Special delivery! See our visiting baby camels (Dec. 6–19) and yaks (Dec. 20–Jan. 5) this holiday. Learn more
Curatorial Assistant I, Ornithology and Mammalogy
I began my work with CAS Ornithology and Mammalogy as a volunteer in 2016, working in marine mammal stranding response and bone preparation and was subsequently hired on as a curatorial assistant. I have my MSc in marine biology, completing a thesis on northern elephant seal physiology and behavior. My current role at CAS involves bone preparation and marine mammal stranding response, including large whale necropsy.
Curator of Birds and Mammals
Evolutionary Biology, Birds and Mammals
I am interested in ecology and evolution, and most of my work has focused on birds and more recently mammals. Our department of birds and mammals conducts research on local marine mammals, collaborates with US Fish and Wildlife for important surveys of public lands, and we do a variety of research ranging from studying why birds fly into windows in urban settings to how toxic birds acquire and use poisons for defense to using genetics to study relationships among species of animals (and more...) We currently have students in the lab ranging from high school, Masters students, PhD students
Senior Collection Manager, Ornithology and Mammalogy
As the Ornithology and Mammalogy Senior Collection Manager, I manage over 140,000 bird and mammal specimens for scientific research. These specimens originate from all parts of the globe and range in size from an 80’ blue whale skeleton to tiny hummingbird eggs. My work involves various mammal and bird projects. Specifically, I serve as Principal Investigator on several grants supporting work with the Marine Mammal Stranding Network, specifically the field collection of marine mammal data and specimens.
Marine Mammal Stranding Coordinator
As a lifelong coastside dweller, my love for my ocean neighbors brought me to marine mammal rescue for 18+ years. It was only natural for me to expand my experience with them by volunteering to prepare their skulls for the research collection in O&M, beginning in 2008. I soon included field response – examining dead marine mammals – to my responsibilities, and in 2011, I became an employee. Every animal has a story, bearing witness to the rapidly changing ocean conditions, and our examinations tell that story.
Curatorial Assistant I, Ornithology and Mammalogy
I joined the Ornithology and Mammalogy department in 2022, first as a volunteer and later as a Curatorial Assistant focused on marine mammals. I double-majored with a B.S. in biology and zoology from Cal Poly Humboldt and have over 5 years of experience in marine mammal stranding response. As part of the Prescott grant, I participate in marine mammal stranding response, large whale necropsies, collection, preparation, and data digitization. In 2023, I was brought onto the RANGES grant to digitize trait data of the O&M departments 16,000+ terrestrial mammals.
Curatorial Assistant I, Ornithology and Mammalogy
I started my journey with marine mammals when studying Animal Behavior at Hunter College, where I had the opportunity to do field work with Atlantic Spotted Dolphins. After a relocation to California I became active in marine mammal rescue and rehab and through my involvement with Beach Watch, a volunteer beach survey program, was introduced to the work of CAS and the Marine Mammal Stranding Network. In 2021 I was hired to work on sea otter specimen preparation, and have since had the opportunity to work in field response and whale necropsies.
Curatorial Assistant II, Ornithology and Mammalogy
I am a biologist, graduated from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogota, Colombia. I studied the density and distribution of the two toed sloth “Choloepus hoffmanni” in a Andean forest of Colombia as an undergraduate research thesis. In 2012, I graduated from San Francisco State University with a Masters degree in Biology, Conservation Biology. For my graduate thesis I studied the identification of an accurate technique to detect the OtHV-1 in California sea lions “Zalophus californianus”.