designed so that younger people create connections to the chapter.

Clara emphasizes how valuable the CLI program has been to her career through the opportunities and connections that CLI grants students. She encourages students to put in the effort while in the program and understand how influential it can be for their futures.

"Don’t just go for the bare minimum… Many people don’t realize that they were given the best opportunity of their lives to network, get experience, and build their connections. I couldn’t be more proud of myself for clicking that link, because it really changed my whole path.” – Clara Soloa

Jennifer Quintero

Jennifer was a CLI student in the 2020-2021 CLI cohort, mentored by Steffanie Munguía at Tropical Audubon Society. She currently works for the Florida Department of Transportation as an environmental specialist and volunteers as the conservation and outreach specialist for Tropical Audubon. Her ongoing work with the chapter includes outreach, social media, bird walks, photography, and more.

Jennifer has utilized her connections and experience built throughout the CLI program to strengthen her professional and academic repertoire. For instance, through her mentor, Jennifer participated in field work at the Cape Florida Banding Station where she first started really getting into birds. Later in her academic career, Jennifer used datasets from this banding station for her master’s thesis on migratory birds. Jennifer has relied on her experience to make a positive impact for birds on the FIU campus through bird strike collision surveys and decals. Even now, Jennifer has continued to stay close with her mentor, who notes that “it has been a gift to watch her fall more deeply in love with conservation and discover her place in it.”

When reflecting on being in the CLI program and what it has offered, Jennifer strongly recommends that any student thinking of going into the environmental and conservation field “locks in” on the program application.

“For somebody to create a free program that helps give you opportunities, introduce you to new people, and tailor it specifically to you, this opportunity is absolutely priceless.” - Jennifer Quintero

Robin Marquez

Robin was also part of the 2021-2022 CLI cohort, mentored by Phyllis Hall from Seminole Audubon. Robin is currently the assistant curator for the University of Central Florida’s Bug Closet Collection of Arthropods, where he documents biodiversity, completes field work, and does outreach. Robin’s next step is to get his PhD at the University of Minnesota, where he will study microscopic parasitic wasps and craneflies in one of the labs at the school.

Robin says the CLI program altered his entire career and academic path, opening his eyes to the spectrum of opportunities in the environmental field, and Hall’s mentorship was a major benefit. For Hall, being Robin’s mentor was “the most rewarding experience.”

Reflecting on his own growth in the program and how it inspired him to pursue more ambitious opportunities, Robin has some advice for prospective CLI students and future environmentalists.

“Never be afraid to show up as you are. Never let anything dim your light.” -Robin Marquez