Born and raised near the Savannah River, Tonya Bonitatibus serves as the Riverkeeper and Executive Director for Savannah Riverkeeper, watching over the health and vibrancy of the watershed in Georgia and the Carolinas for over a decade. Tonya is a Council Member and Board Member of Waterkeeper Alliance, a network of almost 400 water advocates around the world, and she is an internationally recognized leader among the movement. She has spoken at hundreds of events including TEDx Savannah advocating for forward-thinking and responsible use of water resources over a more than 10,000 square-mile watershed. During her tenure with Riverkeeper, she has put a focus on using locally sourced foods and artisans at the organization’s oyster roasts and events.
Tonya will speak on “Sustenance from the Savannah River,” touching on the river’s variety of offerings, fishable water as a right for all Americans, and the impact of pollution on the food chain and human health.