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Todd Jacobs is the Deputy
Superintendent of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. He has
worked for the National Ocean Service (NOS) of NOAA since 1989, when he
was hired as the Research and Education Coordinator for the Channel Islands
National Marine Sanctuary.
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As Deputy Superintendent for Programs since April 2008, Michael Murray assists the Superintendent with overall management of the Sanctuary and works to integrate and enhance resource protection, research and monitoring, education and outreach, and maritime heritage program areas. Prior to this appointment, Michael first joined the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary (CINMS) team in 1999 and very much enjoys helping to connect the local community to management of the Sanctuary in his ongoing role as Coordinator of the Sanctuary Advisory Council. Michael also serves as Management Pan Coordinator, a role focused on development a new management plan and updated regulations for the Sanctuary. Prior to his time at CINMS, Michael worked as a planner for NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries from 1995-1999 in Seattle, Washington on a feasibility study for a proposed National Marine Sanctuary site. Michael has also studied the management of marine protected areas (MPAs) since 1996, and was active in MPA planning for Puget Sound in Washington State from 1997-1999. Additionally, Michael serves as a member of the editorial board for MPA News, an international newsletter. Michael holds a Masters Degree in Environmental Studies with an emphasis in Policy and Planning from California State University, Fullerton and a Bachelors degree in Business Administration from California State University, Long Beach. Raised in Hawaii and a life-long surfer, Michael enjoys living on the coast of Santa Barbara, California.
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Dr. Steve Katz is the research coordinator for the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Dr. Katz joined the National Marine Sanctuary Program after 6 years at the National Marine Fisheries Service where he was the Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator for Salmon Recovery at the Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Seattle, Washington. At NMFS he coordinated Federal, State and Tribal programs to assess progress in the recovery of endangered salmon and steelhead trout in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana, and in particular evaluate the success of habitat restoration actions intended to improve conditions for fish. Dr. Katz is working here in Channel Islands to develop a similar scientific program to assess the status of the Sanctuary’s natural resources. Prior to this Dr. Katz has worked in the fields of ocean engineering, bioengineering and coastal ecology in California, Washington and British Columbia, Canada. Dr. Katz has a degree in Zoology and Biomechanics from the University of British Columbia and was a post-doctoral fellow at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California. In addition, Dr. Katz has broad experience in research diving operations in academic programs and both civilian and military government programs.
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Lorri
Herr
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Sean
Hastings Sean
Hastings holds a Master of Marine Affairs Degree with a concentration in
coastal zone management from the School of Marine Affairs at the University
of Washington and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies through
the University of California at Santa Cruz. Sean joined the CINMS in 1997
to coordinate Sanctuary research cruises. In 1998 Sean was nominated as
a Presidential Management Intern and has been brought on as a policy program
specialist working on CINMS policy issues related to offshore oil exploration
and development, fishery management and research in the Santa Barbara Channel.
Sean has had many unique field experiences, including backpacking on the
Hawaiian Islands to study biogeography, travelling throughout California
studying vegetation and resource management and serving as a naturalist
for Ano Nuevo State Reserve.
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Robert
Schwemmer Robert
Schwemmer is currently the Cultural Resources Coordinator for NOAA Channel
Islands National Marine Sanctuary. He coordinates and performs archaeological
resource investigations and research for the five National Marine Sanctuaries
along the Pacific West Coast. This work includes recording and mapping submerged
sites as well as the development of museum shipwreck exhibits correlating
to the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and Santa Barbara region.
Deepwater projects included submersible work aboard the Delta to
perform a site assessment of the shipwreck Montebello located at
a depth of 900 feet off Cambria, CA. Expeditions completed for the 2002
field season include a site assessment of the shipwreck PacBaroness
located at a depth of 1460 feet of Point Conception, CA. and the recovery
of the gun turret from the civil war navy ship USS Monitor of Cape
Hatteras, NC. Schwemmer in the past was engaged in maritime research as
a consultant to Federal and State Government agencies, including private
and non-profit organizations.
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Ben
Waltenberger Ben Waltenberger is a Physical Scientist specializing in Geographic Information System (GIS) and remote sensing technologies. He processes and analyzes spatial data that are used to better understand and model sanctuary phenomena. Ben's work includes terrain and bathymetry modeling, satellite data integration, and general map and database design. Some of his current duties include GPS data collection for ground-truthing of shipwrecks within the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary; emergency response and site safety; and data collection and integration for the Sanctuary Aerial Monitoring and Spatial Analysis Program (SAMSAP).
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Julie
Bursek Julie Bursek is the Education Coordinator for the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary's southern office in Channel Islands Harbor, working to develope education programs, products and partnerships that increase awareness about the sanctuary's cultural and living resources. Prior to her work with the National Marine Sanctuary Program, she spent over 10 years working in non-profit marine science educational organizations. Julie's training and intertidal and offshore field sampling techniques lends well to her hands-on approach to field science and environmental education. She's spent over 12 years conducting scientific investigations of the offshore, shallow subtidal and intertidal systems of the southern California Bight including the Channel Islands. Her professional experience includes the development and implementation of floating laboratory educational and research programs and the coordination of community based volunteer programs and partnerships with community businesses, science educators and research institutions to promote environmental awareness in the classroom, at community festivals and events. Julie holds a bachelor's degree in Aquatic Biology from University of California at Santa Barbara and a Master's degree in Biology from California State University Fullerton.
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Shauna is the Volunteer and Outreach Coordinator for the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. She joined the sanctuary team in 1998 and since then she has been instrumental in developing and maintaining the Channel Islands Naturalist Corps volunteer program, a joint program between the sanctuary and Channel Islands National Park, with over 150 volunteers trained to provide whale watch interpretation, guided island hikes, outreach, and research support. Shauna came to CINMS from the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History where she worked under a cooperative agreement with the sanctuary to coordinate whale watch volunteers and public education programs at the Sea Center aquarium. Before that she lived and worked on Catalina Island, where she taught hands-on marine science programs at the Catalina Island Marine Institute. She graduated from the University of Southern California with a BA in Political Science and Environmental Science, specializing in ocean policy. Shauna interned for the Presidents Council on Environmental Quality in Washington D.C., where she developed an interest in environmental education. She also received an A.S. degree in Marine Diving Technology at Santa Barbara City College, a program which includes training in surface supplied diving, remote operated vehicles, and hyperbaric chambers and she holds her U.S. Coast Guard 100 ton captain's license.
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Sarah's
interest in the Channel Islands region was initiated by her family's relocation
to Santa Barbara in 1994. She then merged her interests in marine biology
and anthropology by studying contemporary marine resource issues, as well
as prehistoric maritime subsistence, in the Santa Barbara Channel. After
college Sarah joined the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary as an
intern. She assisted with field research for Bight '98 and co-authored (with
Sean Hastings) the first report of NOAA's Marine Sanctuaries Conservation
Series, Multi-Species and Multi-Interest Management: an Ecosystem Approach
to Market Squid Harvest in California. Next Sarah worked for the California
Department of Fish and Game and Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission
gathering data on the market squid and rockfish fisheries in the Santa Barbara
Channel. In 2000 she headed to graduate school where her Master's Thesis
focused on collaborative management of Pacific Northwest estuaries. In 2002
Sarah happily returned to the Sanctuary to work on management plan review
and assist with the Sanctuary Advisory Council.
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Laura
Francis Laura Francis is the education coordinator for the Santa Barbara office of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Laura worked as education coordinator at the CINMS from 1994-1998. From July 1998-2000, Laura gained national experience by working on detail with the headquarters office of the Marine Sanctuaries Division to direct the development of education programs for Sustainable Seas Expeditions (SSE). SSE is a project of ocean exploration and public education in America's 13 National Marine Sanctuaries. During her tenure with SSE, Laura managed the development and implementation of some innovative national education and outreach initiatives, including teacher workshops, a teacher resource book, web chats and uplinks, student ocean summits, Teacher-In-The-Sea, Students-At-Sea, open houses and travelling exhibits. These educational programs reach classrooms, community groups, resource users and the general public and focus on instilling a sense of the responsibility and stewardship for our oceans. Laura has more than 10 years of progressive experience in marine research and educational positions including experience as a classroom teacher, environmental consultant and education coordinator. Laura graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with a bachelors in Zoology and earned her Masters degree in Deep-Sea Biology from the University of California at Santa Barbara. Laura finds her work most rewarding when she discovers innovative ways of integrating research and education. She is thrilled to be back in Santa Barbara again and working with the CINMS team.
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Charlie
Lara Born
and raised in Santa Barbara, Charles worked for a local marine oil spill
response co-op in 1990 on the Mr. Clean II. When the vessel sold in 1991
to Clean Islands Council of Hawaii, Charles made the move. Charles spent
seven and a half years in Hawaii working with the Clean Islands Council
during which time he received his captains license, AB and Tankermans endorsements.
In 1997 he was on the move again, loading and discharging fuel barges for
Tesoro Hawaii. In 2000, Charles came back to the mainland and secured a
position as a vessel operator for a local commercial diving contractor.
While working with the diving contractor, Charles became interested in the
physics of diving; in 2003 he completed the Commercial Diving Program at
the Santa Barbara city college. Charles enjoys scuba diving, kite boarding
& mountain biking.
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