Raiana Phuong McKinney
Raiana Phuong McKinney
Raiana Phuong McKinney is a Senior Associate specializing in International Fisheries at The Pew Charitable Trusts, where she works to advance ocean and marine conservation. She brings a passion and interest in ocean conservation to the role, with several previous experiences at the Trusts, including as an Associate with the Global Tuna Conservation and Global Shark Conservation, as well as growing up along the Chattahoochee River in Georgia. Additionally, McKinney advances ocean conservation in the public realm through her involvement with TED-Ed, an educational initiative with TED Conferences.
“Anyone can be taught a thing or two about any topic – but not everyone can be taught kindness” - Raiana Phuong McKinney
McKinney, R., Gibbon, J., Wozniak, E., & Galland, G. (2020). Netting billions 2020: A global tuna valuation.
Jungwiwattanaporn, M., McKinney, R., Wozniak, E., & Songco, A. M. (2023). Ocean ecosystem degradation and human populations. In Oceans and Human Health (pp. 243-264). Academic Press.
Raiana Phuong McKinney grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, near the Chattahoochee River, with the river teaching her “a lot about livin’ [and a] little bout love’ as highlighted in Alan Jackson’s song “Chattahoochee.” Observing everyday changes in the river, she became interested in the natural world. Furthering her interest was time spent kayaking the river with her family, where they would collect trash as they traveled down the river. These experiences inspired her early interest in maintaining and protecting nature so everyone could enjoy it. McKinney attended New York University for her undergraduate career, where she studied Environmental Studies and minored in Game and Interactive Media Design. McKinney continued her education at Harvard University, receiving a Master of Liberal Arts in International Relations.
McKinney began her environmental career as a Butterfly Encounter Attendant for the Chattahoochee Nature Center. McKinney continued her work as the Chapter Director for Sprout Up and then as an Intern with the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center. McKinney continued her work in the aquatic field with her work with the Manly Sea Life Sanctuary as a Curriculum and Curatorial Intern. McKinney then moved to the New York City area and began to work for the New York City Mayor's Office of Sustainability as a Greenhouse Gas Inventory & GreenNYC Intern. McKinney continued her work in New York City as a Marketing Intern with Our Daily Planet, increasing their subscriber base.
While attending New York University, McKinney worked for the New York University Office of Sustainability as an EcoReps Coordinator. After graduation, McKinney worked with Ocean Collective as a Research Associate, writing scientific literature regarding plastic and waste in the seafood supply chain. McKinney has worked for The Pew Charitable Trust for roughly five years and has held various positions, including Associate with the Global Tuna Conservation and Global Shark Conservation and Associate with International Fisheries. McKinney is a senior associate at Ecosystem Conservation and Fisheries with International Fisheries. Among their career highlights include working with TED-Ed, the TED Conference's education initiative, where she worked with others on the team to curate lessons on the Atlantic Bluefin Tuna and Dakuwaqa. Since their posting, the lessons have helped inspire curiosity about the ocean.
McKinney cites Esther Wozniak as an important mentor who helped her navigate the field of ocean conservation. As a fellow young woman of color, Wozniak has helped empower McKinney and vice versa, imparting knowledge and wisdom that has influenced McKinney's approach to problem-solving and decision-making. From Wozniak, she has built confidence and skills that have helped her navigate professional settings such as international policy forums, but more importantly, her growth in the field.
McKinney reminds young professionals to be persistent but kind, that hearing no in your career will be common, and that "you must be courageous to advocate for yourself" (2024). She highlights that self-advocacy is a challenging skill to learn and practice but an essential skill to learn and grow professionally and personally. Moreover, McKinney emphasizes the importance of kindness, highlighting that "anyone can be taught a thing or two about any topic – but not everyone can be taught kindness" (2024).
(JEDSI) Survey and interviews conducted by Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Sustainability Initiative staff. 2022-2024. Yale University-School of the Environment. New Haven, Connecticut.
Raiana McKinney. (2024). LinkedIn. Retrieved 2024 from https://www.linkedin.com/in/raiana-mckinney/details/experience/
Raiana McKinney [Photo]. (2024). LinkedIn. Retrieved 2024 from https://www.linkedin.com/in/raiana-mckinney/details/experience/