| Longtime Alabama conservation leader and Mobile native to head CAP and Coastal 150, bringing decades of relationships in Montgomery, Washington and along the coast |
| MOBILE, AL — Oct. 1, 2026 — Coastal Alabama Partnership (CAP) and its partner organization, Coastal 150, announced the appointment of Chris Blankenship as executive director, effective Oct. 19. Blankenship has served as commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR) since 2017 under Gov. Kay Ivey. In more than 30 years with the department, he rose from conservation enforcement officer to lead an agency of more than 1,250 employees and a $470 million annual budget, overseeing the state's fisheries, wildlife, state parks, coastal lands and Deepwater Horizon oil spill restoration programs. "Chris is a leader of exceptional character and integrity, and he has earned the respect and trust of people throughout Alabama," said Sted McCollough, chairman of the CAP Board. "He has led with honesty and demonstrated a genuine commitment to serving the people and communities of our state. Chris’ strong reputation, professional relationships and steady leadership make him uniquely qualified to lead CAP into its next chapter." "Chris is coming home to lead CAP and Coastal 150 with a renewed focus on the priorities these organizations were built to serve — uniting our business, government and community leaders around one voice for this region," said George Talbot, president of the Coastal 150 board. "His relationships across the state and his track record of building consensus make him the right leader to sharpen that focus and deliver results for Coastal Alabama." "Coastal Alabama is my home, and I couldn’t be more excited to get back to work for this region," Blankenship said. "I’ve spent my career building relationships across this state — with legislators, agency leaders, mayors, business owners and community leaders — and I will work with all of them for the betterment of Baldwin and Mobile counties. This region has tremendous momentum, and I look forward to helping unify our leadership around a shared voice and shared set of priorities. Working together, we can accomplish so much more than we can alone." Blankenship holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from the University of South Alabama and completed the Regulatory Policy Program at the Harvard Kennedy School. He currently chairs the Forever Wild Land Trust Board, the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program Executive Committee, the Innovate Alabama Council on Outdoor Recreation and the Gulf of America Alliance and serves on numerous other state and regional boards. About Coastal 150 Coastal 150 is a nonpartisan coalition of business and civic leaders advocating for smart, sustainable growth and pro-coastal policies that strengthen Alabama’s Gulf Coast region. Through collaboration and strategic engagement, Coastal 150 works to ensure the voice of South Alabama is heard in Montgomery and beyond. About Coastal Alabama Partnership Coastal Alabama Partnership’s mission is to enable and unify business and political leadership in their pursuits of improving our quality of life by collaborating on improving infrastructure, education, and governmental services. |
