GREATER FARALLONES - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Director of Development and Communications
Alayne Chappell is the Director of Development and Communications for Greater Farallones Association. Her background is in communications, marine biology, and conservation advocacy. She earned a BA in Journalism from San Francisco State University and Master's Degree in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. Alayne has focused her career on helping to further science-based ocean conservation through storytelling, strategic communications, and high-impact fundraising. She is an avid SCUBA diver, shark enthusiast, and foster parent to dogs looking for their forever homes.
Angela Zepp is a Kelp Restoration Specialist with Greater Farallones Association, helping to develop innovative and scalable solutions in the protection and restoration of local kelp forests. She is an accomplished scientific SCUBA diver and instructor who has over 700 dives in the temperate waters of Central California. Angela received her BS from Humboldt State University in 2012 where she double majored in Marine Biology and Zoology and minored in Scientific Diving. She holds an MS degree in Marine Science with an emphasis in Phycology from Moss Landing Marine Laboratories. She is an avid hiker, traveler, and coffee drinker with a big passion for dogs.
Chloé Evans is the Development Coordinator for the Greater Farallones Association. She holds a Master's in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation from UC San Diego, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and a BA in Environmental Studies from Saint Louis University. Chloé's expertise lies in bridging the gap between science and the public, to aid in capacity building within local communities that rely on the ocean to support their livelihoods. In her free time, Chloé can be found freediving, hiking, and spending time outdoors with her dog, Kaiya.
Job Titles:
- Marine Science Instructor With the Great Farallones Education Team
Christopher Hernandez serves as a Marine Science Instructor with the Great Farallones Education Team. Here, he provides students direct engagement with ocean conservation through the Oceans After School program. Previously a member of the LiMPETS Team, he assisted and led monitoring events with students. He is working towards a Bachelor's Degree in Biology from San Francisco State University. Christopher identifies as Mexican, and as a descendant of Cherokee and Apache tribes. His hobbies include birdwatching, hiking, ceramics, botany, geology, and playing guitar. He hopes to inspire the next generation of scientists.
Deb brings to Greater Farallones Association more than thirty years of leadership in nonprofit organizational development and environment protection. Most recently, she was Executive Director of San Francisco Baykeeper, dedicated to protecting the Bay from pollution, sand-mining, invasive species, oil spills, and climate change. Deb served on the state's oil spill response Technical Advisory Committee for eight years and helped pass numerous bills that increased funds for oil spill response and the rescue of oiled marine life. She received the Coast Guard's highest civilian honor for her role assessing the effectiveness of the response to the Cosco Busan oil spill in SF Bay in 2007. A transplant from the Southern Appalachian Mountains, where she studied geology and environmental sociology, Deb relocated to California in the mid-90's. She lives with her wife Mandy and their two dogs in Oakland. Deb is an avid birder and is thrilled to join the team protecting the ecosystems of Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries.
Debbie Fournier - Debbie spent many years in commercial banking, concluding her career as a senior level risk management executive at Bank of the West. A 4th generation San Franciscan, and 3rd generation UC Berkeley alum, Debbie enjoys sailing in and around the San Francisco Bay, bare boat chartering and other travel, skiing, stitching and sampling local wineries. Sailing out on the ocean provides Debbie with a unique appreciation of its beauty, vastness and diversity of sea life, as well as a compelling desire to ensure the ocean's long term health.
Job Titles:
- Research Associate for Beach Watch
Dru Devlin has been a Research Associate for Beach Watch for over twenty years. She conducts beach surveys and assists with the recruitment, training and management of Beach Watch volunteers. She is a wildlife observer and team member of the ACCESS Partnership which conducts ocean research of northern and central California. Dru earned both her Masters of Public and Business Administration, and BA in Social Ecology from the University of California at Irvine. She resides in Half Moon Bay and spends time playing on the beach with her dog, Mango, traveling, kayaking and SCUBA diving.
Dustin Ellis - Dustin is a Global Business Operations professional at Check Point Software, with a focus on growth strategy. He is passionate about ocean conservation and marine life, seeing as his favorite animal is the leatherback sea turtle. In his free time, Dustin enjoys exploring California's natural beauty, hiking the Marin headlands, and marveling at the marine life in Agate Beach's tide pools. Whether he's strategizing for business growth or relishing the outdoors, Dustin's friendly and strategic mindset shines through, making him a well-rounded professional and nature enthusiast.
Ed Ueber, Vice President - Ed is the former superintendent of the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary and retired from a career with the National Park Service. He led the effort to create the Greater Farallones Association, which was incorporated in 1995.
Francesca Koe - Francesca is a dedicated champion for ocean conservation-as manifest by her service as Former GFA Board President (2010 -2016) and her role in designing marine protected areas for our north central region as a primary stakeholder for the CA Marine Life Protection Act Initiative. A multi-agency diving Instructor, competitive freediver and certified AIDA Judge, Francesca is also the editor-at-large for Deeperblue.com. When she is not in the water Francesca works to advance the clean energy economy through a series of climate & energy related campaigns.
George B. Brewster, Treasurer - George Brewster is a consultant to investors with significant commercial real estate portfolios and a Registered Investment Advisor affiliated with Rockefeller Capital Management. He received his JD from Columbia University and his BA from Bard College. George has been an enthusiastic diver since he was thirteen, and holds Rescue Diver, Divemaster and Nitrox certifications.
Job Titles:
- Coach
- CEO of HDL Enterprises
Henry Lincoln (Coach Henry) - Henry Lincoln, known to most as Coach Henry, is CEO of HDL Enterprises (High Definition Living), specializing in Leadership Training and Consulting. Henry also serves as an Administrator for City Arts and Leadership High School in San Francisco. Henry served for 10 years in the U.S. Navy and is a Persian Gulf War Veteran with numerous commendations. Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, his love for the ocean and water activities has been life long. Henry's passion is to inspire, educate, enrich and empower families in our communities to take advantage of positive experiences.
Jean Alupay, PhD, is the Education Program Manager and JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) Task Force Lead for Greater Farallones Association. She has a BS in Biological Science from UC Davis and a PhD in Integrative Biology from UC Berkeley. Growing up in California, Jean loves the beach and its animals. She is particularly fond of cephalopods, the focus of her work as a Postdoctoral Researcher. Previously, Jean worked as an instructor at the Lawrence Hall of Science and the Marine Science Institute. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, exploring the great outdoors, and teaching cardio kickboxing.
Jeff Loomans, President - Jeff is a tech entrepreneur, venture capitalist and cartoonist. He was elected to the GFA Board of Directors in September 2013 and is involved in the effort to restore Bolinas Lagoon to its natural state among other conservation efforts. Jeff is married, has a daughter, and lives in San Francisco.
Job Titles:
- Resource Protection Specialist
Jessica Morten serves as Resource Protection Specialist supporting Greater Farallones, Cordell Bank, and Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuaries in project coordination and data analysis for efforts to reduce the risk of ship strikes on endangered whales. Before coming to Greater Farallones Association, Jessica worked as a field research assistant on humpback, North Atlantic right, and killer whale monitoring projects in Massachusetts, Georgia, and Washington State, and received her MA in International Environmental Policy from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey. Though she was born and raised on the east coast, she is grateful to now call Santa Cruz home and loves running and hiking the beaches and forests of Monterey Bay.
Jordan Gorostiza serves as Communications Associate for Greater Farallones Association. In this role, Jordan manages digital communications and supports advocacy and community outreach efforts. He holds a BA from California State University, Sacramento and an MS in Journalism and Media Communication from Colorado State University. Jordan's expertise lies in translating complex scientific topics into engaging stories for the public. He is a Northern California native who loves to hike, surf, write, and explore the rich lands and waters of our region.
Julieta Gómez is a Kelp Restoration Specialist for the Kelp Restoration Program, developing and implementing kelp restoration techniques along the Northern California coast. She received her BS in Marine Biology from UC Santa Cruz and is wrapping up her MS in Biology at Sonoma State University, which focuses on the feeding rates of purple urchins on the various life history stages of bull kelp under ambient and elevated temperatures. She is originally from Southern California and formed her passion for marine science and outreach through family beach trips to Dockweiler State Beach and volunteering at the Roundhouse Aquarium. In her free time, she enjoys hiking and roller skating.
Job Titles:
- Marine Science Education Fellow for the LiMPETS Program
Kayla Carter is the Marine Science Education Fellow for the LiMPETS Program. She has a BS in Marine Biology from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. As a Bay Area native, Kayla has always had a passion for the ocean. She hopes to further her career in marine science education to inspire future generations to fight for our oceans. She also enjoys infodumping about marine mammals, trying to find the motivation to paint, and spending time with her cat Kiki.
Kirsten Lindquist is the Science Program Manager. She manages Beach Watch, a long-term monitoring program that utilizes the expertise of over 150 community scientists to collect data along the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary coastline. Kirsten earned a degree in Environmental Studies and Marine Conservation from Prescott College in 2001. Since then, she has worked in the remote field studying seabirds and marine mammals throughout the Pacific, Antarctica, and most notably here throughout the California Current. Kirsten is happily setting down roots here in the Bay Area which she has called home for ten years.
Manon Ann Baze - Manon is a 6th generation San Franciscan with a love of the ocean. Her passion encompasses racing sailboats, scuba diving, water skiing, bare boating, fishing, learning wing foiling, and almost anything having to do with, on, or around the water. Manon also enjoys skiing, hiking, bicycling, reading, nutrition education and raising her daughter. She has a Masters in Medicine from St. Francis University, and a BA in Geography from UC Berkeley.
Mattson Fields provides back-end support to the Greater Farallones Association team as the Administrative Coordinator. A Virginia native, he began his career with the National Park Service before moving to the Bay Area in 2016 to pursue an MFA combining his two loves: math and art. Since then, he has worked in the nonprofit finance sphere assisting CPAs and 501(c)(3)s alike to manage their cash flows. He moonlights as a visual artist and enjoys gallery hopping, tidepooling, and supporting local drag.
Monika Lynn Krach is the Deputy Director for Greater Farallones Association. She earned her undergraduate degree in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology from Princeton University and master's degree from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. Along with researching California coastal ecology, she studies invertebrates living in extreme environments including deep-sea methane seeps and Antarctic winter waters. She is a SCUBA diving fanatic, adventurer, and avid fossil collector. She loves playing tennis, swimming, and watching action movies.
Peter Winch is the Visitor Center Naturalist and Education Specialist. He has a BS in Environmental Science from Plymouth University, England. He has studied seabirds in Alaska, Hawaii, Baja Mexico, and Oregon for the US Fish and Wildlife Service and The Island Ecology Group, and worked as a naturalist for Oceanic Society Expeditions on Whale Watching Trips off California for nine years. Peter surfs and dives, and explores the ocean whenever possible. After graduating he spent three years working as an activist for Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and is an advocate for marine conservation. Peter is a filmmaker and an artist. He published his first book The Giant Ocean Coloring Book in September 2016.
Sara Hutto serves as Conservation Program Manager and coordinates the Ocean Climate Program, working to integrate climate-smart adaptation into Sanctuary management and provide training for marine protected area managers around the country to undertake climate-smart adaptation planning. Sara's background is in rocky intertidal ecology, and she holds a Master of Science in Marine Science from Moss Landing Marine Laboratories. Sara calls Santa Cruz home, and enjoys being a mom while exploring California's mountains and coasts.
Job Titles:
- LiMPETS Program Associate
Summer Traylor is a LiMPETS Program Associate. She holds a BA in Environmental Studies & Earth Science from UC Santa Cruz and a MEM in Environmental Science and Management from Portland State University. She's worked all over the West on several different types of natural resource field crews and worked with seabirds, shorebirds, fish, marine mammals, and plants. Her recent research focuses on quantifying microplastics in fish species that are culturally and economically important to the west coast. Her interest in marine debris was fostered during her time in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, where marine debris negatively impacts seabirds and marine mammals. Her favorite seabird is the Koa'e'ula.
Susan Kawala, Secretary - Susan grew up sailing on the San Francisco Bay and has always been passionate about protecting and preserving the environment. She graduated from UCLA with a BA in International Economics, and earned a Juris Doctor degree from Golden Gate University School of Law. She has had a varied legal career in both the public and private sectors. Susan served as a California State Deputy Attorney General for more than 13 years, where she regulated nonprofit entities. She currently works as a consultant for Orion Executive Consultants, specializing in governance and regulatory compliance. Susan recently completed a board training and certification program at UCLA Anderson School of Management.
Terrence Gosliner, PhD - Terry is Senior Curator of Invertebrate Zoology and Geology at California Academy of Sciences. Dr. Gosliner is also a leading researcher in the evolutionary history of nudibranchs (the colorful group also known as sea slugs), and has published more than 150 scientific papers and five books in his career. He served as Provost at the California Academy of Sciences and was responsible for overseeing the exhibits, research and education functions in the rebuilding of the Academy. He is deeply committed to marine conservation, especially in the Philippines and his native northern California.
Thom Maslow, Vice President - Thom has served as a senior executive in consumer entertainment and educational technology with Mattel, Interval Research, Space.com, USA Networks, Warner Bros., Disney and ABC. His projects and credits include: Moonlighting, The Color Purple, Who Shot Roger Rabbit?, Lethal Weapon, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Polo.com, HSN.com, PurpleMoon.com and the 35th America's Cup in San Francisco. Thom's passions away from work include tennis, yacht racing, skiing and he is a member of St. Francis Yacht Club and Foster City Tennis Club. Thom is a fourth generation sailor, diver and avid conservator of the ocean.
Tishma Patel serves as Sanctuary Engagement Coordinator for Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries. She previously held the positions of Development Assistant for Greater Farallones Association, Sanctuary Administrative Assistant for Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries, and Invasive Green Crab Removal Project Coordinator. She holds a BS in Marine Science from California State University, Monterey Bay and an MS in Interdisciplinary Marine and Estuarine Sciences from San Francisco State University. Her thesis research consists of a range-wide assessment on finless porpoises (Neophocaena), focusing on threats affecting their populations and conservation efforts throughout their distribution. In her free time, she enjoys exploring the outdoors, traveling, and reading.
Job Titles:
- Research Associate With the Kelp Restoration Project
Tyler Mears is Research Associate with the Kelp Restoration Project. Formerly at GFA, Tyler served as Marine Science Instructor on the Greater Farallones Education Team, working with the Oceans After School Program, Family Workshops, At Your School, LiMPETS, and developing new education programs. Growing up in landlocked Columbus, Ohio, Tyler loves his new home by the sea in Pacifica. He has a BA in English and Creative Writing and a BS in Zoology and Conservation Biology from Ohio State University. He is especially fond of cephalopods and aspires to pursue his graduate degrees in their study. In his free time, he enjoys reading, traveling, and volunteering at the California Academy of Sciences as a SCUBA diver and biologist.
Victor Belfor - Passionate about environment and the ocean, Victor has a life-long passion for diving ignited by watching Jacques Yves Cousteau as a child. But diving all over Asia, Africa, Australia, Central and South America always leads back home to California shores from Mendocino Coast to La Jolla cove. Victor's career has been focused on rapid growth of technology companies in the US and globally. His area of expertise is sales, marketing, business development and go-to-market strategy development and execution. He's currently Senior Vice President of Business Development at Conversica LLC.
Wendy Kordesch, PhD, is the Geological Oceanographer. Wendy manages the Greater Farallones Association and Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary's coastal resilience projects, leads efforts to implement the goals of the Sanctuary's Coastal Resilience Sediment Plan, and provides technical and scientific expertise to the Ocean Climate Program. She holds a PhD in Paleoclimate from the National Oceanography Centre in the UK and an MS and BS in Earth and Ocean Science from UC Santa Cruz, and has taught at Santa Clara University. She grew up in the Bay Area and can be frequently spotted swimming in the Bay's nearshore waters.