Membership Roster by Seat Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council

Elected Council Officers

Chair: Michael Cohen

Michael Cohen holding a seastar in a kayak

Owner/Director, Channel Islands Adventure Company

Michael has operated the Santa Barbara Adventure Company since 1998 with the goal of offering local adventures of the highest quality led by incredible guides. In his 24 years of outdoor leadership experience, Michael has worked as a guide, outdoor educator and trip leader for several well-known outfitters in the west and abroad. Santa Barbara Adventure Company is committed to environmental education and protection of the National Marine Sanctuary. Michael runs sea cave kayaking tours at Channel Islands National Park, as an NPS permitted outfitter.

Michael is a leader in the tourism community of Santa Barbara. He serves on the board of directors for the Santa Barbara Conference and Visitors Bureau, using this platform to promote environmentally sound tourism and protection of the National Marine Sanctuary.

Michael's past leadership experience includes working as a river guide and trip leader in many of the western United States' most loved sections of river. These sections include Idaho's Middle Fork and Main Salmon, American, Tuolumne, and Rogue. He rowed baggage on the Grand Canyon, enjoyed leading multiday self-supported sea kayaking trips in Belize, and spent two winters as a diving instructor and underwater videographer in the British Virgin Islands. Before opening the doors of his own business, he worked as a manager for one of California's largest outdoor education outfitters. He has been educating youth and tourists about the Channel Islands and the Marine environment since 1996. "I have always believed that if we get our guests and students to love the marine environment, using interpretation and interesting facts, letting them taste, touch and really experience the place, they will make good choices and help protect it."

Vice Chair: Phyllis Grifman

Phyllis Grifman standing on the beach with the sunseting over the water

Associate Director, Sea Grant Program, University of Southern California

Email: grifman@usc.edu

Phyllis Grifman is Associate Director of the Sea Grant Program at the University of Southern California, a federal/state/university partnership devoted to the conservation and wise use of ocean and coastal resources and support for coastal communities. Her responsibilities include improving public awareness of coastal and marine issues at local, state and national levels. Phyllis received her M.A. in Political Science from the University of California at Santa Barbara. Her major interests include marine policy development and implementation, and public education.

Phyllis has a long-standing interest in the Channel Islands. While at UCSB, she participated in conflict resolution efforts related to fishing, oil development, and marine mammal interactions in the Santa Barbara Channel. A lifelong boater, she has had the opportunity to both work and recreate at the islands off California and has a deep appreciation for the rich resources of both the land and waters. At USC, Phyllis manages Sea Grant's research initiatives, including soliciting and funding research projects and outreach efforts to local and regional authorities. She has worked with sanitation authorities on research pertaining to impacts of disposal on coastal waters, and with the research community and municipalities on impacts of storm water runoff on nearshore coastal environments. She directs the program on coastal natural hazards, including impacts on local communities from sea level rise, erosion, coastal change. She has a continuing commitment to fostering educational opportunities in environmental science and policy.

Phyllis has chaired the Marine Shipping Working Group of the CINMS Advisory Council and worked on the California Marine Life Protection Act development of marine protected areas. She chaired the LA region Marine Protected Area Collaborative and is a Vice President of the Board for the California Shore and Beach Preservation Association. She serves on the Coastal Sediment Management Work Group, the steering committee of the California Coastal Resilience Network, and the Technical Advisory Council of the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission.

Secretary: Ken Owen

Co-founder and Executive Director, Channel Islands Restoration

Email: ken@cirweb.org

Ken Owen is the co-founder and executive Director of Channel Islands Restoration (CIR). He has 23 years of experience managing large-scale ecological restoration projects and conducting botanical surveys in sensitive natural areas on the California Channel Islands and on the adjacent mainland of Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles Counties. Mr. Owen has more than 33 years of experience with non-profit management, and he has worked with the American Red Cross, Easy Lift Transportation and various LGBTQ+ organizations.

Mr. Owen has more than 33 years of experience educating the public on a variety of topics including ecology, plant identification, habitat restoration techniques, and disaster preparedness. As an instructor for CIR, Mr. Owen has organized and led most of the organization’s educational trips. He has been an instructor for the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Ventura County Adult Education, the California Invasive Plant Council, Exploritas and the American Red Cross. He has presented numerous scientific presentations, papers, and posters. He has more than 30 years of experience recruiting, training and managing staff and volunteers on a professional basis for many organizations. He possesses a Qualified Applicator’s License through the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (license number: 39503) a California Landscape Contractor’s license (license number: 1056865) and a remote pilot certificate through the FAA.

Mr. Owen was a member of the City of Santa Barbara Board of Harbor Commissioners for 16 years, and he chaired the Board for two years. He was a member of the County of Santa Barbara Homeless Taskforce and the Southern California Wetland Recovery Project Wetland Managers Group. He is currently a member of the City of Goleta Creeks Technical Advisory Committee, and he is a member of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council.

Community Seats

Business

Member: Giles Pettifor

Environmental Manager, Port of Hueneme

Email: gpettifor@portofh.org

Giles Pettifor is an environmental advocate, a birder, a father, an ocean lover who grew up diving in the Channel Islands, and in his day job is the Environmental Manager for the Port of Hueneme, where he is responsible for overseeing the Port's programs related to water quality, air quality, energy use, climate change and sea level rise, soil and sediment quality, and marine resources. Mr. Pettifor is an environmental policy expert, specializing in air and water quality, industrial decarbonization, coastal resource management and climate change adaptation. He has gained over 20 years of professional experience working on environmental projects around the United States and with several sovereign, Indigenous American Nations. Prior to joining the Port of Hueneme, Mr. Pettifor worked on projects nationwide related to coastal policy, water resource infrastructure, stormwater management, public outreach and education, low impact development, and fisheries.

Alternate: Jaime Diamond

Owner, Santa Barbara Landing, Stardust Sportfishing

Email: jaime@sblanding.com

Jaime Diamond is owner of Stardust Sportfishing with her husband Capt. Jason Diamond and their three young children. Her fishing boats were the first in the fleet to install fishing line recycling receptacles onboard. They also partner with the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum providing floating marine lab classrooms to SB County Title 1 Schools every year. Jaime is CEO/General manager of Santa Barbara Landing which oversees the management of sportfishing, whale watching, SCUBA, guided kayak & snorkel trips and Island adventures, all of which utilize our Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.

A champion of collaborative research as it pertains to our local waters, Jaime and crew frequently transform her fishing boats into research vessels for MPA monitoring & review, Tagging, NOAA projects, and more. She works closely with NMFS, CDFW and CCFRP, even advocating in DC for better funding and support to manage and conserve our local resources. She advocates for responsible recreational fishing access, participating in both state and federal fisheries management processes.

Jaime has a strong sense of community, reaching out to and supporting local businesses with the mindset "we are stronger together". She is a member of many business, industry, advocacy and conservation groups. Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber & Hospitality Committee, State Board Member and Gov Affairs member - Coastal Conservation Association of CA, NOAA Rec. Saltwater Summit - Steering Committee, Vice President - Sportfishing Association of Ca, PFMC - GAP Alternate, President of the Board - Carpinteria Unified School District.

We have a responsibility to "leave it better than we found it" for the next generation.

Recreation (non-consumptive)

Member: Kaia Kababik

Owner/Education Director of Channel Islands Expeditions and Paddle Sports Center

Email: kaia@paddlesportsca.com

Kaia is Education Director and owner of Paddle Sports Center and Channel Islands Expeditions with her husband and two young children. For over a decade, Kaia has been teaching about our local marine environment. As a marine educator, environmentalist, activist, and freediver her personal experiences and expertise directly correlate with the importance of the health of our local ocean and marine sanctuary. Kaia is also a managing member of the Santa Barbara Landing.

Her vessels operated by CIX provide day and multi-day expeditions into the CINMS. Her passion is to help create educational experiences in wilderness ocean spaces that show the magic of the Channel Islands. CIX has worked with NOAA, Kelp Reforestation Project, CIMWI, Wilderness Youth Project, Marine Mammal Care Center, and more within the last few years for research, protection, and education purposes.

Kaia has developed many marine education programs for K-12 over the last decade. From teaching Channel Islands focused classes to middle school and high school students, marine pollution presentations, events, beach clean ups, camps, after school programs, and more; she has reached thousands of students in California. She increased opportunities in outdoor education for our Santa Barbara community through Ocean Explorers summer camp and after school programs. Since 2014 she has worked with local government housing-authority programs and students to be able to provide support for lower income families. She has raised thousands of dollars to scholarship hundreds of students bringing them directly into the SB Channel and into the Channel Islands National Park. The programs allow kids to actively engage with our ocean through kayaking, paddle boarding, surfing, cleaning beaches, snorkeling, while simultaneously learning about ocean conservancy, marine animals, ocean safety, water quality, marine debris, sustainable farming and marine ecology.

A water woman, she holds certifications in; ASI (Academy of Surfing Instructors) Instructor, PADI Open Water, and FII (freediving instructors international), CPR for the professional rescuer.

Her moto is ‘play to protect’. We need to build confidence and love for our marine environment in order to foster a connection with the ocean world. As a young mother there is nothing more important to Kaia than the protection of our ocean and wilderness spaces, and sanctuaries are the model for doing so. Her favorite animals are pinnipeds!

Alternate: Molly Troup

Science and Program Manager, Santa Barbara Channelkeeper

Email: molly@sbck.org

Molly Troup is the Science and Program Manager for Santa Barbara Channelkeeper where she spends her days working to protect and restore the Santa Barbara Channel and its watersheds through implementing Channelkeeper’s monitoring, advocacy, and education and outreach programs. Molly also has a background in coastal planning, gained through her work at the California Coastal Commission. She earned her Master of Environmental Science and Management (MESM), with emphasis in coastal and marine resources management, from the Bren School at UCSB and has a BA in Biology from Wheaton College, MA. Since relocating to Santa Barbara from the east coast, she has become a regular ocean swimmer, completed her dive certification at the Channel Islands, and takes advantage of getting out to the Channel Islands as often as possible.

Recreational Fishing

Member: David Lopez

President, Santa Barbara Chapter, Coastal Conservation Association of California

Email: LopezDN@gmail.com

David Lopez is a US Coast Guard licensed sea captain, a Member of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary (CINMS) Advisory Council, President of the Santa Barbara Chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association of California (CCA CAL), a Member of the Board of Directors of CCA CAL, a member of the CCA CAL Habitat Committee, and is Vice Chair of the Santa Barbara Elks Lodge #613 Veterans Committee.

David is a fifth-generation native of Santa Barbara, and a graduate of Santa Barbara High School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from San Diego State University, and a Master of Political Science Degree from Auburn University, Montgomery, AL.

Colonel Lopez is retired from the U.S. Air Force, and served as a rated B-52G and F-15C pilot, and commanded at the squadron, and wing levels. He then served as a Federal Senior Aviation Policy Officer and Acting Director, Office of Aviation Management, US Department of Energy.

Alternate: Kevin Brannon

Founder and CEO of Reel Angler Network

Email: reelanglersci@gmail.com

Kevin Brannon is an educator, radio personality, award-winning documentary filmmaker of fishing, education, and marine conservation projects, and a trusted social influencer for California’s community of outdoor enthusiasts, both amateur and professional.

He is the Founder and CEO of the Reel Angler Network which includes the family-focused non-profit Reel Guppy Outdoors Inc. whose Mission is to empower and inspire youth, families, and our community to be impactful in the world through education and personal development. He is an active education partner with local schools and universities and fierce advocate for those with barriers to marine-related experiences and education.

Kevin's passion extends as the producer and host of both the nationally syndicated Reel Anglers Fishing Show California and the Reel Radio podcast.

Kevin also serves as an environmental conservation and responsible recreation ambassador for state, national, and international organizations including the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation's R3 Committee, Justice Outside, and the International Game Fish Association, in addition to his position as a Pro Staffer for Bass Pro Shops.

He is also a diversity consultant for the CA Department of Fish and Wildlife and NOAA, a Children’s Book Author, and the former President of Channel Islands Coastal Conservation Association Chapter.

Kevin has been fishing and working in the waters of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary for more than 25 years, beginning as a pinhead and deckhand on crew boats when he was 11 years old.

Commercial Fishing

Member: Michael Nelson

Program Officer, Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara

Email: mjnelson@cfsb.info

Mike grew up in Crisfield, Maryland, a fishing community surrounded by the marshes of Chesapeake Bay, where his first job was pulling blue crab pots with his grandfather on Pocomoke Sound before working more than thirty years for both the Maryland and California Natural Resources agencies.

Most of his career was spent leading Maryland’s land and water conservation programs. As Assistant Secretary for Capital Grants and Loans, he managed a $150 million annual capital program comprising statewide funding to local governments for open space, recreation, shore erosion control and waterway improvement: as well as, supervising the capital budgeting, land acquisition and improvement of Maryland’s public lands system. While Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Lands and Forestry his focus was administration of public lands and forestry programs, which accommodated 9 million visitors at 65 locations and maintenance of 1400 buildings, 553 miles of roads, 2,457 campsites on 350,000 acres.

Following his relocation to California, he consulted for the Conservation Fund and the American Farmlands Trust before becoming Executive Officer of the California’s Natural Resources Agency’s San Diego River Conservancy; an independent non-regulatory state agency that oversees a watershed driven land conservation and restoration program, which achieves economic and community development through placement of bond funds along a 52-mile riparian corridor through California’s second most populated region.

Before retiring, Mike was the Executive Director at the Elings Park Foundation, serving as both park superintendent and foundation director for one of Santa Barbara’s most popular urban parks and natural areas; a privately financed, community resource that is the centerpiece of a growing public landscape assembled at the southern end of Las Positas Canyon along Arroyo Burro Creek and the Pacific Ocean.

Today, as a volunteer Program Officer for the Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara, he helps this industry based nonprofit execute a fisheries economic development strategy that promotes revitalization of Santa Barbara’s working waterfront, addresses the infrastructure needs of its commercial fleet and advocates for local seafood businesses.

Finally, he was appointed to the Santa Barbara Harbor Commission by the City Council and is currently Chair of the Commission’s Commercial Fisheries and Charter and Business Activity Permits Subcommittees.

Alternate: John Hoadley

Owner of The Good Captain Co.

Email: john@thegoodcaptainco.com

John Hoadley has been submerged beneath the waves between Leo Carrillo and Point Conception in one way or another for nearly his entire life. After spending countless hours freediving and scuba diving throughout his entire adolescence, John completed the Marine Diving Technology program at SBCC in 2004. Upon completion of his diving degree, he worked with Truth Aquatics Inc. Starting off as a deckhand on the Conception and then primarily the Vision, he acquired his 100 ton USCG Masters license and worked as a Mate for many seasons. He has worked in the offshore oil industry as a Commercial Diver off the Santa Barbara coastline and in Hawaii doing work ranging from cleaning and inspection of platforms to installing sub-sea systems in support of large Power Buoys and hydrographic seafloor listening devices. John has ran survey boats on the east coast conducting hydrographic reconnaissance for offshore windfarm development. For the last 14 years, John has owned and operated The Good Captain Co, a commercial fishing business that provides sea urchin, sea cucumber, and lobster to local Santa Barbara restaurants and seafood providers.

Education

Member: Michael Yorke

Science teacher, Buena High School, Ventura Unified School District

Email: michael.yorke@venturausd.org

Michael Yorke is an experienced classroom science teacher and outdoor educator with a strong passion for experiential education and the natural environment. With a focus on inspiring students through hands-on experiences in nature, Michael has been a dedicated advocate for environmental education and conservation.

Currently a classroom science teacher at Buena High School in the Ventura Unified School District since 2006, Michael has taught a variety of subjects including AP Environmental Science, Marine Science, Biology, Earth Science, Leadership, and Honors Environmental Field Science. Michael has also been actively involved in leading the Environmental Club, organizing numerous field trips and volunteer opportunities, with a special emphasis on Anacapa Island in Channel Islands National Park. Their efforts were awarded the Glen and Helen Hartzog National Park Service Volunteer Youth Group Award in 2014.

In addition to his work at Buena High School, Michael was also a Teacher at Ventura County Office of Education, where he helped create the Honors Environmental Field Studies Career Technical Pathway and developed online learning modules for real-world science field experiences, collaborating with industry partners and professionals. Michael has also been actively involved with various environmental organizations such as the National Park Service, Santa Barbara Channel Keepers, the MERITO Foundation, Ventura Land Trust, Cal Sea Grant, NOAA, and the California Institute of Environmental Studies, where he contributed to activities such as invasive species removal, habitat restoration, water quality monitoring, citizen science, and bird surveys.

Prior to his teaching career, Michael worked as an Outdoor Educator at Catalina Island Marine Institute from 2002 to 2010, serving as an Instructor and later as an Assistant Program Director. Michael holds a Master of Education in Education from the University of California Santa Barbara and a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from Prescott College.

With a deep-rooted passion for marine conservation and environmental education, Michael is excited to bring his expertise, experience, and commitment to the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council. He believes that experiential education in the natural environment is crucial for fostering a love and appreciation for marine ecosystems, and he is dedicated to promoting sustainable conservation practices for the benefit of future generations.

Alternate: Andrea Mills

Education Coordinator, Island Packers Company

Email: education@islandpackers.com

A visit to the tide pools during a fifth grade field trip inspired in Andrea a permanent interest in the marine environment. After receiving a degree in marine biology, Andrea worked in the deep sea vent lab at UCSB and later in the Invertebrate Zoology Department at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. Hoping to instill in the next generation the same passion for the marine environment that educators gave to her at such a young age, she returned to school to earn a multiple subject teaching credential. She transferred to the Education Department at the Museum for several years before moving to her current position as the Education Coordinator for Island Packers, a concessionaire to the Channel Islands National Park. Island Packers transports over 70,000 visitors to the Park and National Marine Sanctuary every year, including more than 8,000 school children who participate in educational programs as part of their tour. Andrea also volunteers as a diver for the National Park's "Channel Islands Live," broadcasting educational programming from underwater.

Research

Member: Phyllis Grifman

Associate Director, Sea Grant Program, University of Southern California

Email: grifman@usc.edu

Alternate: Dr. Robert (Bob) Miller

Research Biologist, Marine Science Institute, University of California Santa Barbara

Email: rjmiller@ucsb.edu

Dr. Robert (Bob) Miller is a Research Biologist at UC Santa Barbara, where his research focuses on marine ecology in kelp forests and other coastal habitats. Bob leads the Santa Barbara Coastal Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) program (National Science Foundation), and the Southern California Bight Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (NASA/BOEM/NOAA). He earned his PhD in Biology studying marine life in the frigid Gulf of Maine at the University of Massachusetts Boston, his MS in Biological Oceanography working on deep sea ecosystems at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and his BS at Nova University. Bob started as a Postdoctoral Researcher at UCSB in 2006, and never left. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, fishing, and diving, especially in the Channel Islands.

Tourism

Member: Michael Cohen

Owner/Director, Channel Islands Adventure Company (www.SBAdventureCo.com)

Email: mcohen@sbadventureco.com

Alternate: Amanda Allen

Director of Development for MOXI

Email: amanda.allen@moxi.org

Amanda Allen is an ocean-lover and a working mother, living in Santa Barbara, CA. The Channel Islands have a special place in her heart as does science education and we can see her passions have inspired her career: Amanda is currently the Director of Development for MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation where she is responsible for connecting people to MOXI's mission - to ignite a love for learning through interactive experiences in science and creativity. Prior, Amanda was the Sea Center Director with the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History where she originally started as a volunteer in 2005. Before her Sea Center service, she launched and operated Ocean Adventures and was an executive director at The Princeton Review. Amanda has also worked for University of Hawaii's Waikiki Aquarium and for the University of California, Santa Barbara. She holds an MBA from California State University, Channel Islands, a bachelor's degree in Anthropology from UCSB and has served on various boards and councils in the community including Visit Santa Barbara, the Stearns Wharf Merchant Association, and is thrilled to be returning to the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council.

Conservation

Member: Samantha Macks Franz

Director of Development, White Buffalo Land Trust

Email: samcmacks@gmail.com

Sam's professional experience includes work in development, science communication, conservation, and program management at various marine and environmental nonprofit organizations. Her passion lies in science communication; sharing the wonders of nature and science to inspire action. Sam earned her degree in Marine Science and Biology at the University of Tampa and a Master of Marine Affairs (M.M.A.), from the University of Washington's School of Marine and Environmental Affairs; her graduate thesis created the first vertical line co-occurrence model for National Marine Fisheries Service to better understand the risk of whale entanglements in fixed gear fisheries along the West coast. Sam is the Director of Development at White Buffalo Land Trust, an organization working to restore ecosystems through regenerative agriculture; she enjoys connecting our community along California's Central Coast to our watersheds, coast, and Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. Previously, she was the Manager of Volunteer and Interpretation Programs at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History and Sea Center and oversaw the volunteer programs, daily operations, and exhibit interpretation. As a Certified Interpretive Guide with the National Association of Interpretation, she was responsible for facilitating advanced trainings for staff and volunteers on best interpretative practices, science communication, climate literacy, and youth education at both of the organization's Museum and Sea Center campuses. Her professional experience includes composing various research projects, development initiatives, and science communication strategies at organizations such as the Journal of Coastal Management, Long Live the Kings, Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, Channel Islands Marine & Wildlife Institute, and Washington SeaGrant. In her free time, she explores her passions for the underwater world, waves, and wildlife around our local beaches and at the Channel Islands.

Alternate: Christina Tombach Wright

Wildlife Biologist

Email: cwright.SAC@gmail.com

Christina Tombach Wright is an independent wildlife biologist based out of Goleta, California. She is presently working as a consultant to Toyon Research Corporation as a research biologist investigating novel technologies for automatically detecting and tracking whales and other marine mammals. Christina is the Conservation seat alternate for the CINMS SAC and hopes that her research experience with the marine environment can serve the SACs ongoing conservation efforts including reducing ship strikes on large whales. Christina earned her BSc degree from UCSB and was a student research diver for the university. She concurrently worked for several years as a volunteer for the Santa Barbara Marine Mammal Center and spent her summers in Quebec, Canada as field director for the ORES Center for Coastal Field Studies investigating large whale foraging ecology. Her graduate studies took her to the west coast of Canada and to the University of Victoria, British Columbia where she conducted photo-identification surveys of the PCFG (Pacific Coastal Feeding Group) of seasonal resident gray whales. Through her research on both the Eastern and Western gray whale populations, she co-authored the book "The Western North Pacific Gray Whales of Sakhalin Island" (Trafford Publishing, 2007). Christina first learned to SCUBA dive out at the Channel Islands and continues to enjoy trips out to the islands as well as hiking and kayaking along our local coastline.

Public At-Large 1

Member: Dr. Stuart Kasdin

City of Goleta Council Member

Email: skasdin1@gmail.com

Stuart Kasdin is a member of the Goleta City Council, elected in 2016. Current committee assignments include the Economic Development and Revitalization Standing Committee, Finance and Audit Standing Committee, and Goleta Beach Park Standing Committee. He also teaches Political Science at Santa Barbara City College. Prior to joining the city council, Stuart worked at George Washington University. His research and classes covered issues related to public administration. He left the position to be with his family in Goleta. Previously, he worked in the White House Office of Management and Budget, primarily in the Agriculture Branch focusing on the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Farm Service Agency, and US Forest Service at different points. His responsibility was agency budgeting and management oversight, as well as assessing regulations, legislation, and agency strategic plans and performance measures.

He also has experience with community and economic development, having worked with the Freedom from Hunger Foundation, the World Bank, and as a Peace Corps Volunteer. As a Peace Corps volunteer, he provided technical assistance for farmers and cooperatives in an Indian community in the Andes of Ecuador. There, he developed projects on soil conservation, livestock, and product marketing.

His training includes Masters degrees in agricultural and resource economics and in international agricultural development, and a PhD in Political Science from UCSB.

Alternate: Blake Thomas

Teacher, Hueneme High School

Email: blake.thomas@oxnardunion.org

I first became acquainted with the islands off the coast of California as a Boy Scout and later Nature Director at Camp Emerald Bay on the west end of Santa Catalina Island. I was enchanted by Catalina’s island flora and fauna and the fantastic pavilion of stars that greeted us each evening at day’s end.

Later, my NAUI qualification dive was held off Scorpion Bay in the waters of Santa Cruz Island. While enrolled at Los Angeles Valley College, I studied oceanography. One of our lab field trips took us on a multiple day voyage to Santa Barbara Island, Anacapa and Santa Cruz Island. It was a thoroughly rewarding experience and further enhanced my appreciation for the importance of the wise circumspection and informed stewardship of these islands.

I transferred to Humboldt State University and dove into the opportunities that awaited me there. On weekends and during semester breaks, I traveled and explored the Trinity, Salmon, Eel and Klamath Rivers, Redwood National Park, the Marble Mountain and Yolla Bolly Wilderness and the Trinity Alps. The remote Warner Mountain Range near Alturas, CA was also a treasure. I researched and authored a section on the history and significance of Junction City, CA in the National Forest Service publication “Trinity Scenic Byway, Highway 299.”

While at Humboldt State, I earned a BA in Philosophy and studied the fields of Criminology, International Relations and Applied Ethics. I received an MA in Social Science with an emphasis in Political Science and History. I was also a member of the football and track and field teams and served as the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences representative to student government and the Academic Senate at HSU. I also completed my preparations for my teaching career by obtaining California Single Subject credentials in both Social Science and English.

I’ve taught a dozen Social Science and Humanities college courses at Ventura College and National University campuses in Sacramento, Stockton and Sherman Oaks.

I’ve taught at Court and Community schools in Juvenile Halls in Humboldt and San Joaquin counties. I served as an educator and Victim’s Awareness Program coordinator for nine years with our incarcerated youth at the California Youth Authority’s schools in Stockton and Camarillo. I was named the statewide “New Teacher of the Year” in the CYA in 1999.

I then took up new challenges with the Oxnard Union High School District serving as a Social Sciences teacher at Hueneme High School since 2004. I teach a dynamic palette of classes that include Economics, World Civilizations, American Government, College Preparatory U.S. History and Advanced Placement United States History. I have served as an Advanced Placement United States History Essay Reader annually for Princeton’s College Board for fourteen consecutive years. I served for a decade as a mentor to South Oxnard’s high school students in Career Education programs for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard. I have served as a Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History Summer Scholar at UCLA, Columbia University and the University of Massachusetts, Boston.

I enjoy traveling with my family, opera, classical music, progressive rock music, exploring United States History, college football and finding adventure in the Eastern Sierra/Highway 395 corridor.

I’m looking forward to further discovery, appreciation and gathering of knowledge of our oceanic ecosystem with my enthusiastic and environmentally passionate colleagues on the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council.

Public at Large 2

Alternate: Chris Ragland

Founder and Executive Director, The Sea League

Email: chris@thesealeague.org

Chris Ragland is the Founder and Executive Director of The Sea League, an after-school team sports program with an emphasis on creating ocean stewards through equitable access to ocean sports. With 10 years experience as a leading surf coach and kayak guide throughout Santa Barbara and The Channel Islands, Chris’ goal is to provide active learning experiences for youth ages 7-14, treating activities like surfing, stand up paddling (SUP), kayaking, and snorkeling as ways to build relationships with the natural world.

Committed to community engagement, Chris also sits on the Board of Wilderness Youth Project - one the organizations in Santa Barbara who were selected to provide evidence-based interventions that prevent, treat, and heal the harmful consequences of toxic stress amongst youth.

Chris majored in Environmental Studies at UCSB, where he researched the impacts of human activity and extreme weather events on coral all throughout Southeast Asia.

Chumash Community

Member: Alicia Cordero

Alternate: Eva Pagaling

Santa Ynez Band of Samala Chumash Indians

Email: evalani4@gmail.com

Eva Pagaling is a member of the Samala Band of Chumash Indians in Santa Ynez, and is the youngest daughter of tomol Captain Reggie Pagaling. The tomol is a traditional wood-plank canoe and only sea-faring canoe within the Chumash culture that has existed since time immemorial. Eva has been making annual trips across the channel to Limuw (Santa Cruz Island) with her Chumash community since around the age of 10. She graduated from California State University Long Beach with her Bachelors in Communication, and shortly after graduating moved back home to work with her tribe. She is currently working with the Wishtoyo Chumash Foundation as a Water Science Intern. She also runs seasonal community tomol programs with the Santa Ynez Culture Department on the reservation. Prior to her time with Wishtoyo she worked for the Behavioral Department at the Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic as a Grants Associate. As a 29 year old mother of one-soon to be two-she plans to continue serving her Chumash peoples by following in the footsteps of those in her community who are carving multifaceted paths to their cultural regeneration.

Government Seats

National Marine Fisheries Service

Member: Daniel Studt

Email: daniel.studt@noaa.gov

Daniel Studt is with the Sustainable Fisheries Division of NOAA Fisheries' West Coast Region (WCR). Daniel has been working as the recreational fisheries coordinator since April 2019 to increase NOAA Fisheries' visibility in the West Coast angling community and to understand and address the community's key concerns and priorities. Daniel was previously a contractor for seven years in the WCR's Highly Migratory Species Branch working on the national dolphin-safe tuna program and eastern Pacific Ocean tuna fisheries. Daniel grew up fishing and surfing in Southern California. He has a B.S in Marine Biology from CSU Long Beach and is working towards a Fisheries Management Graduate Certificate at Oregon State University.

Alternate: vacant

National Park Service

Member: Ken Convery

Chief of Natural Resources Management, Channel Islands National Park

Email: ken_convery@nps.gov

Ken is the Chief of Natural Resources Management at the Channel Islands National Park, where he administers the park's natural resources and research programs and advises the Superintendent on marine and terrestrial resource issues. Prior to joining the National Park Service, Ken served as Deputy Project Leader for the Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge Complex, and before that as research faculty at Virginia Tech. Ken holds advanced degrees in biology (MS) and business administration (MBA) from Virginia Tech, and undergraduate degrees in Ecology and Evolution (BS) and Environmental Studies (BA) from the UCSB. When he's not working, you can often find him sailing, kayaking, diving or hiking within the Channel Islands National Park and National Marine Sanctuary.

Alternate: Mark Hnat

Chief Ranger for Channel Islands National Park

Email: Mark_Hnat@nps.gov

Mark has been the Chief Ranger for Channel Islands National Park since 2019. Mark manages law enforcement and emergency services within the park. NPS Rangers at Channel Islands National Park work closely with internal and external partners to protect park resource on the islands as well as the surrounding waters. Rangers regularly work closely in the field with Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, CA Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the US Coast Guard to protect marine resources within the overlapping jurisdictions.

Mark began working with the National Park Service in 1995. In addition to Channel Islands National Park, he has been duty stationed at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Yellowstone National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, and Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Mark has responded around the country as a member of incident management teams and is a master instructor for the Department of Interior Motorboat Operator Certification program and active NPS diver. He holds a B.S. from Lock Haven University in health sciences and is completing an M.S. from CSU Long Beach in Emergency Services Administration.

U.S. Coast Guard

Member: CDR Ariel Berrios

Response Department Head at Sector Los Angeles – Long Beach

Email: Ariel.Berrios@uscg.mil

Commander Ariel Berrios assumed the duties as Sector Los Angeles - Long Beach Chief of Response in July, 2022. He is responsible for all search and rescue, maritime law enforcement, port and waterways security, living marine resources and maritime environmental response operations in an area stretching more than 350 miles along the California coast, from north of Morro Bay and south to San Clemente, out to 200 miles offshore, and includes the nation’s largest port complex. He also serves as Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator and oversees eight patrol boats and three multi-mission small boat stations that patrol the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.

Alternate: LTJG Nazere Jones

Living Marine Resource Officer, District Eleven

Email: nazere.c.jones@uscg.mil

Lieutenant Junior Grade (LTJG) Jones, is a proud member of the United States Coast Guard, with a background in management, having graduated from the Coast Guard Academy in 2021. After commissioning, he was stationed at the Coast Guard Cutter ROBERT WARD in San Pedro, California, for his first assignment. It was there that he learned the importance of maritime operations, leadership, and teamwork, while also developing a deep appreciation for the coastal waters and marine ecosystems of the California region.

Transitioning from the CGC ROBERT WARD, he now serves as the District Eleven Living Marine Resource Officer. In this role, he is responsible for coordinating and managing assets within the jurisdiction, which spans from California to Mexico. Through enforcement, education, and collaboration with local communities and stakeholders, he seeks to ensure the sustainable use and protection of our marine resources.

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

Member: Donna Schroeder

Marine Ecologist, Pacific Region

Email: donna.schroeder@boem.gov

An explorer of the Pacific for more than 20 years, Donna has made over 1000 scuba dives and over 100 submersible dives investigating marine habitats and populations. She has been a BOEM scientist and analyst since 2007, with expertise in fishes, fisheries, and marine habitats. Her research interests focus on offshore energy, marine population dynamics, seafloor mapping, artificial reefs, effects of contaminants (DDT, heavy metals, and PAHs) on marine species, and marine policy. Donna believes that partnerships make effective marine governance possible, and has collaborated extensively with the National Marine Sanctuary Program, NOAA Fisheries, U.S. Geological Survey, National Park Service, Department of State, and many universities, non-governmental organizations and industry stakeholders.

Alternate: Jeremy Potter

Chief of Environmental Sciences, Pacific Region

Email: jeremy.potter@boem.gov

U.S. Department of Defense

Member: Adam Melerski

Airspace and Offshore Manager, Vandenberg Air Force Base

Email: adam.melerski.2@spaceforce.mil

Alternate: Stephen (Steve) DuBoyce

Point Mugu Sea Range Encroachment Manager, US Navy

Email: stephen.a.duboyce.civ@us.navy.mil

Steve served in the US Army from 1984-88, and remained in the Army Reserve until he retired as a Master Sergeant in 2022. He graduated from UCSB with a BA in Poli Sci in 1994, and from the University of Michigan with a Masters in Urban Planning in 1996. He then spent 12 years as a local government planner in South Florida where he lived in Miami Beach. Prior to coming back to California, he worked in Washington DC for the Navy starting in 2011 as Regional Encroachment supporting the six Navy installations in the National Capital Region. Since 2016 he has served as the Encroachment Manager for the 36,000 square mile Pt. Mugu Sea Range, from where he plans to retire in a few years. He is married to Samantha and they have a teenager named Freddie.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife

Member: Carlos Mireles

Environmental Scientist, Marine Region

Email: AskMarine@wildlife.ca.gov

Carlos Mireles is an Environmental Scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Invertebrate Fisheries Management Project. Since 2012, Carlos' work has mainly focused on collecting essential fishery information and developing strategies to improve management of the State's commercial and recreational invertebrate fisheries. He is the lead biologist responsible for management of the Warty Sea Cucumber commercial dive fishery, where he is currently working with members of the fishing fleet, NGO's, and other government agencies to develop collaborative solutions for the future management of this valuable resource. Carlos holds a BS degree in Ecology and Systematic Biology from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and a MS degree in Biology from California State University, Long Beach.

Alternate: Armand Barilotti

Environmental Scientist

Email: Armand.Barilotti@wildlife.ca.gov

Armand Barilotti works for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife as an Environmental Scientist. His team conducts research, compiles information, and provides expertise for management of nearshore state managed finfish fisheries, which include: the saltwater basses (Paralabrax sp.), California halibut, white seabass, giant sea bass, California grunion, and many more species. Armand has a B.S. in marine biology from UC Santa Cruz, and a M.S. in biology from CSU Long Beach.

California Natural Resources Agency

Member: Jenn Eckerle

Deputy Director, Ocean Protection Council

Email: jenn.eckerle@resources.ca.gov

Jenn Eckerle is the Deputy Director of the California Ocean Protection Council (OPC). She is responsible for supervising staff and helping set the strategic priorities for coast and ocean policy in California. Before joining OPC, Jenn spent eight years as an ocean policy analyst for the Natural Resources Defense Council, where she conducted technical analysis and developed policy recommendations to advance ocean conservation related to marine protected areas, fisheries, marine debris, desalination, underwater noise, oil drilling, and aquaculture. Jenn earned an M.S. in Marine Biology from the Florida Institute of Technology and a B.S. in Biology from the University of Vermont.

Alternate: Pike Spector

Biodiversity Program Manager, Ocean Protection Council

Email: pike.spector@resources.ca.gov

As the Ocean Protection Council’s Biodiversity Program Manager, Pike leads efforts to support the state’s goals of understanding and protecting California’s unique and biodiverse marine communities. Before joining OPC, Pike worked as a marine scientist for Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, and as a California State Sea Grant Fellow turned research-contractor for Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. As a devout thalassophile with a background in kelp forest ecology, Pike’s research has taken him across the Alaskan Peninsula to the western Aleutians, and down the west coast from Washington to Baja California.

California Coastal Commission

Member: Cassidy Teufel

Email: Cassidy.Teufel@coastal.ca.gov

Cassidy Teufel has worked for the California Coastal Commission since 2004 and has degrees in Marine Ecology and Natural Resource Management from UC Berkeley and the University of Sydney (Australia). Prior to his work for the State of California, Cassidy spent several years studying marine mammals and coastal wetlands in the San Francisco Bay Area and coral reef systems in Hawaii and American Samoa. Having worked for 15 years in the Coastal Commission's Energy, Ocean Resources, and Federal Consistency Division, Cassidy reviews and manages projects statewide involving aquaculture, marine protected areas, coastal power plants, oil and gas development and facility decommissioning, federal agency activities, and marine habitat restoration.

Alternate: Jaqueline Phelps

South Central Coast District Supervisor

Email: jacqueline.phelps@coastal.ca.gov

Jacki Phelps is a District Supervisor at the California Coastal Commission, where she has been working to protect and enhance California's coast and ocean since 2012. Jacki earned a MS in Management from California Lutheran University, and a BA in Biology and Environmental Studies, as well as a minor in Legal Studies, from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Jacki is the Commission’s South Central Coast Tribal Liaison and is a member of the Plastic Pollution Reduction Task Force. Prior to joining the Commission Jacki worked as a research assistant at Long Marine Lab and as a stewardship assistant at the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County. Jacki was born and raised in beautiful Ventura. She has had countless adventures to local beaches and to the Channel Islands, which have inspired her to pursue a career in coastal protection. Jacki enjoys hiking, biking, swimming, and traveling. She spends as much time as possible exploring the natural environment both locally and abroad.

County of Santa Barbara

Member: Errin Briggs

Supervisor, Energy, Minerals & Compliance Division, Planning & Development Department

Email: ebriggs@co.santa-barbara.ca.us

Errin Briggs has served the Santa Barbara community for over 12 years working as a planner for the County of Santa Barbara. He has served in numerous positions during this time and is now a supervising planner in the Energy & Minerals Division where he oversees the permitting of oil and gas and mining-related projects. Errin attended the University of California Santa Barbara where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. Errin spends a significant portion of his free time in the ocean and is an avid diver, surfer, and spear fisherman. Errin has dove the waters of each of the eight Channel Islands, as well as Tanner and Cortez Banks. You can often find him diving with friends on the backside of Anacapa and Santa Cruz Islands searching for the area's most desired fish.

Alternate: David Villalobos

Board Assistant Supervisor, Planning & Development Department

Email: dvillalo@co.santa-barbara.ca.us

David has worked for the County of Santa Barbara since 2003, with the Planning and Development department administration division for the past 13 years. He attended UC Santa Barbara, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in Biological Science, and he received a Master's of Public Administration from California State Northridge. David is also a member of the County of Santa Barbara Public Information Team, and is often found in the Emergency Operations Center's Joint Information Center.

County of Ventura

Member: Jed Chernabaeff

Public Information Officer, Ventura County Harbor Department

Email: Jed.Chernabaeff@ventura.org

Jed Chernabaeff is the Public Information Officer for the Ventura County Harbor Department. He is responsible for media relations, community relations, crisis communications, event planning, digital marketing, print advertising, grant writing, and social media management. He joined the Harbor Department, which manages the Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard, in January 2017.

Prior to joining the Harbor Department, he represented the Fresno Unified School District, the state's fourth largest school district, as the Public Information Officer and the County of Tulare as the Public Information Officer for the Board of Supervisors and County Administrative Office. He has more than 15 years of experience in public service communications.

Alternate: Vacant

Non-Voting Representatives

Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary

Member: Chris Mobley

Superintendent, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.

Email: chris.mobley@noaa.gov

Chris has been sanctuary superintendent since the Fall of 2002. He began his NOAA career in 1987 as a commissioned officer in the NOAA corps, serving aboard the NOAA ship Malcom Baldrigeas deck officer, working diver, and shipboard computer manager. He then worked for ten years in NOAA Fisheries' Santa Rosa, California field office, focusing on the conservation and restoration of marine and freshwater fish habitat.

As Pacific Salmon Coordinator for NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources in Silver Spring, Maryland, Chris worked on policy, funding, and administration of Pacific salmon recovery efforts under the Endangered Species Act. During his career, Chris has had extensive experience in building partnerships and collaborating with state and federal agencies, local government, tribes, businesses, non-profit organizations and user groups, often on highly controversial and contentious issues. Chris has a B.A. in Biology from Dartmouth College, an M.S. in Oceanography from the University of Washington, and an M.B.A. from Sonoma State University.

Alternate: Michael Murray

Deputy Superintendent for Programs, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary

Email: michael.murray@noaa.gov

As Deputy Superintendent for Programs since 2008, Michael Murray assists 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. Michael first joined the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary (CINMS) in 1999, and since then has enjoyed helping to connect the local community with management of the sanctuary through his ongoing role as coordinator of the Sanctuary Advisory Council. Prior to joining 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 Master's Degree in Environmental Studies with an emphasis in Policy and Planning from California State University, Fullerton and a Bachelor's 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.

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

Member: Lisa Wooninck, PhD.

Superintendent, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

Email: lisa.wooninck@noaa.gov

Lisa Wooninck began her 20 year NOAA career as a research fishery biologist at NOAA Fisheries headquarters and the Santa Cruz lab. She joined Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary as a policy analyst, and then the West Coast Regional team in 2010 as the policy coordinator for the five sanctuaries on the west coast. Lisa has a Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of California Santa Barbara. Her interest in policy and marine resource management stems from her time as a 2000 Knauss Sea Grant Fellow in Congressman Farr's DC office.

Lisa has experience in policy and planning, and coordinating with conservation and user groups, and state and federal partners to develop integrated ecosystem-based management systems and ecologically and economically sustainable practices. She has also led an ONMS team to highlight to tourism operators and the public the world class recreational activities, such as whale watching and sport fishing, offered by thriving ecosystems of national marine sanctuaries.

Lisa is guided by "malama", a Hawaiian concept that expresses care, respect and stewardship for the environment and humans, and our obligation to care for both. Dovetailing perfectly into 'malama' is her strong belief in team work, which she applies to working with the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary team, their partners and friends.

Alternate: Karen Grimmer

Karen Grimmer working on the deck of a ship

Resource Protection Coordinator, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

Email: karen.grimmer@noaa.gov

Karen received her bachelor's degree in biology from San Francisco State University and her master's degree in education from California State University, Hayward. She was appointed as acting Resource Protection Coordinator in October 2012. Prior to this, she served as Deputy Superintendent from 2007 to 2012 and has worked at the Sanctuary in a variety of positions since 1999.

Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary

Member: Maria Brown

Superintendent, Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary

Email: maria.brown@noaa.gov

Maria Brown is Superintendent of the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. Maria helped found the Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association and established the first marine sanctuary visitor center, directed a lecture series, organized an educational sanctuary high school program, and managed the internationally recognized Beach Watch volunteer program. Maria has a background in urban and environmental policy, conservation and resource studies, and environmental law.

Alternate: Brian Johnson

Deputy Superintendent, Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary

Email: brian.johnson@noaa.gov