Village names 2021 Mayor’s Environmentalist of the Year

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Village names 2021 Mayor's Environmentalist of the Year
Dr. Leopoldo Llinas

Palmetto Bay Mayor Karyn Cunningham publicly recognized the Mayor’s Environmentalist of the Year, Dr. Leopoldo Llinas, during the Earth Day event on Friday, Apr. 23, at the village’s Thalatta Estate Park.

Each year the mayor nominates the Environmentalist of the Year, someone, a group or a business that has made an outstanding contribution to an environmental activity and leadership in the Village of Palmetto Bay. Such contribution may be for volunteerism, leadership, or any other such service that would be considered to be extraordinary in nature.

“When I learned about being selected to be the Village of Palmetto Bay’s Mayor’s Environmentalist of the Year, I felt inspired,” said Dr. Llinas. “It gave me hope that through my hard work and passion I can inspire people to become better stewards of our planet. If I can make a positive difference to just one person in the course of a year at school or in my community, then I should be proud of that.”

Dr. Llinas is a resident of Palmetto Bay, a husband and father of two young boys who share his passion for the environment.

Born in Bogota, Colombia, he applied to join the Colombian Navy at the age of 18 but was disqualified for being colorblind. When that plan failed, he applied to the University of Miami where he spent most of his time in the university lab studying marine food chain. Specializing in plankton ecology, he received his Bachelor of Science in 2002 and later received his PhD in Marine Biology and Fisheries in 2007.

During his time at UM, he joined a National Science Foundation expedition that ventured to the Arctic Ocean and navigated over the vast frozen expanse collecting valuable data.

For more than a decade, Dr. Llinas has allied with educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and countless individuals to raise awareness and take steps toward safeguarding our natural resources. He has participated in multiple cleanups at Coral Reef Park and the Deering Estate. He has presented at conferences and workshops to train public and private school educators to integrate climate literacy into their curriculum.

Dr. Llinas has helped Palmer Trinity install two solar systems and phase out single use plastic bottles on campus. He created the Blue Stewards Certificate Program that blends traditional education with scientific research in Miami and around the globe. Working with private and nonprofit partners, students explore the centrality of water in people’s lives, examining from both an environmental necessity and a key cultural element.

Dr. Llinas currently is a science teacher and director of Environmental Stewardship at Palmer Trinity School in Palmetto Bay, Florida. He also is a member of the Upper School Science Department, advisor for the Environmental Action Club and 10th grade lead advisor. He serves on the NOAA Planet Stewards Education Project Stewardship Community and the Climate Reality Leadership Corps.

Not surprising, Dr. Llinas is a National Geographic Certified educator.

“I am inspired everyday by the people that I work with — an amazing team of teachers and staff,” Dr. Llinas said.

“I am inspired by the students that I teach and the youth activists I have the honor to advise. I am honored to receive this recognition. It makes me realize that my community values what I do, and it motivates me to keep doing it everyday,” he added.

“Palmetto Bay’s got alent and Leo Llinas is the prime example of that,” Mayor Cunningham said. “He personifies the pride of Palmetto Bay.”


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