CONSERVATION PROJECT MANAGER

Ashley worked for 12 years as a public aquarium professional, where her passion in aquaculture supporting sustainable exhibits and conservation initiatives began, notably with SECORE coral conservation & the White Abalone Recovery Project. She holds an MS in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences from the University of Florida, researching sunflower sea stars & their restoration. She is fortunate to continue this work at SSL, contributing to the Pycnopodia Recovery Working Group; coordinating public aquarium, non profit and academic partners in sea star conservation aquaculture.

LABORATORY MANAGER

Andrew has over 15 years of experience in animal husbandry and aquaculture in Monterey Bay. He was previously the lead aquaculture research technician at Moss Landing Marine Labs where he offered lead technical support on numerous aquaculture-related projects from Purple-Hinged Rock Scallop larviculture to white abalone conservation breeding, bull kelp restoration and much more! He previously worked at Long Marine Labs and at the Monterey Abalone Company, where he managed scientific collections and abalone production from hatchery to harvest.

LABORATORY TECHNICIAN & VOLUNTEER MANAGER

Mariana is a Latina marine ecologist specializing in intertidal ecosystems who originally joined Sunflower Star Laboratory as an intern in partnership with Minorities in Aquaculture from July-December 2024 before coming on board as a Lab Tech. Her research focuses on applied methodologies to enhance marine management and conservation, addressing anthropogenic stressors.

As a first-generation graduate from CSU Monterey Bay with a B.S. in Marine Science and a minor in Data Science, she brings a unique perspective to her field. Mariana is a twin, enjoys tidepooling, hiking, kayaking, and spending time with her family, friends, and her dog, Luna. She is passionate about engaging BIPOC communities in STEM, science communication, and providing immersive, hands-on experiences. She is so excited to collaborate with fellow intern Melissa and SSL!

SUNFLOWER STAR GENOMICS RESEARCHER

Lauren is an evolutionary ecologist focused on how marine species’ traits, demography, and microevolutionary mechanisms together shape the spatial and temporal distribution of genomic diversity. She is using multi-year ecological and genetic monitoring to understand the short-term evolutionary responses of sunflower stars to the 2013/2014 wasting event, recovery, and laboratory rearing efforts.

Prior to this, Lauren was a postdoctoral researcher working with Rachael Bay, Jay Stachowicz, and Rick Grosberg at UC Davis, studying the ecological genomics of the eelgrass, Zostera marina. She earned her PhD at UC Merced in Mike Dawson’s lab. More details on her professional website.

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

Reuven is a former Coastal Resource Manager in the U.S. Peace Corps Philippines, where he facilitated community-driven environmental projects. Reuven currently works as an interpretive diving ranger for the National Park Service (his work on behalf of SSL does not represent NPS). Reuven shares a deep passion with his fellow board members for ocean conservation and is ecstatic to help lead an organization dedicated to the restoration of sunflower stars!

SECRETARY OF THE BOARD

Laura is an Ocean Law academic turned product manager hoping to continue to protect marine resources in her spare time. Laura previously worked on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, served as a legal intern for the Hawai’i Department of Land and Natural Resources, taught Ocean and Coastal Geography, and studied communities of intertidal gatherers in Ecuador & Chile. She is now a divemaster and volunteer scientific diver.

TREASURER

A Monterey Bay Area native, Priscilla is a lifelong environmentalist who is deeply committed to preserving to our local ecosystems. When first learning to dive, she became captivated by the kelp forests, and all who live in them. That feeling continues today. She brings decades of business success and non-profit leadership to the Sunflower Star Lab, and is pleased to be a part of it.

BOARD MEMBER

Jan is a marine ecologist focusing on reef community ecology, citizen science and conservation. He is the Executive Director of the Reef Check Foundation and has grown Reef Check’s kelp forest program into a west coast wide network of citizen scientist working on marine protected area monitoring, climate change research, kelp forest restoration and marine science education. He is dedicated to the protection and conservation of marine resources through research and community engagement. Jan holds a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of California Santa Cruz.

BOARD MEMBER

Rosie is a lifelong environmentalist with a passion for marine life and was Sunflower Star Laboratory’s very first lab volunteer. She has a degree in environmental studies from Eckerd College and has volunteered with the Monterey Bay Aquarium for 10 years, worked as a camp counselor at the Marine Science Institute in Redwood City, and coordinated volunteers to restore habitat for the chorus frog.

BOARD MEMBER

Growing up in Southern California, Terry was first SCUBA certified before high school. Today, Terry is an avid Monterey County diver, underwater photographer and Reef Check Volunteer who cares deeply about protecting our oceans and kelp forests. After his original aspirations in marine science floundered, he spent his career in communications and nonprofit management, experience that will be put to good use at the Sunflower Star Lab.

INTERN AQUACULTURE RESEARCHER

Cailley’s 20+ years of studying dance combined with her experience working at the Monterey Bay Aquarium has inspired her fascination with animal locomotion and comparative physiology. Cailley graduated from Vassar College with a B.A. in Computer Science and is now focusing on evolutionary biology research. She loves studying how animals move and learning about the immense physiological variation among marine invertebrates. Every day is a new adventure at the lab, and she loves getting to witness the stars grow and exhibit different behaviors. 

INTERN AQUARIST

Megan is a fourth-year Marine Science student at CSUMB, with a focus on aquaculture and conservation research for marine ecosystems and invertebrates. She joined Sunflower Star Laboratory in June of 2024 as an outreach volunteer and was soon invited to work directly in the lab.

Megan has volunteered with several local organizations, including the Bureau of Land Management and the Pacific Grove Natural History Museum. Outside the lab, she loves tidepooling, hiking, scuba diving, and spending time with family and friends. With a deep commitment to environmental protection, Megan is driven to raise awareness about ocean conservation. She is excited to continue her work with Sunflower Star Laboratory, which has fueled her passion for preserving marine life.

INTERN AQUARIST co-sponsored by Minorities in Aquaculture (Jul-Dec 2024)

Melissa is a marine ecologist and journalist with a research background in sea star chemosensory ecology under climate change stressors. She is a recent graduate from UC Santa Cruz holding a BS. in Marine Biology and B.S. in Environmental Science.

Melissa loves diving, painting, going on walks by the ocean and challenging herself with zero waste living. When it comes to career endeavors, Melissa hopes to combine her love for marine science with journalism and social media management to create a space where science is accessible to everyone. She is excited to join forces with Mariana and the rest of the beautiful brains and hearts of the SSL team!

LAB ASSISTANT co-sponsored by Minorities in Aquaculture (Sept-April ‘23)

Madison is an undergraduate UC Santa Cruz student pursuing a B.S. in Marine Biology. Madison assisted with algae culture, cell counts, sea star and urchin density counts, water quality testing, and maintenance of filtration systems. She also participated in spawning trials of echinoderms and contributed to the build-out of our facility in Moss Landing.

Madison is dedicated to conserving endangered species and restoring the ecological health of environments, including kelp forests affected by urchin barrens. She aims to understand anthropogenic issues impacting marine life and is committed to continuing her work in research environments. In her free time, Madison enjoys diving, tide pooling, reading, and traveling on excursions. She is eager to pursue future opportunities and is excited about the lab's continued evolution.

FOUNDER & FORMER LABORATORY MANAGER

Vince is an avid diver, artist, scientist, and the person who inspired this passionate group of ocean conservationists to come together to form the Sunflower Star Laboratory. Vince maintains a California Professional Engineer License and received his MS from Moss Landing Marine Laboratory.

Though he claims to be “just a volunteer” after passing the torch of running the lab, don’t be surprised if you spot him building out new systems, helping with experiments, or telling the tale of sunflower stars and the community that loves them.

OUTREACH VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR

Maryjanna is an East Coast transplant from the Chesapeake Bay region with a degree in Environmental Management from the University of Maryland. They have 10 years of experience in science communication, conservation outreach, and animal welfare from various museums, zoos, and aquariums including the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Pacific Grove Natural History Museum.

For as long as they can remember, they have been passionate about exploring the natural world and love to share it with others. At Sunflower Star Laboratory, they have the opportunity to learn about the ecology and conservation of sunflower stars and share it with visitors to the laboratory.