Kim Bednarek, Executive Director, Okefenokee Swamp Park, Inc.

Kim Bednarek is a mission-driven executive and entrepreneurial leader with more than two decades of experience spanning environmental conservation, education, and nonprofit management. As Executive Director of Okefenokee Swamp Park, Inc. (OSP) and Okefenokee Adventures, she leads a dynamic organization at the intersection of stewardship, education, and regional economic development—advancing one of North America’s most significant ecosystems as both a global conservation asset and a catalyst for rural prosperity.

Since assuming leadership in 2020, Kim has guided the transformation of OSP, an 80-year-old nonprofit and key partner to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Under her leadership, the organization has strengthened its role as a regional backbone for conservation, expanded educational access, and advanced a bold vision for the “Okefenokee Experience”—a multi-site initiative designed to connect community development with nature-based tourism.

Kim plays a central leadership role in the national effort to secure UNESCO World Heritage inscription for the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge—a 40-year vision that reached a major milestone with the formal nomination submitted by the U.S. Department of the Interior in 2025. If inscribed, the Okefenokee would become the first site entirely managed by the National Wildlife Refuge System and the first World Heritage Site in Georgia, elevating both its global ecological significance and its regional economic impact.

Prior to joining OSP, Kim served for 13 years as Head of School at The Discovery School in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, a nationally recognized Montessori–International Baccalaureate program. During her tenure, she led transformative growth, doubling enrollment and campus footprint, completing multiple million-dollar capital campaigns, achieving dual accreditation, and guiding the school through International Baccalaureate candidacy. Her leadership forged enduring partnerships with organizations including the Rainforest Alliance and White Oak Conservation Center, integrating environmental stewardship into educational programming.

Kim holds a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Marine Biology from the University of New Hampshire and an MBA with Honors in Leadership Development from Jacksonville University. She also holds a Montessori Administrator credential and is a graduate of Leadership Florida and the Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership. Kim currently serves as Board Chair of the St. Marys Riverkeeper and on the Board of Directors for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce.