Laura Bankey

As vice president of conservation programs at the National Aquarium, Laura Bankey provides strategic vision and leadership to impact both ecosystems and communities, focusing on the National Aquarium's unique contributions to conservation, consistent with its mission and values, and working in close collaboration with the senior leadership to advance the National Aquarium's conservation priorities. She has been with the Aquarium since 2002.

Beyond her work at the Aquarium, Laura serves on many boards and committees, including the Maryland Commission on Climate Change's Education and Outreach Committee, the Maryland Marine Debris Advisory Committee, Stevenson University Center for Environmental Stewardship Advisory Board, Aquarium Conservation Partnership Executive Committee and Choose Clean Water Coalition Steering Committee.

She holds dual bachelor's degrees in chemistry and biochemistry from the University of Dallas in Texas and a master's degree in marine science with a focus on aquatic toxicology from the College of William and Mary School of Marine Science in Virginia.