Staff Directory

Tracy Quinn

Tracy Quinn serves as President and CEO of Heal the Bay, leading the dynamic team of scientists, policy experts, outreach specialists, and educators in pursuit of its clean water mission. Tracy has dedicated her career to improving water quality in our rivers and ocean and ensuring safe, reliable, and affordable water for all Californians. Tracy started her career as an engineer, designing water infrastructure in Southern California and working with municipal and industrial clients to improve water quality. Most recently, Tracy served as the Director of California Urban Water Policy at the Natural Resources Defense Council where she led efforts to pass and implement climate adaption legislation and improve climate resilience and water affordability throughout California. Tracy received her Bachelors of Science and Masters of Engineering in Agricultural and Biological Engineering from Cornell University and is a licensed civil engineer in California.

Email tquinn@healthebay.org

Marslaidh Ryan

Marslaidh (pronounced like parsley) studied Environmental Science at the University of Oregon, Aquarium Science at Saddleback College, and Fisheries and Wildlife Science at Oregon State University. With nearly 20 years of experience in aquarium operations, she has developed expertise in marine science education and exhibit design.

Now in her role as Chief Operations Officer (COO) her primary focus is on the development of staff, emphasizing the growth of leadership qualities, such as communication, empathy, and collaboration. Marslaidh is dedicated to fostering an environment where staff are empowered and supported in their professional development. She is committed to building a positive organizational culture that enhances both team dynamics and operational success at Heal the Bay.

She also finds it rewarding to bring her kids to the Heal the Bay Aquarium at the Santa Monica Pier, where she can share her passion for marine life with them and our guests alike. Marslaidh is deeply motivated by the potential to inspire the next generation, as she believes that engaging young people is essential for building a future of environmental stewardship. This connection to both her family and the mission of Heal the Bay drives her dedication to conservation and education.

Email mryan@healthebay.org

Gabriele Morgan

Gabriele has been the face, voice, and administrative angel of Heal the Bay for nearly 20 years. She can answer any question about the organization and the Bay with ease and keeps the office running smoothly. When not manning her post as velvet rope/bouncer/concierge, she can probably be found in her recording studio.

Email gmorgan@healthebay.org

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Alvin Lam

Alvin graduated from UCLA, but more importantly, unlike Frank Drebin, he doesn’t love swimming in raw sewage. It’s this aversion that led him to Heal the Bay where he helps the team attract lovers of clean water (yes, that was a reference to the 90’s classic, Naked Gun 2 ½).

Email alam@healthebay.org

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Fandi Ma

Fandi Ma holds the role of Associate Data Specialist, focusing on projects related to data integration automation and Salesforce at Heal the Bay. She possesses a strong passion for enhancing data processing efficiency within the organization, driven by her desire to directly contribute to environmental sustainability and the journey towards a more sustainable future. Fandi completed her master’s degree in Analytics from the University of Southern California in December 2022, further equipping her with the skills and knowledge to excel in her role and make a positive impact on Heal the Bay’s mission

Email fma@healthebay.org

Eric Barber

Eric Barber is a Santa Monica native and former Heal the Bay intern. Eric’s passion for the environment led him to UC, San Diego where he received a bachelors degree in Environmental Systems. He then attended the University of Washington where he completed a Masters in Civil Engineering, with a focus in sustainable transportation. As an Associate Data Specialist he focuses on Salesforce management and data integration.

Email ebarber@healthebay.org

Andrea Weaver

Andrea is a mother, advocate, 2nd generation birth worker (Doula), and proudly hails from Oakland, California. Her experience is informed by over a decade of impact, and human-centric work as a consultant, facilitator, and strategist within diversity equity and inclusion tech and nonprofit spaces. As a forever learner and practicing yogi who values family, she enjoys spending her free time exploring the city and spending time in amazing community spaces.

Email aweaver@healthebay.org

Meredith McCarthy

Celebrating 20 years at Heal the Bay!

Meredith operates in the connective tissues of where science and policy meet community. As an avid scuba diver, she has seen firsthand what putting too much in, taking too much out, and ignoring the edge of the ocean has done to our coastal systems. She remains committed to Heal the Bay’s mission of protecting the health of this precious resource and the 11 million people who benefit from it.

Email mmccarthy@healthebay.org

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Sheila McSherry

Sheila provides guidance on Heal the Bay’s overall fundraising strategy, including leveraging corporate partnerships and stewarding the organization’s foundation relationships. Before joining Heal the Bay in 2005, she raised money for a public health non-profit in Los Angeles. She is a South Bay native, graduated from U.C. Santa Cruz, and is also a musician. Her favorite beach destination is somewhere along Costa Rica.

Email smcsherry@healthebay.org

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Jess Espinoza

Jess Espinoza (she/her/hers) is Heal the Bay’s new Associate Director of Special Events. With almost a decade of environmental nonprofit fundraising experience, she joins us from NRDC where she served as their Assistant Director of Events for 7 years. Jess has worked and volunteered at various local enviro groups including; Sierra Club, Nature for All, SEED Consulting and more. When she is not working, Jess enjoys hiking with her dog, finding cool new restaurants/experiences around the city and struggling to make her patio vegetable garden grow.

Email jespinoza@healthebay.org

Alex Babcock

Alex is a fundraising professional with experience crafting effective strategies that drive sustained revenue growth and donor loyalty. With roots deeply entwined in a love for nature, you’ll likely find Alex knee-deep in the earth in her free time, caring for her garden or playing with her beloved rescue animals. With a lifelong fascination for marine life, and a penchant for whale watching, Alex is fueled by the calming force of the ocean and driven to protect our coastal systems. Alex channels this passion into forging and nurturing corporate partnerships, ensuring synergy between business objectives and Heal the Bay’s clean water mission and other priorities.

Email ababcock@healthebay.org

Antonio Esquivel

Antonio was born in Los Angeles and grew up along the California coastline. From a young age, he enjoyed visiting beaches and aquariums where he would explore his passion for marine life and the ocean. He enjoys working with people and sharing this passion with others. Drawing from a background in psychology, he works to connect people with Heal the Bay. As the Senior Development Coordinator, Antonio collaborates with corporate partners and supporters to further the organization’s mission, engaging people in exploring marine pollution through the Suits on the Sand program. In his free time, he enjoys surfing, diving, hiking, and eating ramen.

Email aesquivel@healthebay.org

Laura Rink

Laura Rink, is the Associate Director of Operations for the Heal the Bay Aquarium. In this role, Laura oversees the maintenance of aquarium exhibits, animal care and drives forward sustainability and conservation initiatives related to our local ocean ecosystems. After graduating with her bachelor’s degree in Aquatic Biology, Laura has spent the last 15 years working in the aquarium industry at facilities housing diverse collections of aquatic life.  Her previous positions include Curator at the Rainforest Cafe in Downtown Disney, Senior Aquarist at The California Science Center, and Aquarist for the Calvert Marine Museum along the Chesapeake Bay. 

Email lrink@healthebay.org

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Matthew Wiggins

Matthew Wiggins is a recent graduate of Loyola Marymount University and acquired his B.S. in Biology from the Seaver College of Science and Engineering. He worked as an aquarist in the Featherston biology laboratories at LMU and has a specific interest in the care and rehabilitation of all organisms. Matt likes to care for his pet reptiles and do archery. He loves working for Heal the Bay and can’t wait to continue honing his animal husbandry skills.

Email mwiggins@healthebay.org

Kelly Kelly

Kelly is responsible for managing the Education Department programs, where we teach bright-eyed students, campers, and teachers about the local coastal ecology, marine animals, and human impacts and solutions. After graduating from UC San Diego with a B.S. in Human Biology, in 2010, she completed shark research internships in both Florida and Hawaii, but found she loved environmental education, where she can learn, teach, inspire, and work in conservation all at the same time. She has been with Heal the Bay Aquarium for almost 10 years now, where she first started as an intern and naturalist in 2014. She’s also interned at Aquarium of the Pacific, worked at the LA Zoo and the Science Learning Center at CSU Long Beach while working on her master’s in Informal Science Education. When not working, Kelly loves seeing live music, doing DIY home projects, and being a new mom. 

Email kkelly@healthebay.org

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Robert Ramos

Robert Ramos is an aspiring marine biologist from Philadelphia. He discovered his passion for marine science while attending college at Wesleyan University, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in both Biology and Environmental Science. Once graduated, Robert found his way out to California by participating in an AmeriCorps internship on Catalina Island building nature trails. Eventually, Robert was welcomed into the Heal the Bay family as the Education and Outreach Coordinator, and then as the Education Manager where he works to educate and inspire young people to become stewards of their environment.

Email rramos@healthebay.org

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Jenna Segal

Jenna earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from Northeastern University, and coordinates with educators, event planners and others who wish to use the facilities. She also acts as liaison with various city agencies and Santa Monica Pier neighbors, and oversees the facility’s public hours and retail operations. Originally from Massachusetts, Jenna moved out west to enjoy the sunshine and study marine science. She started her career at Heal the Bay as an Aquarium and MPA Watch volunteer, and officially joined the staff in 2012.

Email jsegal@healthebay.org

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Micah Castrillo

Micah Castrillo holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Ecology. Growing up around aquariums, Micah developed a passion for the ocean and marine biology from a young age. She has interned with environmental organizations like NOAA, SAMO, and NPS. Most recently, she worked with CA State Parks, where her primary focus was connecting kids to the outdoors. Micah is dedicated to bringing people closer to nature and fostering a future generation of land stewards. On her off days, she can be found scuba diving off the coast of Catalina, finding a new hiking spot on AllTrails, or making pottery in her cozy corner.

Email mcastrillo@healthebay.org

Cat Baklarz

Cat loves our ocean for its wildlife, wonder, and its importance for the global climate. Through volunteer work with the Los Angeles Maritime Institute, Friends of the Ballona Wetlands, and Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, she has learned that the Los Angeles coastline offers endless opportunities for exploration and many unique challenges for conservation. Cat earned her Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from USC and works to help connect visitors at the Santa Monica Aquarium with their environment. She loves kayaking, art, and storytelling.

Email Cbaklarz@healthebay.org

Crystal Sandoval

Crystal is a graduate student in Environmental Education and Communication at Royal Roads University, and is working on her thesis involving embodied learning and developing sense of place and ecological identity while practicing Lua, a Hawaiian martial art. She graduated from UCLA in 2015 with a degree in Linguistics and Anthropology with a minor in Conservation Biology, and spent the next three years on the JET program, teaching English at a high school in Ishikawa, Japan. Crystal has grown up in Los Angeles and hopes to inspire passion in others for marine conservation and to help build healthy relationships with our coastal neighbors. Crystal also uses they/them pronouns, and when they are not practicing martial arts or talking about sea cucumbers, they may be leading games of Dungeons and Dragons.

Email csandoval@healthebay.org

Shihab Chowdhury

Shihab, who prefers to go by “Sun”, is a lifelong learner. He discovered his passion for science as a student at Santa Monica College. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in environmental science (with a focus on plant physiology) from the University of California Santa Cruz, his aspiration for knowledge has grown through volunteering and working in education. Sun’s hobbies include cultivating bonsai trees, writing poetry, slacklining and hopes to inspire a new generation of nature lovers through his work at Heal the Bay Aquarium.

Email schowdhury@healthebay.org

Annie Lopez

Annie graduated from the University of California, Irvine in 2017 with a bachelor’s in Environmental Science. She’s passionate about connecting with others and creating equitable educational opportunities for people to learn more about the environment and how they can become environmental stewards. In her free time, she enjoys going on hikes, watching sunsets at the beach, and spending time with her family.

Email alopez@healthebay.org

Jimmy Chapman

Jimmy specializes in marine mammal training, aquatic systems maintenance, and husbandry of birds, amphibians, and reptiles. Jimmy has a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from California State University, Long Beach, and an Associate of Arts in General Sciences and an Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts, with honors, from Santa Monica College.  As Public Programs Coordinator at Heal the Bay Aquarium, Jimmy supports birthday party rentals, special events, public education, and animal care teams. He is a former zookeeper at the Santa Ana Zoo, overseeing animals and exhibits, including Bactrian and Dromedary camels, ocelots, and the Colors of the Amazon Aviary exhibit. From 2004-2020, Chapman held a range of husbandry and education positions, most recently at the Aquarium of the Pacific as Mammalogist III. In this position, he oversaw the Southern Sea otter exhibit and worked with California sea lions, harbor seals, lorikeets, penguins, alcids, shorebirds, and amphibians. Jimmy has been a member of SAG AFTRA One Union since 2000, and volunteers with the Little Lion Foundation’s Long Beach Little Paws Project. He loves gardening, everything Hawaii, and everything Janet Jackson.

Email jchapman@healthebay.org

Destiny Moreno

Destiny graduated from California State University of Long Beach with a B.S. in Marine Biology. She recently returned from a four month stay on Catalina Island where she rigorously studied fish and photosynthesis in brown algae. She has a love for all marine life, and gets very excited about everything marine invertebrate and algae. She is passionate about spreading marine knowledge to kids who do not have the resources readily available to them. In her free time, she spends a lot of time snorkeling, reading, watching movies, and volunteering as an assistant basketball coach at a local middle school.

Email dmoreno@healthebay.org

Emma Butcher

Email ebutcher@healthebay.org

Ivana Ortiz

Ivana graduated from California State University, Long Beach, with a degree in Marine Biology. She’s gained hands-on experience working with marine animals and teaching students at places like the Aquarium of the Pacific, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, and the Roundhouse Aquarium. Now, as an aquarist at Heal the Bay, she is dedicated to the care and wellbeing of marine animals while fostering public education and inspiring community action to protect our oceans. 

Email iortiz@healthebay.org

Jillian Marshall

Jillian grew up in Northern Virginia and graduated from James Madison University with a B.A. in English. She has received a Princeton Prize for Race Relations and is passionate about communicating the importance of both environmental conservation and social justice as the co-chair of Heal the Bay’s Justice Equity Diversity Inclusion Commitee. Jillian is a member of the Shinnecock Indian Nation (Long Island, NY) and is always looking forward to the next in-person Pow Wow. When she is not enjoying beach yoga or attempting to surf, you can find her reading anything by Octavia Butler or hiking the road less traveled.

Jillian Marshall’s role includes managing Heal the Bay creative communications including graphic design, social media, brand management, event marketing, website administration and message placement.  Jillian brings a portfolio of ad agency, brand marketing, and graphic design to coordinate and organize Heal the Bay’s public facing programs and events.  Jillian also serves as a press liaison.

Email at JMarshall@healthebay.org 

Journalists, please email communications@healthebay.org

Email jmarshall@healthebay.org

Cameron Weeks

Cameron Weeks is the Communications Manager at Heal the Bay, where she supports creative marketing and public relations efforts to amplify the organization’s impact from summit to sea. A native Angeleno, Cameron has a lifelong passion for local biodiversity and environmental justice.

Email cweeks@healthebay.org

Nancy Shrodes

Nancy leads our watershed team and serves as the Watershed Coordinator for the South Santa Monica Bay through LA County’s Safe Clean Water Program. Through her role in this program, she works alongside communities, agencies, cities, and various organizations to achieve better water quality outcomes with stormwater capture projects that have multiple benefits. Protecting public health and the environment go hand in hand, and she’s passionate about working towards sustainable solutions that will make LA more climate resilient. Working at Heal the Bay since 2012, she continues to educate local community members, protect our watersheds, and connect our technical work with our outreach programming. While spearheading our campaigns, Nancy earned her Master’s Degree in Water Resource Engineering at LMU, with a certificate in Sustainability. Having grown up in the South Bay, you can find her spending her free time on the volleyball courts or in the water body surfing.

Email nshrodes@healthebay.org

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Stephanie Gebhardt Rath

Stephanie takes an interdisciplinary approach to solving environmental problems. To her, truly sustainable solutions are equitable for all, dynamic and resilient to change, and based in nature. You may have seen Stephanie previously out on the beach, leading Heal the Bay’s cleanups. Stephanie pursued her Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies at Wellesley College and received her Master’s of Science in Regenerative Studies from Cal Poly Pomona’s Lyle Center. As a SoCal native who has lived on both coasts, Stephanie is proud to say the West Coast is the best coast. After graduate school, she took a slight hiatus from the non-profit sector and became an Anheuser-Busch Craft Master Brewer at Golden Road Brewing in Los Angeles, California. What the beer industry and total watershed health have in common is a strong demand for protected water quality and people who care deeply about the purity and consistency of what pours out of their tap. Now, when she’s not working to protect our watersheds, you may find her at the barn with her horses or enjoying a local beer with her wife and pups.

Email sgebhardtrath@healthebay.org

Alexia Skrbic

Alexia was born and raised in Southern California and spent her youth discovering her love for marine biology. She received her undergraduate degree in Biology and Environmental Science from Chapman University and Masters in Marine Conservation from the University of Miami in Florida. She has spent the last decade working in marine science education, working with several conservation organizations on science communication, outreach, and policy, and as a naturalist on a whale watching boat. She continues to share her passion for conservation at Heal the Bay as Senior Watershed Coordinator. In her free time, she enjoys working out, hiking, going to the beach, scuba diving, tidepooling, and traveling.

Email askrbic@healthebay.org

Vicente Villasenor

Vicente (he/him) was born in Southeast Los Angeles. From a young age, he took pleasure in exploring national parks with his family which lead to his academic interest in environmental science. He recently graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara with a degree in Hydrologic Science and Policy and a minor in Spatial Studies. As an outreach coordinator, Vicente is excited to connect organizations and passionate community members throughout the Central and South Santa Monica Bay to resources of the Safe Clean Water Program. In his free time, he enjoys reading, working out, playing chess, and taking film photographs.

Email vvillasenor@healthebay.org

Kayleigh Wade

Kayleigh (she/they) is Heal the Bay’s Senior Manager of Outreach and is proudly from Lynwood, CA. She earned her BA in Chicana/o Studies and LGBTQ Studies from UCLA in 2016. With 10 years of organizing experience, her commitment to social justice has played out in a variety of spaces – from organizing with fellow students at Santa Monica College to prevent the privatization of general education courses, to organizing closely with youth of color on environmental justice issues in Southeast LA, to supporting girl-identified youth at the coolest rock camp of all time, Chicas Rockeras de Sur Este Los Angeles. She is a volunteer with Latino Outdoors and partakes in water recreation with Queer Surf. In their spare time, she likes going to restaurants, reflecting on water justice’s connection to her environmental work, cooking for loved ones, taking up new skills like fly fishing, going on walks around the LA River, and hanging out with her pet babies Penny and Oats.

Email kwade@healthebay.org

Tayler Locke

Tayler is a graduate student at the University of Southern California. Fight On! Born and raised in west Los Angeles, she’s had a deep affinity for coastal living from an early age. Her professional venture into environmental policy and outreach came after a pivot from tech to pursue a path that more closely aligned with her values and academic research— focusing on climate risk communication and the sociological dynamics of environmental NGOs. She quickly found a home at Heal the Bay. An adept communicator, Tayler manages Heal the Bay’s flagship beach programs, heading projects that advance sustainable living, equitable water quality, and conservation sciences. In her free time, she watches Shrek, tends to her onion farm, and forces her introverted partner to do extroverted things with her. She loves singing and dancing but is not very good at either.

Email tlocke@healthebay.org

Felipe Macchia

Surfing sparked Felipe’s deep connection to the ocean, and ever since, he has been fully dedicated to its conservation and protection. Originally from Brazil, Felipe is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Sustainability at Santa Monica College. His diverse background includes experience in sales and hospitality, but his primary experience is as a Surf Instructor. He loves sharing his passion for surfing with others while emphasizing the importance of preserving the ocean and its ecosystems.

Email fmyahn@healthebay.org

Annelisa Moe

Annelisa helps to keep L.A. water clean and safe by advocating for comprehensive and science-based water quality regulation and enforcement. She currently oversee Heal the Bay’s Water Quality efforts, including science, research, policy, and advocacy, as well as the Beach Report Card, NowCast, and River Report Card programs. Before joining the team at Heal the Bay, she worked with the Regional Water Quality Control Board in both the underground storage tank program and the surface water ambient monitoring program. Annelisa completed her master’s degree in geological sciences at CSU Northridge. In her free time she enjoys caving, canyoneering, and scuba diving.

Email amoe@healthebay.org

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Emily Parker

Emily works to keep our oceans and marine ecosystems healthy and clean by advocating for strong ocean conservation policies both locally and statewide. She focuses primarily on plastic pollution reduction efforts and on co-leading the Reusable LA coalition to promote reuse and refill across the Los Angeles region. She also oversees other ocean conservation initiatives at Heal the Bay, including marine protected area monitoring and coastal resiliency. Before arriving at Heal the Bay, Emily earned a Masters of Advanced Studies in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, where she conducted research on sea turtle conservation in El Salvador. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from Elon University. When not advocating for ocean rights, Emily can almost always be found on the shore catching a wave or soaking up some LA sunshine with her family.

Email eparker@healthebay.org

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Naomi Meurice

Originally hailing from the great state of Iowa, Naomi came to sunny California to complete her BA at Pomona College, where she studied environmental analysis with a focus in biology. She spent some time working as a research coordinator at a cancer center before heading to Heal the Bay, where she is a Water Quality Data Associate Specialist. Naomi works to maintain the weekly Beach and River Report Cards as well as the NowCast models. She is interested in the intersection between the environment and public health, and is always excited to use data to help us understand this connection! Outside of work, you may find her playing soccer, rock climbing, searching for the best restaurants this city has to offer, or making pizza with friends and family.

Email nmeurice@healthebay.org

Zoë Collins

Zoë coordinates Heal the Bay’s Marine Protected Area (MPA) programming. Her work includes overseeing the MPA Watch Community Science Program as well as MPA advocacy, education, and outreach. She graduated from UCLA in 2023 with a B.S. in Marine Biology and has an avid passion for connecting people to their waterways, advocating for environmental conservation, and creating a Los Angeles more resilient to our changing climate. Her research background primarily revolves around marine biogeochemistry with a specific focus on both deep-sea microbial mats and constraining planetary habitability models through aquatic analogs. Outside of her passion for science and the ocean, she loves pottery, writing, and 2000’s rom-coms.

Email zcollins@healthebay.org

Onja Davidson Raoelison

Onja Davidson Raoelison is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Stanford King Center on Global Development. She earned her PhD in Environmental Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles, and holds a joint MSc in Environmental Engineering from UCLA and Civil Engineering from ESTP Paris. Her research focuses on the connection between wildfires, the environment, and human health, with the goal of building wildfire-resilient communities. Previously, her PhD research at UCLA investigated the impacts of wildfires on water quality and developed green infrastructure to mitigate these effects. At the Stanford School of Medicine, her current work aims to understand the health impacts of environmental exposures from wildfires. With 7 years of wildfire research experience, Onja frequently serves as a peer reviewer for wildfire-related publications and grants. Her work has been recognized by prestigious organizations such as the American Water Works Association and the American Society of Civil Engineers, featured in local news, and recently honored with the 2024 Women in Science Incentive Prize.