Alabama Coastal Foundation

ACF Staff

Mark Berte, Executive Director

Mark, who grew up in Alabama, was drawn to ACF because of is its vital mission to protect our coastal resources through education, cooperation and participation. Mark has experience in all three of these areas through his past work as a leader in Alabama's state constitution reform movement and as the Director of Community Engagement for the Mobile Area Education Foundation. Mark earned his BA in English with minors in Political Science and Philosophy at Birmingham Southern College and his Masters of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. A 2006 graduate of the Leadership Mobile program and 2007 graduate of Leadership Alabama, Berte brings to the position many local and statewide contacts who care about Alabama’s coastal resources. Berte, who serves on several local and state boards, has a public policy background and uses a collaborative approach to his work. Mark joined ACF as the Executive Director in October, 2011. In his free time, Mark enjoys playing tennis and pool, camping and spending time with his wife and two daughters. Contact Mark

Genevieve Belou, Programs Coordinator

Genevieve’s love for the Gulf Coast began when she was a child in New Orleans, Louisiana. Even after she moved to Kennesaw, Georgia, with her family, her interest in coastal conservation increased during family vacations to Louisiana and the Alabama beaches. After receiving her Bachelor’s degree in English from Kennesaw State University, Genevieve moved to Bozeman, Montana where she volunteered for several organizations including the Gallatin Valley Land Trust. After realizing she was more suited to much warmer climates, she moved to Mobile to attend graduate school at the University of South Alabama and was hired as the Volunteer Coordinator and Marketing and PR Assistant for the Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center. In July of 2011, Genevieve joined the Alabama Coastal Foundation as the Programs Coordinator. In addition to being actively involved in several community organizations, Genevieve enjoys jogging with her dog, Stella, cooking and spending time at the beach. Contact Genevieve

Kelley Barfoot, AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer

Kelley is an AmeriCorp VISTA volunteer with the Alabama Coastal Foundation. She is receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Maritime Studies with a minor in Anthropology from The University of West Florida. She has also studied Geographic Information Systems at UWF. Her areas of interest are Wet Land Conservation and Coastal Zone Management. She is a graduate of Theodore High School. She has been a local resident of the Fowl River Community for 26 years. She and her husband Chris enjoy stand up paddle boarding, surfing, kayaking, boating and fishing together. In her spare time she volunteers giving paddle board lessons for One Love Surf & Paddle Shop located on Dauphin Island. She also enjoys spending time with her family, reading, gardening and sunshine.

Kandice O'Grady, AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer

Kandice is an Americorps VISTA for the Alabama Coastal Foundation. Kandice was born and raised in Minneapolis, MN where she also studied at Bethel University and received a B.A in Environmental Studies and a B.A in Reconciliation Studies. Kandice’s passion for the environment began during a study abroad semester in Belize of Central America. Here, she learned the benefits of living simply and what the implications of ‘living simply’ mean in regards to the health of the globe. Shortly thereafter Kandice focused her agenda on the issues of water quality throughout the coal mining regions of Appalachia. In light of her experiences and studies in coal country Kandice strives to live everyday considering everyone who lives ‘downstream.’ A perfect day for Kandice consists of a hiking trip, dinner over campfire and playing guitar in the comfort of a hammock.

Camille Brockett, AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer

Camille is an Americorps VISTA from the California coast. She recently graduated from the University of the Pacific with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Graphic Design and Communication. With past work experience in design and marketing, she hopes to utilize her skills to inform and educate others about the importance of ACF’s mission and Alabama’s coastal resources. Camille’s interest and appreciation for the environment began while learning and living throughout California including: the Mojave Desert, the Bay Area, Sierra Nevadas, Central Valley, and the Southern California Coast. She looks forward to learning more about the South and enjoys traveling, the outdoors, photography, and animals.