Celebrating Alexa Kownacki
Team fundraiser • 1 members • Shifa Community Clinic
Story
Alexa Kownacki
July 6th, 1992 - November 17th, 2020
Alexa Kristine Sherwood Kownacki was an incredible woman who inspired everyone she met. She lived her life tenaciously, vivaciously, and without regrets. She supported a vast number of people, acting as confidant, co-conspirator, and, of course, cheerleader.
These charities have been selected for donation with Alexa in mind, and with the blessing of her mom, Susan Kownacki. They represent Alexa's various interests and passions, and are a way for Alexa to continue to give back to the world through all of us.
**PLEASE NOTE: There are 4 charities set up for donations. This page will donate to the Shifa Clinic if you click "Donate to a team member." However, you can also choose to donate to the National Marine Mammal Foundation, Ocean Conservancy, or Elton John AIDS Foundation in her honour. Descriptions of all with their associated links can be found below.**
Shifa Community Clinic is a non-profit clinic in Sacramento, California that Alexa worked at for nearly 3 years, serving as the Preceptor Coordinator as an undergraduate representative. It provides medical care, education, and support for underserved communities and is an entirely student-run clinic.
To donate to Shifa, please click the "Donate" button on this page.
Above: Alexa with some of the other lovely women she worked with at Shifa
The Elton John AIDS Foundation is a global organisation that provides medical treatment, AIDS education, and community support to both those living with AIDS and their families and loved ones. They tailor their response to the needs of the individual region/country. This charity was selected in honour of Alexa's love for her uncle, known fondly by many as Uncle Brian, who passed too soon from AIDS-relates complications. He was one of Alexa's favourite humans.
To donate to the Elton John AIDS Foundation, please click on the following link: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/alexakownacki
Above: Alexa with her beloved uncle Brian
The National Marine Mammal Foundation is a global leader in marine mammal science, medicine, and conservation. Alexa's PhD worked with NMMF through the Navy Marine Mammal Program, as she collected data on common bottlenose dolphins as an indicator species for marine mammal health. This was the work she was most passionate in, having worked hard to get a place and funding for her PhD working with cetaceans.
To donate to NMMF, please click the following link: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/alexakownacki3
Above: Alexa preparing to shoot a dolphin with a air gun loaded with a biopsy dart to take a blubber biopsy sample
The Ocean Conservancy is a non-profit partner of NOAA, where Alexa worked for over 2.5 years assisting with marine strandings, creating software to identify grey whale blows, and publishing papers on marine research. The Ocean Conservancy similarly funds scientific research into practical ways to improve the health of the ocean and provides opportunity for hands-on internships and research into sustainable fisheries, government relations, and restoration of damaged marine habitats.
To donate to the Ocean Conservancy, please click the following link: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/alexakownacki7
Above: Alexa doing what she loved best -- at sea, looking for wildlife, ready to take spectacular photos of cetaceans
