MBNMS Education & Outreach Staff

Dawn L. Hayes
Education and Outreach Coordinator
(831) 647-4256
dawn.hayes@noaa.gov

As the Education and Outreach Coordinator for the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Dawn Hayes is responsible for developing and managing all aspects of education programs, public outreach and most recently, the development of three regional visitor centers. She oversees the efforts of 6 education staff at the Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Simeon offices.

Dawn brings over 16 years of professional education experience to the sanctuary. She spent 8 years teaching marine science education at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, developing, delivering and evaluating customized programming for students, teachers and visitors. She coordinated the aquarium's Community Conservation Partnership efforts and Discovery Lab programming.

For a short time, between the aquarium and the sanctuary, Dawn was the Program Director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County and helped to create their science program for children aged 7-17. And, as have many marine educators in the Monterey area, she worked at Catalina Island Marine Institute as an instructor/program coordinator.

Dawn graduated from Humboldt State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Zoology with a marine emphasis and a Secondary Science Teaching Credential in Life and Physical Sciences.

Liz Love
Education Specialist
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
299 Foam Street
Monterey, CA 93940
(831) 647-4255
liz.love@noaa.gov

As Education Specialist for the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Liz Love is involved with developing and implementing education and outreach programs for sanctuary in the Monterey region. Liz graduated from U.C. Santa Barbara with a bachelor's degree in Zoology and a secondary teaching credential in Life Science. She has 20 years of professional experience in developing and implementing marine science education programs and has worked for the Catalina Island Marine Institute, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Sacha Lozano
Bilingual Education Specialist
MERITO
(831) 647-4215
sacha.lozano@noaa.gov

As the MERITO Program Coordinator, Sacha Lozano oversees all the bilingual outreach activities and programming directed to Latino constituents in the communities adjacent to the Sanctuary. He is responsible for the adult education component of MERITO, and he is also directly involved in fund raising for the program.

Sacha received a Bachelors degree in Marine Biology from Universidad del Valle in Cali, Colombia (1999), and a Masters degree in Natural Resources from the University of Vermont (2007). Prior to joining the MBNMS Ed Team, Sacha worked with an Education and Outreach program at the University of Vermont called the Watershed Alliance. His past research experience has focused on reef fish population ecology in the Eastern Tropical Pacific region, and the use of ecological systems to treat and recycle wastewater. He has also been involved in two Integrated Watershed Management Projects in Costa Rica and Mexico, with the Gund Institute for Ecological Economics at the University of Vermont.

Sonya Padron
Bilingual Education Specialist
MERITO
(831) 647-4211
sonya.padron@noaa.gov

Sonya works with the Multicultural Education for Resource Issues Threatening Oceans (MERITO) program where she contributes to the development and implementation of bilingual education targeting underserved students and their families. During the school year, Sonya serves as an on-site scientist and translator for groups involved with the MERITO program.

Sonya received her Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural and Biological Engineering and her Master’s degree in Aquaculture Engineering from Cornell University. Sonya moved to Monterey to work with the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Underwater Explorer’s program teaching children to use SCUBA at the water’s surface. Prior to joining the education team of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Sonya developed L.E.A.R.N., an outdoor education program for the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District.

Lisa Uttal
Outreach & Education Specialist
Visitor Center Project Coordinator
(831) 420-3664
lisa.uttal@noaa.gov

Lisa Uttal is the Visitor Center Project Coordinator and Education and Outreach Specialist for the Sanctuary's Santa Cruz office. As the Project Manager for the proposed Sanctuary Exploration Center, she is coordinating the project with the City of Santa Cruz Redevelopment Agency, working on the construction of the facility and exhibit development. Lisa also coordinates the Voices of the Bay Fisheries Education Program and general public outreach for the Santa Cruz area.

Lisa has over 20 years of marine education and research experience in the Monterey Bay, developing and designing programs that use science as the basis of learning experiences. Lisa attended University of Michigan and received a zoology degree from the University of Hawaii-Manoa. She holds an M.S. degree from Moss Landing Marine Laboratories where she conducted deep-sea research on gelatinous mid-water organisms at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI). Lisa’s ability to be a liaison between scientific research and informal/formal education are one of her strengths and enable her to involve and educate the public in marine and coastal resource issues through science-based stewardship.

Sabrina Beyer
Fisheries Education Specialist
(831) 420-3994
sabrina.beyer@noaa.gov

Sabrina Beyer is the Fisheries Education Specialist for the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary office in Santa Cruz. She is involved in the Voices of the Bay fisheries education project coordinating the development of curriculum that teaches high school students about Monterey Bay commercial fisheries. Sabrina also coordinates the National Marine Sanctuary’s Fisherman in the Classroom program that unites students with members of the commercial fishing community to share knowledge of local fisheries.

Sabrina received a Bachelors degree in aquatic biology from the University of California Santa Barbara (2004) and worked as a classroom assistant leading field trips to the Santa Barbara Channel Islands. She received a Masters degree from Auburn University (2008) where she conducted research on red snapper and fisheries ecology in the Gulf of Mexico. Prior to joining the education team with the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Sabrina worked for the National Marine Fisheries Service surveying coastal streams for juvenile anadromous fish in Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties. Sabrina is thrilled to use her background in marine science to develop fisheries education and outreach programs for the Sanctuary.

Carolyn Skinder
Southern Region Porgram Coordinator
(805) 927-2145
carolyn.skinder@noaa.gov

As Education and Outreach Specialist, Carolyn Skinder staffs the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary’s southern office and oversees operation of the Coastal Discovery Center at San Simeon Bay. The docent-run Coastal Discovery Center serves to educate over 15,000 visitors and school groups annually about the marine environment, the MBNMS, and the CA State Parks.

Ms. Skinder earned a Masters Degree in Science Education from the University of Massachusetts, and a Masters degree in Marine Science and Policy from the University of Maine. Her career as an educator encompasses 15 years of teaching, designing, and directing programs in formal and experiential education. Her research background encompasses marine bird and mammal studies, as well as invertebrate community analysis. Prior to joining the Sanctuary in 2005, she worked closely with Maine's fisheries while studying benthic marine invertebrate communities as they related to the development of marine protected areas in the Gulf of Maine.