Galveston County, Texas — Brandi Keller joins Texas Sea Grant as Galveston County’s Coastal and Marine Resources Extension Agent. She is jointly appointed with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.
Extension agents deliver innovative science-based solutions and education in their counties. Keller will implement, plan and evaluate educational programs and activities throughout Galveston County related to the marine and coastal environment.
Brandi earned her B.S. in Conservation, with a minor in writing and studio art, from Kent State University in Ohio.
Brandi is a veteran of the U.S. Navy and has been with AgriLife Extension for 7 years as a Master Gardener Program Coordinator and County Extension Agent for Residential Horticulture in Houston. She was presented a Superior Service Team Award in 2023 for the Home Grown Series that included a combination of educational virtual programs, podcasts, and monthly newsletters. Later in 2023, she received a National Communication Award from the National Association of County Agriculture Agents for her garden column in the Houston Chronicle.
When not working, Brandi spends time bird watching, beachcombing the shores of Galveston, and enjoying local Gulf shrimp. She loves cephalopods, mostly octopuses, and has volunteered her time monitoring bluebirds, assisting dolphin watching trips, and cleaning up the shoreline. “I have a passion for all things coastal and bridging the gap between science and the general public.”
Brandi, as the newly appointed advisor to the Galveston Bay Master Naturalists, is excited to develop public programs that promote healthy ecosystems and coastal creatures, while also fostering awareness of sustainable seafood practices and the local seafood industry. In a county attracting millions of visitors a year, she understands the importance of inclusive programming in providing every individual with a chance to establish connections within our gulf coast community.
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Texas Sea Grant is a unique partnership that unites the resources of the federal government, the State of Texas and universities across the state to create knowledge, tools, products and services that benefit the economy, the environment and the citizens of Texas. It is administered through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and is one of 34 university-based Sea Grant Programs around the country.