OUR TEAM
Save Our Shores is comprised of a small team of passionate environmentalists who share a strong connection to our ocean and, in particular, our Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. We thrive on enjoying all that the Sanctuary has to offer and protecting it for generations to come. We are scientists, ecologists, educators, conservationists, and members of the Monterey Bay community.
Katherine O’Dea- Executive Director
As a nonprofit leader, conservationist, and sustainability expert, Katherine has tackled environmental challenges from coast to coast for the last 25 years. She has worked for environmental organizations including Business Social Responsibility, GreenBlue, and the Nantucket Conservation Foundation. Katherine is an expert on product and packaging sustainability and identifying pathways for abating plastic waste which comprises so much of the debris in our marine environments.
At Save Our Shores she focuses on the organization’s vision and strategy and influencing policy to ensure a healthy Monterey Bay now and for decades to come.
Favorite Marine Activities: Boogie boarding and kayaking
Email: katherine@saveourshores.org
Elva Sprattling- Finance and Operations Manager
Elva grew up in Guadalajara. Her first working experience was with the hardware and tools sector in administration and dealing with exports, Incoterms, and ISO standards at a global level. After college she lived in Europe for two years while earning her MBA and working for one of the BIG 4. She’s lived most of her adult life in the United States and has worked over the hill for the private sector and locally for the California Superior Court and Santa Cruz County.
Elva brings her 20+ years of managerial, operational, and financial accounting experience to Save Our Shores. She is in charge of operational and financial management in accordance with Federal, State, local business, and labor laws as well as grants and contracts to make the organizations’s conservation efforts a reality!
Favorite Marine Activity: Whale watching
Email: elva@saveourshores.org
Emily Pomeroy- Program Manager
Emily is originally from New York state and has called Santa Cruz home for the last two years. She is passionate about connecting others to the natural world and encouraging people to help protect our environment through education and interpretation.
At Save Our Shores, Emily manages the education and outreach programs, engaging the community in learning about and protecting their beloved Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
Favorite Marine Activities: Kayaking and photographing marine life
Email: emily@saveourshores.org
Krista Rogers—Education Coordinator
Krista is a Santa Cruz native who grew up in Capitola and attended the University of California, Santa Cruz where she studied marine biology. Before joining Save Our Shores she worked and volunteered in youth programs at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center, where she developed her passion for engaging youth in marine science and connecting people with the amazing ecosystems of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
At Save Our Shores, Krista brings marine science and conservation to local classrooms and engages students in beach cleanup events to promote environmental stewardship of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
Favorite marine activities: tide pooling, snorkeling, and beach combing with her dog
Email: krista@saveourshores.org
Alejandro Garcia—Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator
Born and raised in Watsonville, Alejandro has enjoyed the beauty of the Monterey Bay since a young age. A recent graduate of UC Santa Barbara with a degree in sociology, he hopes to be a resource for community members and to inspire the new wave of environmental stewardship.
At Save Our Shores, Alejandro collaborates with volunteers and organizations in various efforts to continue making the Monterey Bay a great place to live and work.
Favorite marine activities: watching the sunset, running along the coast
Email: alejandro@saveourshores.org
Gail McNulty—Sr. Manager for Communications, Youth Leadership & Climate Action
Gail grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and spent most of her adult life in New York City and the DC Area before participating in a fellowship program at Stanford and moving to Santa Cruz with her family. Her background includes extensive volunteer work along with advertising, public relations, and teaching high school English and art in the Bronx for a few years after 9-11.
At Save Our Shores, Gail is working to raise awareness about the plastic crisis and other threats to our marine ecosystems, the climate emergency, and the need to empower youth to defend their shared future and the natural world.
Favorite marine activities: watching her children enjoy junior guards and learning to surf along with other families at Cowells.
Email: gail@saveourshores.org
Featured photo by Michael Langhans