Save Our Shores welcomes Laura’s experience including managing professional staff in the areas of finance, MIS, human resources, public and community relations, development, office administration, and technical assistance. In her prior leadership capacity, she was responsible for overseeing all budgeting and purchasing activity for a $14 million organization, assuring adherence to contractual goals, planning and coordinating community events, and overseeing technology and data management applications.

Laura is also well versed in grant writing, funding research, technical assistance, designing of marketing materials and communications, and guiding organizations creatively according to their strategic plan.

Kate Purcell joins the SOS team with more than 9 years experience as a professional volunteer manager. In fact, Kate got her start with SOS in 1998 as the DockWalker program coordinator! She returns to us having honed her skills working with the U.S. Peace Corps and the University of California Master Gardener Program. Kate believes that "Volunteers are the best sector of society" and they deserve a personal approach to volunteer coordination. "I love to get to know everyone of my volunteers and it is important to me that they have a rewarding experience through their volunteer work."

Aleah Lawrence-Pine is joining Save Our Shores with five years of grassroots organizing experience. Previously she coordinated a UCSC social justice organization and contributed to the development of the national student social justice organization, United Students for Fair Trade. In 2006 she coordinated the Annual Coastal Cleanup for Santa Cruz County. Most recently she has returned from three months in South America where she discovered her love for the soulful Brazilian life of music and dance.

Michelle's background includes an undergraduate degree in Business Administration and Sociology from the University of San Diego, and an MBA from the University of Colorado at Denver. She also brings professional experience from her work at Google and Morgan Stanley. Michelle is from Boulder, Colorado and has always enjoyed the beauty, recreation, and escape that nature provides. She has traveled and lived abroad but her love for the ocean always brings her back to California. She is excited to use the skills she has gained through her work experience and education to enhance and support a cause she feels is so important.

Jesse comes to Save Our Shores with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental
Studies from University of California at Santa Cruz with a focus in policy
and political economy.  Jesse is developing the new Save Our Shores website
with plans to help SOS reach out to a larger audience, relieve operational
burden on staff, and more effectively communicate their mission to the
public. Having had a strong interest in Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
as a student at UCSC, Jesse hopes to use the skills he learned to create a
better understanding of SOS's constituents, to analyze marine debris and
beach cleanup data, and to make our findings accessible to the public on our
website.

Emily joins the Save Our Shores team with a strong background in grassroots organizing and environmental education. She previously worked for an outdoor environmental education program, a land trust organization, and a green architect. She has a passion for the environment and is excited to use her skills as an environmental educator and community organizer to garner support for our precious oceans. If she's not in the office you will most likely find her down on the beach!

Lauren joins the Save Our Shores crew with a background in marine biology with an emphasis on ocean conservation and marine mammals.  Her passion for the ocean intensified while working on a local whale watching boat where she became familiar with the wildlife of the Monterey Bay and learned all about boats from her great captain. She is a lifelong soccer player, an avid scuba diver and one day hopes to dive in Micronesia or try cave diving.