Holly O'Neal

Holly O’Neal is a passionate environmental advocate and educator dedicated to protecting natural resources and advancing conservation efforts. She has led initiatives in biodiversity conservation, marine restoration and youth environmental education while contributing to grassroots advocacy campaigns across multiple communities. O’Neal is fluent in English and German, as well as proficient in Spanish and Russian.

The breadth of Holly O’Neal’s environmental work has ranged from working on an organic farm in Austria to learning about conservation practices in the Annapurna Conservation Area while trekking the Annapurna Circuit. Through this work, O’Neal learned critical lessons about sustainable restoration agriculture and policies in Europe: key areas of interest for her today.

Holly O’Neal’s connection to nature roots its way back to her childhood in Maine, where formative experiences inspired a lifelong love of the outdoors — hiking and running remain her go to escapes. A trip to Kenya in the second grade sparked O’Neal’s early interest in foreign languages and global affairs. Later, working on a lobster boat opened her eyes to coastal sustainable development and management, launching her path into environmental outreach, advocacy, and policy. This year, in partnership with the Maine Audubon and Washington Academy, O’Neal revived a native plant nursery for reconciliation ecology and habitat restoration, while leading outreach on the critical role of native plants in ecosystems and communities.