Lucia McKinnon studies biology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. With a passion for wildlife conservation, she has been involved in numerous environmental endeavors since high school. Since 2022, she has dedicated her time to rescuing and rehabilitating sick and injured sea turtles, as well as contributing to the restoration of coral reefs at the Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute. As a World Wildlife Fund Panda Ambassador, she strives to promote and practice environmental stewardship. Lucia represented EarthEcho International as a 2024 Ocean Protection Ambassador, engaging youth in ocean conservation through educational outreach regarding Marine Protected Areas in order to conserve 30% of the ocean by 2030. She continues to advocate for environmental protection as a youth advisor for Colossal Biosciences and as a member of UNC’s environmental honors fraternity, Epsilon Eta.