Emily Mundy was born and raised in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Her early years were spent camping in the African bush while her zoologist father did his research, so she has always loved nature and being outdoors. She was, however, more fascinated with the ocean, and growing up in a landlocked country motivated her to seek out her own underwater adventures. On a trip to the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, she discovered scuba diving and the marine world – and immediately fell in love.
After completing her scuba certifications during her university years in South Africa, she spent several years traveling through South East Asia volunteering with coral reef restoration projects and working as a Dive Master on dive safari boats.
Those experiences opened her eyes to the many widespread issues facing the health of the oceans and marine life. Determined to do her part for marine conservation, she decided to completed her MSc in the UK, where she specialised in the management of tropical marine ecosystems using marine protected areas to regulate tourism and fishing activities.
Emily first came to Kuredu Island in Lhaviyani Atoll in 2019 to work as a diving instructor with Prodivers Maldives. From November 2020 to December 2022 she represented the Olive Ridley Project on Kuredu as a Sea Turtle Biologist and Guest Educator. In January 2023 she decided to stay dry for a while and is now working as ORP’s Individual Giving Administrator, looking after all our wonderful donors and adoptive parents.
