Meet The Team – Katie!

At All Out Africa, there are many things that set us apart. One of them is our fantastic team! That’s why we decided it was time to sit down with our staff and have them answer a few fun questions about why they love what they do!

Today we are highlighting Katie, our Director of Marine Research & Conservation! Katie has been with AOA for 6 years, living in beautiful Tofo Mozambique. Here is what she had to say!

What is your favourite thing about your job?

Being surprised.  The ocean is so vast and we know so little really about it and the life within it.  I love the sense of awe and wonder that working on the ocean and in marine research brings with it every day.  We never know what the conditions will be like, or what wildlife will come along…the more data we collect the more we can understand.  Every day is some form of unknown; some form of adventure.

When was a time you thought to yourself “wow, I love what I do!”

I’m fortunate, I think this a lot!!!  But I’m fortunate by design…no magic ‘luck’ lifted me up and deposited me in Mozambique as a marine biologist.  Hard work, striving for the qualifications and the money for the flights and some tough decisions got me here.  Here; right where I always wanted to be.  When I was 4 years old I wanted spend at least 5 years of my life in future working with big animals in Africa.  I couldn’t swim then, so I thought it would be rhinos or elephants not whales and whale sharks!  I love what I do, and often when I am out on the boat or giving talks I look up at feel warm in the fact that I am right here, where I always wanted to be.

Where is your favourite local hang out?

Giants’ Castle… my favourite reef.  Not too far from shore but a deep site where you always see plenty of redfangtrigger fish and cleaner fish silhouetted against the surface, but could see almost anything at all!

When you’re not changing the world, what do you do for fun?

I love yoga….i spend hours around sunrise or sunset on the deck of my house overlooking the indian ocean doing yoga and pilates.  Also I bake…love an experimental baking session making up recipes!

When you wake up in the morning what do you look forward to most?

Seeing what they day has to offer.  Here my day is always full of colour, life and surprises.  I look forwards to taking it all in.  Oh and coffee…of course!

If you had a super power what would it be?

To apparate (Harry Potter style)…I love it here, but I love my home too and miss things about it, I miss warm evenings by the fire with family, pints of guinness with friends.

If you were a volunteer with AOA, what program or tour would you sign up for? (and why?)

Haha well I’m bias!!  OK I would actually sign up for the marine program…but I would get involved with the community side too with the AOA swim school and I would add on a weekend in Swaziland with zip-lining and then the Kruger tour.  Best of both worlds – community and research, and ocean and land-based wildlife ????