Julie Cappelli

Julie is an energetic biologist with a passion for all things nature-related, an unquenchable thirst for new ecological adventures, and a strong affinity for sustainable practices and knowledge sharing. In her ceaseless quest to understand and experience the aquatic realm, she has been trying to grow a set of gills from an early age. After earning a degree in marine biology, she traveled the globe as an expedition leader and scuba instructor. She went on to complete graduate degrees in biology and geographic information systems, where her ecology and genetics research resulted in the description of a new species of cavefish and its subsequent listing as an endangered species.

Julie’s dedication to understanding and conserving our natural world has led to numerous innovations and developments in fisheries, conservation, and human dimensions at NOAA, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service where she served as a biologist over a decade. In 2018 she received the prestigious USFWS Endangered Species Recovery Champion Award, a testament to her exceptional contributions to the conservation of endangered species. Her passion and appreciation for adventure and exploration run deep—she and her husband are fulfilling their lifelong dream of sailing the world on a boat of their own in search of a closer connection with the natural world.