Kellie Daniels

Newcastle University - Global Challenges Teaching Award

Kellie Daniels is a Senior Lecturer in Global Communications at Newcastle University, communications consultant, and founder of Students Against Species Extinction (SASE), a UN partner initiative empowering students worldwide to collaborate with NGOs on real-world conservation efforts. With over 25 years of experience in communications, Kellie began her career at the Guggenheim Museum before becoming PR Director at a leading agency and later founding her own brand, SALOME. Her passion for linking creative communication with social impact led her to establish SASE, which connects academic work with environmental campaigns. Raised in Bayou Grand Caillou and Bourg, Louisiana, Kellie has worked on projects spanning rainforest gorilla preservation in Cameroon to coastal restoration in Louisiana. At Newcastle University, she integrates international academic partnerships with student-led initiatives, shaping the future of global and environmental communications. In 2026, Kellie became Newcastle University’s first recipient of the Global Challenges Teaching Award (GCTA). Through the award, she is collaborating with the University of Michigan-Dearborn to develop an international learning model that brings UK and US students together to address pressing environmental challenges, while creating a scalable framework for globally connected learning. Kellie’s leadership has positioned her as a bridge between academia, conservation, and the communications industry. Through SASE and her wider academic work, she continues to demonstrate how student-driven communication and international collaboration can create meaningful global change.