Meet Jillian Morris

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jillian Morris. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jillian below.

Jillian, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

I fell in love with the ocean as a young child. When I was 5, I told my parents I wanted to be a marine biologist. As I grew older and started to pursue that career, I saw some incredible places and animals. I wanted to figure out a way to translate and share my ocean experiences with others. I wanted people to understand how important and incredible sharks and the ocean are. I visited many classrooms and did talks for kids, and always walked away feeling more inspired and hopeful. I reflected on this and realized how much this was what I wanted to do. I wanted to teach kids facts instead of fear and empower them to take action, knowing they can make a difference. I cI fell in love with the ocean as a young child. When I was five, I told my parents I wanted to be a marine biologist. As I grew older and pursued that career, I had the opportunity to visit incredible places and encounter amazing animals. I felt a strong desire to share my ocean experiences with others and help them understand how important and remarkable sharks and the ocean are.

I visited many classrooms and spoke to kids, always leaving feeling more inspired and hopeful. This made me reflect on my passion for education and sharing knowledge. I wanted to teach children facts instead of fear, empowering them to take action and showing them that they can make a difference.

This passion led me to create my nonprofit, Sharks4Kids. I combined my background in science and media to develop a program aimed at inspiring the next generation of shark advocates.reated my nonprofit Sharks4Kids because of this. I combined my science and media background to bring to life a program to create the next generation of shark advocates.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I am a marine biologist specializing in sharks. I am also the founder and president of Sharks4Kids, a nonprofit organization dedicated to education. My entire adult life has revolved around sharks, and my career has encompassed research, diving, media, and education, all of which are based on sharks. I met my husband while shark diving, and we now share our love of sharks and the ocean with our daughter.

Sharks4Kids offers free educational resources for students, educators, and families. We offer a diverse range of learning opportunities for children and adults. The goal is to create the next generation of shark advocates through education, outreach, and adventure.

Getting students in the field to see sharks and participate in research is the most rewarding experience. You can see a change from fear to fascination happen before you. I feel honored to be able to create these moments for students, and it gives me the most hope and inspires me to keep fighting for sharks.

I am incredibly proud of Project Lemon Aid ( you can check it out on our website under the Research tab). This community-driven research and education project is helping connect kids in Turks and Caicos to real science and data. We are taking students in the field and also visiting schools. We are working to connect students and the community to the ocean and sharks in a meaningful and impactful way.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Being open to opportunities is essential. You never know where a door may lead you and what you can learn.

Always find a positive to take away. I worked at a seal rehabilitation center and learned that this was not a field I wanted to work in. Learning this in itself was valuable; I also walked away with some helpful veterinary technician skills that still assist me in my career.

Communication skills are invaluable in any field. Sharing your work can help inspire others, connect with your community, and build your brand.

For those pursuing a career in marine science, I recommend pursuing internships and volunteering. Gaining as much experience as possible will significantly benefit you.

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?

My parents have always supported my goals and dreams. I played basketball from elementary school through college, and my parents were always at my games. They made sacrifices so I could go to camps, play AAU, and pursue any opportunity to help me excel in the sport. They also supported me in traveling to the other side of the world to pursue my career in marine biology. They never said, “No, don’t go.”
They said, “We will miss you, but we are proud of you for chasing your dreams.”

Knowing that no matter what, whether things worked out or not, I had their support gave me the courage and strength to travel solo, explore opportunities, and chase my dreams. Even now, living far away with my daughter, they never ask me to change who I am. They never ask us to move closer or change to live a more “normal” lifestyle. They continue to show up and support me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.shark-girl.com/
• Instagram: @biminisharkgirl
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/SharkGirlJM
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jillian-morris-brake-76780014/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BiminiSharkGirl
• Other: tiktik @biminisharkgirl

Image Credits

Duncan Brake, Ko Chuan Yang, Candace Fields, Leann Winn, Deano Cook