Liam Antrim
(360) 457-6622 ext. 16
E-mail: Liam.Antrim@noaa.gov

Liam Antrim is a Resource Protection Specialist who works on marine policy issues, marine debris, oil spill response preparedness, and management plan review, but likes to stay involved in research programs, particularly monitoring of intertidal communities and nearshore water quality.

In earlier phases of his life, Liam has worked as an aquatic toxicologist, research diver, wildlife biologist, and sailing instructor. As a private consultant for 13 years, he researched the mysteries of sea surface microlayer, sampled biota and substrates, conducted and developed new methodologies for toxicity testing, surveyed nearshore marine resources, and worked to restore eelgrass habitats. Liam has a B.A. in Biology from Bates College in Maine and a M.S. in Biology/Environmental Studies from Western Washington University in Bellingham.

John Barimo
(360) 457-6622 ext. 22
E-mail: John.Barimo@noaa.gov

John Barimo is a Research Specialist at the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. He can be described as an integrative marine biologist who has authored numerous scientific papers and technical reports bridging the disciplines of physiological ecology, animal behavior, environmental toxicology, biotic interactions and restoration ecology. He has a keen interest in the sanctuary's subtidal kelp and deep coral/sponge communities especially with regards to essential fish habitat. He has considerable field experience in seagrass, coral reef, mangrove, intertidal and beach dune habitats. He has worked in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary studying coral recruitment at restoration sites and macroalgal dynamics in no-take zones. He has also participated in submersible dives at the Dry Tortugas Ecological Reserve.

John holds a Ph.D. in Marine Biology & Fisheries from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. His dissertation focused on nitrogen excretion patterns of the gulf toadfish in relation to its chemical ecology, early life history and extreme ammonia tolerance. He earned a B.S. in Biology, a B.G.S. in Environmental Technology and a M.S. in Biology at Virginia Commonwealth University. His thesis work examined plant-insect interaction at the Nature Conservancy's Virginia Coast Reserve. His most recent academic appointment was as a Post Doctoral Fellow at Portland State University where he continued studies in extreme ammonia tolerance. Additionally, he pursued a career in telecommunication engineering in the U.S. Air Force and MCI Telecommunications until 1989. When not on the job he can readily be found with his family on the magnificent trails of the Olympics and Cascades.

Carol Bernthal
(360) 457-6622 ext. 11
E-mail: Carol.Bernthal@noaa.gov

Carol Bernthal is the Superintendent of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Her responsibilities at the Sanctuary include all aspects of management of the site and staff, policy development, interaction with the Olympic Coast Sanctuary Advisory Council, working with local, state, federal agencies and tribes, and serving as a member of the National Marine Sanctuary Programs' Leadership Team.

Carol's past work and educational experience combines natural resource management and environmental policy, with a special emphasis on working with tribal governments. Carol graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1985 with an undergraduate degree in Biological Aspects of Conservation and a minor in Environmental Science. She has worked for a variety of county, federal, and state agencies in subjects as diverse as growth management, forestland conservation, watershed restoration and protection, fisheries, and plant ecology. Prior to working for NOAA, Carol served as the Senior Habitat Biologist and Habitat Program Manager for the Point No Point Treaty Council, a consortium of four Native American Tribes on the Olympic Peninsula.

Ed Bowlby
(360) 457-6622 ext. 17
E-mail: Ed.Bowlby@noaa.gov

Ed Bowlby is Research Coordinator for the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. He holds an M.S. in Marine Wildlife from Humboldt State University.

His professional background has consisted of marine wildlife population studies and ecological investigations around the world, from Arctic and Antarctic environments, to tropical seas. In his current position, he coordinates diverse research projects on subtidal surveys for macroinvertebrates and macroalgae; canopy kelp mapping; plankton investigations and at-sea surveys for marine mammals and seabirds. He is also a NOAA working diver.

Ed has worked as Chief Scientist during many NOAA sponsored cruises off the Olympic coast and as Mission Coordinator and submersible pilot for the Sustainable Seas Expeditions and Sanctuary Quest cruises in the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Ed considers himself an old-time naturalist in its broadest meaning.

Mary Sue Brancato
(360) 457-6622 ext. 20
E-mail: Mary.Sue.Brancato@noaa.gov

Mary Sue Brancato is a Resource Protection Specialist for the sanctuary, working on a variety of research projects and policy issues, her favorite of which relate to deep sea benthic ecology. She manages programs dealing with deep sea coral and sponge community analysis, invasive species, hypoxia and other water quality topics. In addition, she is involved in contaminant studies, intertidal monitoring and the effects of physical disturbances on bottom-dwelling communities. She participates on the Pacific Northwest (marine mammal) Stranding Network and contributes to the University of Washington Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team beached bird program. On the policy side, Mary Sue handles permit requests for those wanting to conduct activities in the sanctuary that are prohibited and is involved in our spill response preparedness, as well as other policy issues that arise.

Mary Sue graduated with a double bachelor degree from the University of Washington and a MS from Lesley College. She currently is a PhD candidate in Marine and Coastal Studies at the University of Newcastle England. Prior to joining the Sanctuary she spent 16 years as an aquatic toxicologist and 4 years conducting research on the settlement and metamorphosis of marine invertebrate larvae, including SCUBA studies. Her past life also includes large whale research, research on shorebirds and waterfowl, invertebrate histopathology, and a stint as a curator maintaining invertebrate collections.

Katie Brenkman
(360) 457-6622 ext. 27
E-mail: Katie.Brenkman@noaa.gov

Katie is a Research Technician for the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, and works with the Research, Education and Policy divisions of the sanctuary. She is an expeditor for field projects, creating and managing research and policy databases, and assists the web team. Katie also is involved with Data processing and GIS for the Area To Be Avoided (ATBA) project. Additionally, Katie edits deep-sea digital video used for research and public outreach.

Katie received a B.A. in Liberal Arts from Oregon State University. She joined the OCNMS in 2001, and most recently worked for the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges in Olympia where she managed a statewide education database. Katie has worked as a data manager, technical support representative for Microsoft, Computer Lab technician, river raft guide and environmental education instructor.

Jennifer Bright
(360) 457-6622 ext. 25
E-mail: Jennifer.Bright@noaa.gov

Jennifer Bright is a Marine Biologist that assists with various research and resource protection programs at Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Her work for the sanctuary involves performing habitat characterization, and invertebrate research including deep sea corals using video observations to determine areas of species richness, ecological diversity and unique habitats. She also assists with sand beach and rocky intertidal monitoring designed to detect changes in vital signs as an early warning system. She also works on marine debris programs.

Jennifer graduated with an M.S. in Earth and Environmental Science from Washington State University. Her thesis involved assessing the abundance and distribution of structure-forming invertebrates, their association with demersal fishes, and identifying their associated habitats using video and direct observations from the two person submersible Delta. The research site is located in the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary at the "Footprint" off the southern coast of California. One of her main species of interest was the large, newly described deep sea black coral, Antipathes dendrochristos.

While at Washington State University, Jennifer taught Stream Monitoring. She also participated in IMPACT submersible baseline surveys off the central California coast. These surveys were designed to monitor deepwater communities in eight newly formed marine protected areas and eight adjacent reference sites using direct observations. Previous research work included using ROPOS submersible video to identify structure-forming invertebrates and their associated habitats at Astoria Canyon, Heceta Bank and Coquille Bank off the Oregon coast.

Eric Evans
(360) 457-6622 ext. 24
E-mail: Eric.Evans@noaa.gov

Eric currently works with OCNMS running its computer network and managing the voluminous amounts of scientific data accumulated over the field season. Eric is a contractor assigned to OCNMS from his parent company System Configuration Service, Inc.

Eric Evans was born in Anchorage, Alaska in 1963. With 3 biologists in his family, Eric rebelled and chose computers as his profession. But those old episodes of "Jacques Cousteau" and "Wild Kingdom" clearly rubbed off and in 1999 when OCNMS needed an on-site IT consultant, Eric jumped at the chance. So far, he hasn't been called upon to fix transmitters deep on the ocean floor or wrestle a tracking beacon onto a wolf eel, but he did get to ride on the R/V Tatoosh once.

Eric has a BA from Fairhaven College. He is MCSE and A+ certified. After college, Eric married and moved to the Peninsula with his wife Loraine. Eric's interests include Macintosh/Windows cross-platform management, network infrastructure, dining by candlelight and long walks in the rain.

Carey Floyd
(360) 457-6622 ext. 23
E-mail: Carey.Floyd@noaa.gov

Carey Floyd has been a graphic artist in the Puget Sound area since 1996. She started contracting with the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary in 2001. Her work for the sanctuary includes graphic design, web design, posters, illustrations, video editing, and large-scale event displays. Carey spends much of her free time asleep or on her motorcycle. She believes seagulls are vastly underrated.

George Galasso
(360) 457-6622 ext. 12
E-mail: George.Galasso@noaa.gov

George Galasso has worked for NOAA since 1982 and has been Assistant Manager of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary since the 1994 designation. George has a B.S. in Environmental Resource Management from the College of Environmental Science and Forestry and a Masters of Marine Affairs from the University of Washington.

Since joining NOAA, George has served on three NOAA vessels, piloting vessels through the inside passage of BC and Alaska and participating in research cruises from the Arctic to the South Pacific. He has years of experience in policy analysis, operational planning, data collection and analysis. He is currently involved in implementing Sanctuary resource protection programs and preparing for the Sanctuary's upcoming management plan review.

J. David Kirner
(360) 457-6622 ext. 30
Email: david.kirner@noaa.gov

David is a Marine Technician for OCNMS. He has been working for the Sanctuary since May of 2001. He received an A.A.S. in Fisheries Technology from Peninsula College in Port Angeles Washington in 2001. His primary responsibility is coordinating logistics for the Olympic Region Harmful Algal Bloom (ORHAB) near shore mooring project, collecting, analyzing and archiving physical data that has been retrieved. David also assists as support for oceanographic cruises, and various field operations by operating a variety of data collecting instrumentation. Other obligations consist of organizing and maintaining facilities including OCNMS boats, boathouse, vehicles, and field stations.

David has been a life long resident of the Olympic Peninsula, always interested and intrigued about the environment he lives in and learning more of his surroundings. David is most at ease when enjoying the outdoors by hiking, fishing, biking etc.

Norma Klein
(360) 457-6622 ext. 10
E-mail: Norma.Klein@noaa.gov

Norma Klein has been on board as Administrative Support Assistant since November of 2000. She deals with accounts payable and office management.

She has eight years experience as an office manager and bookkeeper. She earned her Associate of Applied Science in Accounting/Business from Peninsula College.

She has lived on the Olympic Peninsula for the last 25 years.

Janet Lamont
(360) 457-6622 ext. 31
E-mail: janet.lamont@noaa.gov

Janet Lamont is the Volunteer Coordinator and Manager of the Olympic Coast Discovery Center located near the OCNMS headquarters in Port Angeles. She coordinates and trains the dedicated volunteers in the discovery center as well as interacts with the general public. Janet also helps connect volunteers and researchers at OCNMS.

In an earlier life Janet was a classroom teacher and library media specialist for the Edmonds School District. A graduate of the University of Washington, she has always been an outdoor enthusiast enjoying hiking, mountain climbing, boating and fishing, scuba diving and nature photography.

Janet began working at the Olympic Coast Discovery Center as a volunteer docent in July, 2004. She has greeted visitors from around the world and enjoyed introducing them to the National Marine Sanctuary program and the Olympic Coast. She recently spent ten days on the NOAA research vessel McArthur II photographing seabirds and marine mammals in sanctuary waters.

Jacqueline Laverdure
(360) 457-6622 ext. 21
E-mail: Jacqueline.Laverdure@noaa.gov

Jacqueline Laverdure is an Education Specialist for the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Jacqueline plans and implements education and outreach programs and activities that inspire ocean conservation. She conducts teacher workshops, student field studies, and tribal youth programs. She also assists in coordinating volunteer programs that support Olympic Coast Discovery Center and Washington Coast Cleanup.

Jacqueline is originally from Brookfield, Connecticut, and graduated from the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Sciences and Marketing. In 1994 she moved to Key West, Florida where she earned a United States Coast Guard 100 Tons Masters license.

She tries to spend most of her time on or near the ocean. She has crewed and skippered vessels in Key West, Florida for close to fourteen years, sailed the Atlantic Seaboard, completed one trans-Atlantic voyage, and logged over 16,000 nautical miles sailing the coastal waters of Venezuela and the Caribbean.

Jacqueline recently joined the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Team and is excited to explore and share the beauty of the Olympic Coast.

Allison Mahaney
(360) 457-6622 ext. 14
E-mail: Allison.Martin@noaa.gov

Allison works as a Marine Operations Officer for the Sanctuary assisting in at-sea research, overseeing maintenance and scheduling the use of operating platforms, such as the RV Tatoosh and OCNMS facilities.

Allison graduated with a B.S. in Recreation, Parks and Tourism from the University of Florida. She worked in various resource management and conservation positions in the Florida and the Carolinas prior to joining the NOAA Corps in 2005. Before reporting to the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, Allison worked as the Navigation and Damage Control Officer aboard the NOAA ship Fairweather based in Ketchikan, AK.

Lindsey Milonas
E-mail: Lindsey.Milonas@noaa.gov

Lindsey is a Research Technician for the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. She works with both OCNMS resource management and research programs. Lindsey manages databases for water quality, oceanographic nearshore moorings, biomarker, and sea otter contaminant studies. She also participates in field based research activities.

Lindsey has a B.F.A from Brigham Young University and a M.S. in Environmental Science from Western Washington University. Her thesis research explored the effects of light on feeding and growth of echinoid larvae.

Andy Palmer
(360) 457-6622 ext. 15
E-mail: Andrew.Palmer@noaa.gov

Andy Palmer works as the Advisory Committee coordinator, providing information and facilitating communication among council members in their role as advisors to the Sanctuary Superintendent. During the summer research season, he can also be found captaining the OCNMS research vessel Tatoosh in the Sanctuary, maybe one of the best jobs on the Olympic Peninsula, certainly one of the most scenic.

Andy has lived on the Olympic Peninsula off-and-on since 1975. He spent ten years in Washington DC as a marine policy specialist for several non governmental organizations. Since resuming residency on the Olympic Peninsula, he has become actively involved in protecting the local and regional marine environment through the Northwest Straits Initiative. He currently serves as the chair of the Jefferson County Marine Resource Committee. He also is a member of the Washington State Board of Pilotage Commissioners by appointment of the Governor, which is responsible of oversight of pilotage in Washington's busy marine waters.

Robert Steelquist
(360) 457-6622 ext. 19
E-mail: Robert.Steelquist@noaa.gov

Robert Steelquist is a writer, naturalist and educator. Since December, 1994, Bob has been Education Coordinator for Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Prior to working for NOAA, he was an environmental planner with Puget Sound Water Quality Authority where he administered an environmental education grants program and provided technical assistance in education and public involvement to local governments, school districts, non-profits and Indian tribes.

He has also worked as Publications Manager for the Washington Department of Wildlife, director of the Arthur D. Feiro Marine Lab, a marine science education center, naturalist for Olympic National Park, clerk for the Washington State legislature and as a freelance writer and journalist. He has authored 12 books on the environment and natural history. His Bachelor's and Master's degrees are in the area of environmental policy from The Evergreen State College.

Nancy Wright
(360) 457-6622 ext. 18
E-mail: Nancy.Wright@noaa.gov

Nancy is the geographer for the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Her responsibility is to further the sanctuary's active seafloor habitat mapping program and build a habitat classification system that supports coastal and deepwater ecosystem-based management. She also contributes GIS expertise to research in kelp communities, mammal and seabird monitoring, and deepwater coral/sponge habitats. Nancy÷s overarching interest is public outreach and communication, using GIS as a 'voice' for the sanctuary's research and science initiatives.

Nancy's undergraduate studies at the University of Idaho, Moscow, focused on wildlife-habitat relationship models, threatened and endangered species, and the identification of statewide conservation priorities using GIS. She is currently an MS student in the University's Water Resources department with an emphasis on tribal law and land use policy. Before college and a career in natural resources, Nancy spent 20 years living in India and the Middle East, studying Sanskrit and eastern theology.

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