Casey Coates is an American environmental designer and activist who is also known as the ex-wife of actor Ted Danson. Her full name is Cassandra Coates.
Casey studied environmental design and spent years working on renewable energy, climate change, and environmental conservation. She and Ted married in 1977 and raised two daughters, Kate and Alexis Danson, before divorcing in 1993.
Casey Coates’ Profile Summary
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Cassandra Coates |
| Known as | Casey Coates |
| Reported birth date | March 13, 1938 |
| Birth year | 1938 |
| Reported age | 88 in 2026 |
| Birthplace | Long Island, New York, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Environmental designer and activist |
| Education | Lasell College, Parsons School of Design |
| Degree | BFA in Environmental Design |
| Former husband | Ted Danson |
| Marriage | 1977–1993 |
| Children | Kate Danson and Alexis Danson |
| Known for | Environmental work and marriage to Ted Danson |
| Organization | Global Possibilities |
| Documentary | Who’s Got the Power |
| Net worth | Not reliably known |
How Old Is Casey Coates?
Casey Coates is widely reported to have been born in 1938 on Long Island, New York.
One secondary source gives her full birth date as March 13, 1938. If that date is correct, she is 88 years old in 2026.
The exact March 13 date is not confirmed by stronger primary records in the information available.
Casey Coates’ Early Life
Casey was born and raised on Long Island, New York.
She reportedly grew up in a creative family. Her mother was an artist, while her father was a musician. Their names have not been reliably documented in the available sources.
Casey also showed an interest in design while young. She reportedly redesigned her bedroom, made plans, and worked with unfinished wood.
There is little reliable public information about her siblings.
Her Education
Casey attended Great Neck High School in New York.
She later moved to Boston and studied at Lasell College. After spending about a year in London, she returned to New York.
Casey then attended the Parsons School of Design, where she studied environmental design. She reportedly earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Environmental Design in 1975.
One source says she graduated with distinction.
Casey Coates’ Early Career
After completing her education, Casey reportedly joined a design firm in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Secondary sources identify it as the Ben Thompson firm, although some spell the name “Ben Thomson.”
She later moved to the West Coast and continued working in design and environmental projects.
One source also says Casey briefly worked as an administrative assistant on Wall Street.
Her Work as an Environmental Activist
Environmental protection became an important part of Casey’s career.
Her work has focused on issues including renewable energy, climate change, solar power, pollution prevention, recycling, and energy conservation.
She has also worked to educate people about the environmental effects of global warming.
Her background in environmental design gave her a professional connection to many of the issues she later promoted through activism.
Her Work With Design and Environmental Organizations
Casey has reportedly held board or professional roles connected with several organizations and schools.
These include the Parsons School of Design, Southern California Institute of Architecture, and Environmental Media Association.
She was also reportedly involved as an adviser or consultant with a Jimmy Carter work project in Los Angeles.
The exact dates and titles of some of these roles are not clearly documented in the available sources.
American Oceans Campaign
Casey and Ted Danson became involved in ocean conservation during their marriage.
Secondary sources connect both of them with the American Oceans Campaign, an environmental organization focused on protecting oceans.
Some sources describe Casey as a co-founder. However, the exact details of the organization’s founding and her formal role are not consistent across the available reports.
Her involvement in ocean and environmental causes is nevertheless an important part of her public work.
Casey Founded Global Possibilities
Casey reportedly established Global Possibilities in 1996.
The nonprofit organization has been described as an initiative focused on educating people about renewable energy and environmental conservation.
Her work through the organization continued her long-term interest in cleaner energy sources and reducing the effects of climate change.
Her Solar-Powered Home
Casey’s environmental interests also influenced her own home.
A 2021 report said she was living in Los Angeles, California, in a solar-powered house.
She reportedly spent about two years designing and building the property.
The home reflected her interest in solar power and environmentally responsible design.
How Did Casey Coates Meet Ted Danson?
Casey met Ted Danson in 1976.
Their relationship developed, and they married on December 24, 1977.
Casey was Ted’s second wife. He had previously been married to actress Randall “Randy” Gosch, also known as Randy Danson. That marriage ended in 1975.
Casey and Ted later settled in California and started a family.
Who Is Ted Danson?
Ted Danson is an American actor with a long career in television and film.
He became widely known for playing bartender Sam Malone on the NBC sitcom Cheers.
His other notable projects include Three Men and a Baby, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Good Place, and Mr. Mayor.
Ted has also been involved in environmental causes, particularly ocean conservation.
Casey’s marriage to Ted brought her wider public attention, but her work in environmental design and activism developed into a separate part of her public identity.
The Birth of Their Daughter Kate Danson
Casey and Ted welcomed their first daughter, Kate Danson, in 1979.
Kate later became involved in creative and professional work of her own. She has been described as an actress, photographer, and doula.
Kate has maintained a more public profile than her sister Alexis.
Casey and Ted Adopted Alexis Danson

After Kate’s birth and Casey’s recovery, the couple expanded their family through adoption.
They adopted a second daughter, Alexis Danson, who is reported to have been born in 1985.
Unlike Kate, Alexis has generally remained outside the public spotlight. Little reliable information is available about her career or personal life.
Casey Coates and Ted Danson’s Divorce
Casey and Ted were married for about 16 years.
Their marriage ended after Ted became involved with actress and comedian Whoopi Goldberg.
Ted and Whoopi worked together on the 1992 movie Made in America. Reports say they began a relationship while Ted was still married to Casey.
Casey reportedly filed for divorce in June 1993 after Ted left the family home in Santa Monica.
Their marriage ended in 1993.
Ted Danson and Whoopi Goldberg
Ted’s relationship with Whoopi Goldberg received significant media attention.
Their relationship did not last, and they eventually separated.
Ted later met actress Mary Steenburgen while working on the film Pontiac Moon. Ted and Mary married in 1995.
The Reported $30 Million Divorce
Casey and Ted’s divorce is often described as one of the more expensive celebrity divorces of its time.
Several secondary sources report that the divorce cost Ted around $30 million.
However, reliable legal or financial records confirming the exact settlement amount are not provided in the collected sources.
The $30 million amount should therefore be treated as a widely reported figure rather than a confirmed settlement.
Did Casey Coates Remarry?
There is no reliable information in the collected sources showing that Casey remarried after her divorce from Ted Danson.
A 2021 biography described her as single.
Her current relationship status has not been publicly confirmed.
Casey Coates’ Net Worth
Casey’s personal net worth is not reliably known.
Online estimates vary greatly. One source gives a figure of more than $20 million, while another estimates between $1 million and $5 million.
Neither estimate is supported by verified financial records. It is therefore better not to give Casey a specific net worth as fact.
Where Is Casey Coates Now?
Reports from 2021 and 2022 said Casey was living in Los Angeles, California.
At the time, she was described as continuing to educate people about renewable energy, solar power, climate change, and environmental conservation.
There is limited reliable information about her current activities in 2026, so those earlier reports should not automatically be treated as confirmation of what she is doing today.
Is Casey Coates on Social Media?
The available sources do not identify a verified Instagram, Facebook, X, or other social media account belonging to Casey.
She has generally maintained a more private public profile than her former husband.
Facts About Casey Coates
- Her full name is Cassandra Coates.
- She is commonly known as Casey Coates.
- She was reportedly born in 1938 on Long Island, New York.
- March 13, 1938 is reported as her birthday by one secondary source.
- Her mother was reportedly an artist and her father a musician.
- She attended Great Neck High School and Lasell College.
- She studied Environmental Design at Parsons School of Design.
- She reportedly earned a BFA in 1975.
- Casey built a career in environmental design and activism.
- Her environmental interests include renewable energy, solar power, climate change, and ocean conservation.
- She is associated with the nonprofit Global Possibilities.
- She reportedly produced the documentary Who’s Got the Power.
- Casey married Ted Danson on December 24, 1977.
- They have two daughters, Kate and Alexis Danson.
- Casey suffered a serious stroke around the time of Kate’s birth in 1979.
- She eventually regained her ability to walk.
- Casey and Ted divorced in 1993.
- Their divorce has been widely reported as costing about $30 million, but the exact amount is not confirmed.
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