Casi On Cg Flight — Casi Callaway on a Coast Guard flight. Photo courtesy of MobileBaykeeper.org

After 23 years of public service in her position as Executive Director and Baykeeper for Mobile Baykeeper, Casi Callaway has made the decision to step down from her post. Not to end her career in public service, but to kick it up a notch. The City of Mobile announced on April 5th that Callaway was tapped by Mayor Stimpson as the first Chief Resilience Officer for the city.

Casicallawayheadshot — Casi Callaway headshot. Photo courtesy of MobileBaykeeper.org.

Callaway’s decades of experience have aptly prepared her for her new role as Chief Resilience Officer:

She will be responsible for the strategic pursuit of comprehensive resilience priorities across environmental, social, economic, and infrastructural improvement goals in order to strengthen the city’s ability to address the systemic stresses and challenges it faces, as well as enhance its ability to prepare for and rebound from acute shocks.
Mobile Baykeeper Media Release, April 6, 2021

Mobtown Merch Check — Casi Callaway accepting a check to help save the Mobile River Delta. Photo courtesy of MobileBaykeeper.org

This is the first time that the City of Mobile has had a Chief Resilience Officer on its government staff.

The position revolves around coming up with intutitive, long-lasting, and working solutions to make Mobile a better place for everyone. Callaway’s new job will entail weaving a lot of her experience at Baykeeper, but in an innovative way to help the whole city.

Resiliency is important for municipalities, as it is a measure of how well an area can handle a disaster. Events like the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and the COVID-19 pandemic have further solidified the city’s need for a resilience officer.

“Casi has an unimpeachable record of serving our community and protecting our environment through her extensive work with Mobile Baykeeper. In this new role, we know that she’ll be able to bring together the people and resources needed to help improve our City and address many of its environmental, social, economic, and infrastructural needs.”
Mayor Stimpson on his choice of Casi Callaway for Chief Resilience Officer

Callaway’s legacy as Baykeeper

Casi And Bobby Kennedy — Casi Callaway and Bobby Kennedy. Photo courtesy of MobileBaykeeper.org

2000: Mobile Baykeeper becomes the 37th member of the Waterkeeper Alliance.
2001: Wins lawsuit against MAWSS which prevented 2.5 million gallons of waste from being dumped into Mobile Bay.
2005: Name officially changed from Mobile Bay Watch to Mobile Baykeeper. Liquified Natural Gas installations defeated largely by Baykeeper efforts.
2006: Highway 98 drinking water case, changed Alabama Dept. of Transportation’s regulations on dealing with hazardous waste and materials during construction and raised overall standards for roadway construction.
2010: Joins Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill cleanup efforts
2013: “Create a Clean Water Future” campaign launched to combat littering in waterways. Three Mile Creek Cleanups begin.
2014: Lobbied the City of Mobile into passing stricter clean water and anti-littering legislation.
2016: Most protective legislation on above-ground oil storage in the nation passed, in part by Mobile Baykeepeer’s efforts.
2018: Report released detailing the dangers of coal ash pits at the Alabama Power’s Barry Plant.

Callaway is slated to start her new position in early May, bringing a new level of preparedness and activism to the city of Mobile.