Antonella Rocco

Hometown: Coral Springs, Florida
School: Broward College
Degree: B.S. in Environmental Science
Placement: The Office of Congresswoman Frederica Wilson

Antonella Rocco (she/her/hers) was born in the small town of Arica, Chile. At a young age, Antonella and her family migrated to the United States in search of better opportunities. Growing up undocumented in South Florida, Antonella learned early the importance of hard work and perseverance. Inspired by her parents and older siblings, who provided for the family and highlighted the significance of education, Antonella went on to graduate top of her high school class and worked full time to finance her college degree despite her undocumented and financial status.

Antonella graduated cum laude from Broward College in 2020 with a bachelor’s in Environmental Science and earned an advanced technical certificate in Geographic Information Systems. During this time, Antonella became a certified climate speaker through the CLEO Institute, a women-led nonprofit organization dedicated to climate crisis education, advocacy, and engagement. Antonella also worked with SAVE Dade, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting and advocating for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community against discrimination. Following her post-secondary education, Antonella interned with the US Geological Survey, working on the Everglades Depth Estimation Network with a team of ecologists producing consistent, documented, and readily accessible hydrologic and ground-elevation data for the Everglades. Antonella presented her research at the annual Greater Everglades Ecosystem Restoration conference, and her research was published for public access.

As a CHCI Public Policy Fellow, Antonella hopes to work on environmental justice issues that impact the Latino community. In the future, Antonella aspires to pursue a master’s degree in environmental policy and management to continue advocating for underrepresented communities.