Bethany Carl Kraft

Bethany A. Carl Kraft (she/her) directs the coastal and marine conservation programs at the National Audubon Society, providing strategy and coordination for Audubon’s work around the country to ensure that birds have the protections and habitats they need to thrive. Her work lies at the intersection of science, policy, and on-the-ground conservation with over 20 years of experience in restoration and recovery for wetlands and marshes, beaches and barrier islands, birds, oysters, and sea turtles. She also serves on the North American Wetlands Conservation Council staff to support Council member and Audubon Chief Conservation Officer Marshall Johnson and help conserve wetlands for migratory birds and other wildlife.

Prior to joining Audubon in 2022, Bethany worked as a consultant, supporting the State of Alabama’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill restoration program. Previously, she was the Director of the Gulf Restoration Program at Ocean Conservancy, where she led an interdisciplinary team to secure a science-based and community-supported restoration and ecosystem enhancement effort in the Gulf of Mexico. She also served a one-year detail to the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council as the Director of External Affairs. She began her conservation career in Alabama, serving as Executive Director at the Alabama Coastal Foundation, where she was active in Alabama’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill response. Bethany has a B.A. in political science from Texas A&M University, a Graduate Certificate in coastal sciences from the University of New Orleans, and an M.S. in forest resources and conservation (restoration ecology) from the University of Florida.