Sanctuary Advisory Council Members

2016 Advisory Council Members

Non-Government Members

Conservation

Francesca Koe

Francesca Koe
Primary

A dedicated champion for ocean conservation, Francesca was instrumental in designing marine protected areas for our north central coast study region as a primary stakeholder in the California Marine Life Protection Act Initiative. Francesca also played an important role in the creation of a diverse coalition campaign to protect sharks that ultimately succeeded in the passage of AB-376 (which bans the possession & sale of shark fins in California). A multi-agency SCUBA instructor (PADI MSDT #186082/ DAN #11837) and internationally known freediver (Safety Supervisor #1102 with Performance Freediving International) and AIDA judge, Francesca also serves as the Editor-at-Large for Deeperblue.com and the CMO of Gannet Dive Company. When she is not in the water, the former Director of Strategic Initiatives at NRDC, works to advance equity and the clean energy economy through a series of climate & energy related campaigns.

francesca.koe@gmail.com
Twitter: @free_dive

Kathi (Koontz) George

Kathi (Koontz) George
Primary

Kathi is the Director of Cetacean Conservation Biology for The Marine Mammal Center, Kathi George oversees cetacean research, large whale entanglement response, and synthesis of data for management and conservation impact. Since joining the Center in 2019, she has expanded advocacy efforts to address two of the greatest threats to large whales worldwide: entanglement and vessel strikes. Kathi collaborates closely with many different stakeholders in her work, serving in the Conservation seat for the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council and previously as a member of the 2021 Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries Advisory Council Joint Ship Strike Working Group. Additionally, she is a member of the California Dungeness Crab Fishing Gear Working Group and San Francisco Harbor Safety Committee, where she is leading a project to reduce the risk of vessel strike on large whales in and near San Francisco Bay. As a Level 3 Co-Investigator with NOAA's Marine Mammal Health & Stranding Response Program, Kathi is permitted to respond to entangled whales. She has participated in six whale disentanglements, numerous entangled whale responses, and over 50 sea lion disentanglements. Previously, Kathi co-founded California Whale Rescue—a nonprofit dedicated to entangled whale response and prevention. The organization supported NOAA Fisheries' efforts to standardize response practices, gear, training and communications.

GeorgeK@tmmc.org

Scott Artis

Scott Artis
Alternate

Scott brings experiences spanning for-profit and nonprofit sectors in micro and molecular biology, wildlife and ocean conservation, program management and research. In addition to a strong track record in organizational growth and leadership, he is currently the Executive Director of Golden State Salmon Association and founder of

Urban Bird Foundation. His path to conservation began with a love for wildlife – working for multinational biotech companies while simultaneously leading community-based coastal projects. With inspiration from burrowing owls and the outdoors, he transitioned to conservation full-time in 2011. Scott holds a Master's degree in Sustainable Development and Policy, Bachelor's degrees in Micro & Molecular Biology and Fisheries & Wildlife Science, and has complemented his studies with a Master's certificate in Environmental Resource Management. In his spare time, he enjoys wildlife photography and spending time with his wife and 4 German Shorthaired Pointers.

scottwartis@gmail.com

Alternate
Vacant


Education

Mary Miller

Mary Miller
Primary

Mary Miller is an accomplished science communicator and educator and is emeritus program director for environmental science partnerships at the San Francisco Exploratorium. While at the renowned museum, she led multidisciplinary teams in creating innovative and engaging content about current scientific research for the museum's award-winning website, exhibits and public programs. She has experience as a livestream producer and program host, science writer, online media producer, and liaison to the scientific community on numerous education and outreach partnerships.

With a background in marine science, Mary works closely with the ocean observing, policy and conservation communities. She chairs the Executive Committee of the Central and Northern Ocean Observing System's Governing Council and led the Exploratorium's 10-year partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and a 5-year partnership with UC Davis. In this capacity she facilitates collaborations to develop visualizations, media narratives, and interpretations of ongoing environmental research, including climate change and ocean and atmospheric research.

She was also the pioneer for the Exploratorium's "Wired Pier" project that instrumented Pier 15 with environmental sensors to gather and display water quality, weather, air quality and oceanographic data and make that data available to the public through displays, websites and interactive exhibits. She authors the Fluid Planet blog and is co-author of the book Watching Weather (Henry Holt, 1998). She has won numerous Webby Awards for website development and is a AAAS Fellow. Mary has a B.A. in biology and marine studies and a master's certificate in science communication from U.C. Santa Cruz. She developed the media production track and taught for 10 years at the UC Santa Cruz Science Communication Program.

mkmiller@nasw.org

Alternate
Vacant


Research

Jaime Jahncke

Jaime Jahncke
Primary

Jaime is the Director of the California Current Group at Point Blue Conservation Science and Adjunct Professor at San Francisco State University's Estuary & Ocean Science Center. Working to increase the pace, scale and impact of climate-smart conservation in the ocean. Strategic priorities include developing science and tools to improve fisheries sustainability, guide ocean zoning, and build support for ocean conservation. Lead and manage a 16 staff group, 20-25 seasonal volunteers and 8-10 graduate students. Working collaboratively with partners at federal and state agencies, academia, and environmental NGOs to conduct applied science and implement solutions to reduce threats to wildlife and ensure sustainable human uses. Born and raised in Peru, I completed my BS in Biology at Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina in Peru (1992) and my PhD in Biological Sciences at the University of California Irvine (2004). I have marine fieldwork experience since 1987 in Peru, Galapagos, Antarctica, Alaska and California. I serve as science advisor to several federal and state agencies, and NGOs.

 jjahncke@pointblue.org

Ellen Hines

Ellen Hines
Alternate

Dr. Hines is the Associate Director of the Estuary & Ocean Science Center, and is a Professor in Geography at San Francisco State University. Her research addresses population and community ecology of threatened and endangered species incorporating local conservation efforts and regional scale coastal and marine management science. Her emphasis is on the evolution of consistent standards of field methods and monitoring techniques, and the creation of educational materials to be applied to community-based conservation planning. Dr. Hines has extensive (since 1990) experience in GIS and remote sensing for marine and coastal spatial planning. She has conducted marine mammal research in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar and Belize since 1999. Dr. Hines is an ASEAN research Fulbright Fellow, and a member of the International Whaling Commission Expert Advisory Panel on Bycatch. She is committed to collaborating internationally with in-country scientists to solve conservation problems threatening marine mammals. In California, Dr. Hines works closely with the National Marine Sanctuaries and local scientists around San Francisco Bay to model habitat and human uses for marine mammals and seabirds. With her students, she works to create risk assessments for anthropogenic threats such as shipping collisions, marine megafaunal bycatch and the effects of sea level rise on pinnipeds, sea otters, and birds in coastal estuaries.

ehines@sfsu.edu


Maritime Activities / Commercial

Jacqueline Moore

Jacqueline Moore
Primary

Jacqueline Moore is Vice President of the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association, representing U.S. and foreign flagged vessel carriers and marine terminal operators. Her career has spanned both the private and government sectors, including at the Port of Long Beach and the California Air Resources Board. Jacqueline earned a Master of Science in Climate Change from University College London in the United Kingdom, with a focus on international policy and a keen interest in the cryosphere. She is also a California State University, Sacramento graduate where she studied Geography and holds Esri Technical Certifications in GIS applications.

Jacqueline is a Northern California native who enjoys adventures with her passport, kayaking and hopes to one day overcome her fear of scuba diving.

Kai Martin

Kai Martin
Alternate

As Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer at Pasha, Kai leads Pasha's ESG Environmental Sustainability, Energy Management, Quality, Safety, Security, and Business Resiliency programs. Kai is a California Maritime Academy alum and has worked in the transportation industry for 25 years primarily in shipping and ports around the world. Kai was appointed by NOAA to the Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council in 2018 and to the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council in 2023, North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) Board Member, Former Workstream Lead for the Blue Sky Maritime Coalition, Hawaii Energy Policy Forum Member, American Association Port Authorities Environment Committee Member, North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) 2022 Individual Award winner, City of Pacifica Climate Action and Adaptation Plan Task Force Committee Vice Chair, and serves on various non-profit Boards and Community environmental action organizations.

kaismartin@gmail.com


Maritime Activities / Recreation

Mark Bartolini

Mark Bartolini
Primary

During Mark's 33 years of experience in the field of international disaster response and humanitarian assistance, he worked in war zones and on natural disasters in over 70 countries. In 2010, during the first term of President Obama, he received a White House appointment to direct the United States Agency for International Development's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance. Prior to that he was a Vice President with the International Rescue Committee for whom he worked for thirteen years. In 2015 he was appointed to the President's Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid (ACVFA). For the past eight years, his work has primarily focused on improving the response to climate change-driven disasters. Mark grew up sailing on San Francisco and Tomales bays. At nineteen he sailed solo halfway around the world in a 35' sailboat using just a sextant and compass. He has made numerous ocean passages and recently sailed to Alaska and back down to San Francisco. In addition to sailing he is an avid kayaker, hiker, fly fisherman, skier, backpacker, and woodworker as well as a hopeful abalone diver and salmon fisherman. Mark is a native of Marin and a graduate of U.C. Berkeley. He lives in Inverness with his wife Jasna, an occupational therapist with Kaiser, and has one son, Varian who is a Fireman/Paramedic in Sonoma County.

mark.bartolini1@gmail.com

Peter Molnar

Peter Molnar
Alternate

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Peter has spent much of his life along the Northern California coast and San Francisco Bay.

Peter has captained the OGAP research vessel SAM over 9,000 nautical miles of genetic sampling voyages across the North Pacific since 2017. In close partnership with Dr. Moroz, he co-founded the Ocean Genome Atlas Project in 2020 and directs OGAP's effort to create a high-resolution genomic map of marine life. OGAP has been selected as a UN Ocean-Shot project by the National Academy of Sciences as part of the UN Decade of the Oceans.

A ranked competitive sailor in high school and college, Peter quickly turned towards remote kayak and small boat expeditions as an instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School in British Columbia and Baja Mexico and also started supporting environmental projects.

He trained as a skipper for San Francisco Baykeeper in 1995 and has conducted pollution patrols for nearly thirty years. He served on and chaired the board from 2011 to 2020 and is currently chair of the True Blue Leadership Circle and a board member.

He has skippered a support vessel for Point Blue's Farallon Patrol and currently serves on the board of Adventure Scientists.

A member of the Dolphin Club, he has organized and completed a number of open water swims including Napa-San Francisco, Sacramento-San Francisco and Tomales Bay.

Peter enjoys recreational crabbing and abalone diving.


Commercial Fishing

Sarah Bates

Sarah Bates
Primary

Sarah Bates has been fishing commercially in San Francisco for 15 years. As a member of the San Francisco Crab Boat Owners Association, she advocates for public access to marine resources, sustainable fisheries, and thriving coastal communities. Sarah supports local seafood not only as healthy and delicious, but as an important part of our food and employment security.

sarahjanebates@gmail.com

Richard Ogg

Richard Ogg
Alternate

Richard Ogg is an electrician by trade, and retired from Sonoma State University after 30+ years. He has been a commercial fisherman for the last 20 years and currently owner and Captain of the F/V Karen Jeanne. He's actively involved politically to support and maintain a healthy environment and thriving fisheries. An avid sportsman all his life, Richard has fished and dove along the Sonoma County coast for over 50 years. He currently serves on the Dungeness Crab Gear Working Group, Dungeness Crab Taskforce, California Salmon Council, the Spud Point Advisory Board, and is the Vice President of the Bodega Bay Fisherman's Marketing Association. Richard has been a resident of Sonoma County for 59 years and resides in Bodega Bay, California, with his wife Laurie and his two dogs Nessa and Buster.

dickandlaurieogg@sbcglobal.net


Community-at-Large San Francisco/San Mateo

Bart Selby

Bart Selby
Primary

Bart has resided in the Bay Area for over 40 years, for most of those years in San Mateo County. He is currently dividing his time between writing a book on brown pelicans and commercializing a device that prevents whales from becoming entangled in fixed-line fishing gear without impacting fishing operations.

Bart served three terms on the MBNMS Advisory Council where he led working groups examining acoustic noise and recreational fishing gear entanglement of seabirds, and participated in the GFNMS Advisory Council Working Group looking at wildlife disruption by aircraft.

Bart is on the water nearly 100 days a year, and has notched over 8,000 band sightings, mostly pelicans. He has assisted with banding in Mexico, in the Gulf of California and the Pacific, and co-authored a scientific paper on the 2015 Refugio spill cleanup's impacts on pelicans.

An engineer, he holds patents in DNA sequencing and whale detangling. He worked in engineering and management roles in multiple Bay Area life science, technology and health care startups. He was a summer on-the-water docent in NOAA's Team Ocean program at Elkhorn Slough and Cannery Row for nearly a decade. Bart is a lifelong open water swimmer, a kayaker, and an abalone diver. His passion is working to encourage humans to better share the littoral with our rebounding wildlife populations using technology, education and awareness.

bartongselby@gmail.com

Alternate
Vacant


Community-at-Large Marin

George Clyde

George Clyde
Primary

George Clyde has a home on Tomales Bay in Marshall, California. He has chaired a SAC Working Group on identifying sensitive areas within the Sanctuary where low flying aircraft would be regulated, has served on Sanctuary stakeholder working groups regarding restoration of native oysters in Tomales Bay and the Tomales Bay Vessel Management Plan, has served as a Sanctuary Beach Watch volunteer and is a former member and Chair of the Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council. George is an Associate Director of the Marin Resource Conservation District, an officer and director of the East Shore Planning Group and a member of the Tomales Bay Watershed Council. He had a leading role in forming a community septic system for Marshall shore-side properties, and he has participated in midnight surveys of spawning grunion at Dillon Beach and the Audubon Canyon Ranch winter bird counts on Tomales Bay. As a retired lawyer, George's passion for sailing led to professional engagements as legal and rules advisor for four America's Cup yacht racing teams. He is an enthusiastic, if not always successful, fisherman.

Marshall, CA
gclyde11@gmail.com

Richard James

Richard James
Alternate

Richard James is a fourth generation Californian and lifelong Bay Area native who since 2009, has physically removed over seven tons of toxic debris (and counting) from the local coast and waters with his backpack and kayak. Observing human behaviors and long accepted commercial behaviors informs his passion to stop harmful practices and stem the flow of poison into the sea. He sits on the board of the Tomales Bay Watershed Foundation, is a member of the Chileno Valley Newt Brigade and a former director of The Lake Merritt Institute. Observing and listening to the coastal environment or the southern sierra-nevada, photography, backpacking and fishing are some of his favorite activities. He is the coastal custodian of Marin County and beyond.

Inverness, CA
richard@coastodian.org


Community-at-Large Sonoma/Mendocino

Steve Tubbs

Steve Tubbs
Primary

Steve is a 35-year graphic arts professional and resides in Petaluma, California. In 2018, he started Inspiri2 Creative Services - providing graphic design services, 3M premium decals for fleet, vehicle and equipment markings, and the highest quality indoor and outdoor signs and window graphics for business identification. Steve is a 25-year plus board member of the Russian River Fly Fishers and has served multiple times as president of that organization. He teaches fly casting and fly fishing, and encourages others to find the delight and wonder inherent in the beautiful freshwater and saltwater ecosystems that support fish. He is a founding board member of the Russian River Wild Steelhead Society, working with other organizations to preserve, protect and enhance the populations of wild steelhead in the Russian River watershed. An avid fly fisherman, he has fished on both coasts of the United States (and at various points between), and has managed to visit a few tropical destinations as well.

steve@inspiri2.com

Alternate
Vacant


Youth

>Amelia King

Amelia King Primary

Amelia King is a senior at Tamalpais High School, and a lifelong resident in Mill Valley. She is an avid student and loves the sciences, as well as environmental science which she has been taking courses in. Amelia is also a varsity rower, rowing for Marin Rowing Association for all 4 years of high school. This past month she has gotten recruited to row at Cornell University, where she will attend as a student athlete next year studying biology. Amelia loves to hike, go to the beach, watch the sunset, and play piano. She has been immersed in the environment at a young age, and is eager to learn about ways to foster it that she can spread to her youth community to raise awareness.

Alternate
Vacant


Government Members

California Natural Resources Agency

Jenn Eckerle
Primary

Executive Director, Ocean Protection Council; Deputy Secretary for Ocean and Coastal Policy, California Natural Resources Agency

Abby Mohan
Alternate

30x20 Program Manager
Ocean Protection Council
Abby.Mohan@resources.ca.gov


National Marine Fisheries Service

Jennifer Boyce
Primary

Montrose Settlements Restoration Program Manager/NOAA Restoration Center
Jennifer.Boyce@noaa.gov

Alternate
Vacant


National Park Service

Craig Kenkel
Primary

Point Reyes National Seashore
Point Reyes Station, CA
Craig_Kenkel@nps.gov

Ben Becker, Ph.D.
Alternate

Director and Marine Ecologist
Pacific Coast Science and Learning Center
ben_becker@nps.gov


US Fish and Wildlife Service

Matthew Brown
Primary

Complex Manager
San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex
Fremont, CA
matthew_brown@fws.gov

Gerry McChesney
Alternate

Manager, Farallon National Wildlife Refuge Complex and Common Murre Restoration Project.
San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex
Fremont, CA
Gerry_McChesney@fws.gov


U.S. Coast Guard

LTJG Nazere Jones
Alternate

Coast Guard District Eleven, Response Enforcement

Email: nazere.C.Jones@uscg.mil


SAC Coordinator

Tishma Patel
Affiliate

Tishma Patel serves as Sanctuary Advisory Council Coordinator for the Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries. She coordinates the Sanctuary Advisory Councils and leads broader community engagement projects that promote the Sanctuaries. Tishma holds a BA from California State University, Monterey Bay and holds an MS in Interdisciplinary Marine and Estuarine Science from San Francisco State University. She is a from Southern California who loves to be outdoors, read, write, and explore the rich lands and waters of our region.

San Francisco, CA


Council Officers

Jaime Jahncke, Chair

Sarah Bates, Vice Chair

George Clyde, Secretary

Past Council Members

Bibit Traut, Education (Primary), 2014-2023

Michael Kleeman, Community-at-Large Mendocino/Sonoma (Alternate), 2022-2024

Kris Liang, Community-at-Large San Francisco/San Mateo (Alternate), 2019-2022

Ezra Bergson-Michelson, Youth (Primary), 2020-2021

Owen Youngquist, Youth (Alternate), 2020-2021

Barbara Emley, Commercial Fishing (Primary), 2002-2022

Cea Higgins, Community-at-Large Mendocino/Sonoma (Primary), 2016-2023

John Berge, Maritime Activities/Commercial (Primary), 2015-2022

Julian Rose, Maritime Activities/Commercial (Alternate), 2020-2023

Richard Charter, Conservation (Primary), 2002-2021

Bruce Bowser, Conservation (Primary), 2006-2021

John Largier, Research (Primary), 2007-2021

Joshua Russo, Maritime Activities Recreation (Alternate), 2014-2021

Joe Fitting, Community-at-Large SF/San Mateo (Primary), 2006-2021

Dominique Richard, Community-at-Large Marin (Primary), 2006-2021

Nancy Trissel, Community-at-Large Sonoma/Mendocino (Alternate), 2018-2021

Elizabeth Babcock, Education Primary, 2014-2020

Kellyx Nelson, Community-at-Large SF/San Mateo Primary, 2014-2017

Christy Walker, Community-at-Large SF/San Mateo Alternate, 2014-2017

Oliver York, Youth (Alternate), 2015-2017

Jackie Dragon, Conservation (Primary) 2008-2016

Caleb Rosen, Youth (Primary) 2014-2016

August Howell, Youth (Alternate) 2014-2015

Peter Grenell, Maritime Activities Commercial (Alternate) 2002-2015

Bob Wilson, Conservation (Primary) 2002-2014

Mick Menigoz, Maritime Activities Recreational (Primary) 2002-2014

Richard Keuhn, Community-At-Large Marin/Sonoma (Alternate) 2010-2014

Tim Duff, Community-At-Large SF/San Mateo (Alternate) 2010-2014

Brenda Donald, Research (Alternate); Community-At-Large (Primary) 2002-2010

Doris Welch, Education (Alternate) 2008-2010

Jonathan Stern, Research (Alternate) 2008-2010

Pat Conroy, Community-At-Large (Alternate) 2008-2010

Marc Gorelnik, Maritime Activities(Alternate) 2008-2010

Erin Simmons Montgomery, Conservation (Alternate) 2007-2008

Webster Otis, Community-At-Large (Alternate) 2007-2008

Mark Dowie, Community-At-Large (Primary & Alternate) 2002-2006

James Kelley, Research (Primary) 2002-2006

Gwen Heistand, Education (Alternate) 2002-2005

Karen Reyna, Conservation (Alternate) 2002-2005

Harlan Henderson, Community-At-Large (Primary) 2002-2004