Keep America Beautiful Staff Spotlight:
Mallory Coffey
Welcome to our Staff Spotlight series, where we spotlight the incredible individuals driving positive change at Keep America Beautiful! Today, we’re thrilled to celebrate Mallory Coffey, Director of Affiliate Development and Training. Her dedication to and passion for the affiliate network and the work they do is infectious, inspiring everyone around her to do beautiful things.
Dive into our Q&A session below to discover more about Mallory’s journey with Keep America Beautiful.
Q: How long have you worked for Keep America Beautiful?
A: l’ve been in the KAB network in some capacity for more than a decade. I created a local affiliate and served as the State Leader for Keep SC Beautiful before coming to KAB more than 2 years ago.
Q: Where are you located?
A: Rural Lexington County, South Carolina
Q: What do you do for Keep America Beautiful?
A: I am the Director of Affiliate Development & Training. I am the SLC Staff Liaison & handle Affiliate Communications & Certifications. I also assist with the Employee Engagement opportunities throughout the nation.
Q: What does beauty mean to you?
A: Beauty for me is what brings joy. It can be a kid laughing, the cows running in the pasture, a family smiling at each other, the sun rising over an ocean or hay field, or dirty hands after a long day of work. Beauty is a feeling, a moment in time, a way of life.
Q: How do you feel about the work you do at KAB?
A: I wake up every day and get to Keep America Beautiful. I’ve seen first hand what an affiliate can do for a community. It changes the community visually and economically. It brings communities together and what could be more beautiful than that?
Q: What was the most rewarding/inspiring project you’ve worked on or been a part of?
A: I am blessed to say there are too many to name. However, a spark of hope and joy fill me when I see others around the trees I was able to help plant with volunteers more than 10 years ago. It’s exciting, and makes me proud to be part of this.
Q: What is the strangest piece of litter you’ve ever collected?
A: I often find money or winning lottery tickets. I almost always find some kind of tool that I bring home to use on the farm.
Q: When you’re not doing beautiful things, what are you doing?
A: Raising cows and other farm animals, taking photos, painting, reading, spending time with our 7 nieces and nephews. And trying to decide if I believe in aliens or not.
A: Palmetto Tree without a doubt. No matter what life throws at me, I bounce back. Look up the history on the Palmetto Tree to learn more about why it is important to SC History.
Q: What’s a piece of advice you’ve been given while doing this work?
A: “Don’t stop being joyful and excited about this work. Keep telling it like it is. Offer help to anyone who is willing to accept it – even yourself. Don’t dull who you are to make other people comfortable. Just be you without hesitation.”
About Keep America Beautiful®:
Keep America Beautiful, the nation’s leading community improvement nonprofit organization, inspires and educates people to take action every day to improve and beautify their community environment. Established in 1953, Keep America Beautiful strives to end littering, improve recycling, and beautify America’s communities. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Donate and take action at kab.org.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
McCall Vrydaghs
Keep America Beautiful®