Save The Great South Bay is thrilled to welcome Rae Paoletta as the newest member of our Board of Directors. A Long Island native, lifelong environmentalist, and accomplished journalist, Rae brings a unique blend of community leadership, professional expertise, and personal passion to our mission of restoring and protecting the Great South Bay.
Rae’s connection to the bay is personal. Growing up on Long Island, she developed a deep appreciation for the region’s natural beauty and ecological significance. From a young age, she understood the importance of caring for the environment, a commitment that has guided both her personal and professional journey. Today, she channels that dedication into her volunteer work as a Creek Defender for Oakdale, where she leads cleanup events along the Connetquot River.
In 2024, Rae took her stewardship one step further by founding a neighborhood litter cleanup effort in Oakdale. What began as a grassroots initiative quickly blossomed into a community-wide effort, preventing hundreds of pounds of trash from entering local waterways and wetlands. Rae’s leadership has empowered neighbors to take part in hands-on conservation, turning concern for the environment into direct, tangible action. Her efforts highlight what Save The Great South Bay is all about: local people working together to protect and restore the ecosystems that sustain us.
Outside of her community organizing, Rae is an environmental journalist with a unique professional background. She currently works at a space science nonprofit, where she helps make science accessible to every day people. Through her journalism, Rae has consistently explored the intersection of science, nature, and society, making complex issues understandable and inspiring audiences to care more deeply about the world around them. Her ability to tell stories that resonate—whether about our skies above or waters below—will be an incredible asset as we expand our communications and outreach as an organization.
But Rae’s environmentalism doesn’t end with her career or her volunteer leadership. She is also an avid gardener and composter, tending to her own backyard ecosystem and modeling sustainable practices in everyday life. Her garden is not only a source of joy but also a living example of how small, individual actions can contribute to healthier soils, cleaner air, and more resilient local habitats. Beyond her garden fence, Rae’s passion for wildlife shines through in her advocacy and enthusiasm for protecting the creatures that call Long Island home.
“I chose to volunteer with Save The Great South Bay because I believe wholeheartedly in its mission,” said Paoletta. “As someone born and raised on Long Island, protecting our marine environments is deeply and personally important to me. It’s a calling. Being a board member is so exciting. I look forward to collaborating with this bright, passionate, thoughtful team to help achieve our shared goal of saving the Great South Bay. I am fully confident that together, we will succeed.”
Rae embodies the kind of engaged, forward-thinking leadership that Save The Great South Bay is fortunate to have on our Board. She understands the interconnectedness of our waterways, wetlands, and communities, and she brings fresh energy and perspective to the challenges ahead. With her experience in journalism, her professional work in science communication, and her proven record of local environmental leadership, Rae will play a vital role in advancing our mission.
As we welcome Rae, we also celebrate the many Creek Defenders like her who are leading the way in their neighborhoods. From Massapequa to Mastic, these local leaders are proving that when people come together to care for their waterways, lasting change is possible. Rae’s journey from a community cleanup leader to Board member underscores the power of grassroots action to grow into something larger—a reminder that each of us has a role to play in healing the Great South Bay.
Please join us in welcoming Rae Paoletta to the Save The Great South Bay Board of Directors. We are excited for the vision, energy, and dedication she brings, and we look forward to working alongside her to protect, preserve, and restore our cherished bay for generations to come.