OC Women in Conservation
In celebration of Women’s History Month, OC Habitats would love to highlight and acknowledge some amazing women who are passionate about conservation and doing their best to help protect and conserve all the habitats within Orange County.
Nancy Caruso
Marine Biologist
Executive Director and Founder of Get Inspired
Organization’s Mission - Get Inspired aims to inspire stewardship and curiosity for the natural world through the exploration of science.
Favorite Animal - Giant Kelpfish
Favorite Habitat - Kelp Forest
Stacey Chartier-Grable
Founder and Executive Director of OC Habitats
Organization’s Mission - OC Habitats aims to provide a public service for the many habitats of Orange County, California through conservation efforts, rehabilitation, restoration, education, outreach, volunteerism, and monitoring to promote the preservation, conservation, and restoration of natural habitats and the species therein.
Favorite Animal - Cougar/Mountain Lion
Favorite Habitat in OC - Coastal Sage Scrub
Cameron Davis
Outreach Director for the Laguna Canyon Foundation
Organization's Mission - Laguna Canyon Foundation is dedicated to preserving, protecting, enhancing, and promoting the 22,000-acre South Coast Wilderness. We are the stewards of Laguna Canyon, advocating for our open space as the leading organization for education, public outreach, habitat restoration, and trail work in the canyons. We are the bridge between the open space and the surrounding world.
Favorite Animal and/or Habitat in OC - I love all creatures great and small in the Coastal Sage Scrub habitat, but I am particularly fond of Roadrunners and their curious personalities.
Kirsten Donald
Marine Mammal Biologist for 26 years
Director of Education for the Pacific Marine Mammal Center
Organization’s Mission - Pacific Marine Mammal Center Rescues, Rehabilitates And Releases Marine Mammals And Inspires Ocean Stewardship Through Research, Education And Collaboration
Favorite Animal - toss up between Northern elephant seals and coastal bottlenose dolphins
Melissa King
Attorney with Katje Law Group, APC
Board Member and Secretary for OC Habitats
Organization’s Mission - OC Habitats aims to provide a public service for the many habitats of Orange County, California through conservation efforts, rehabilitation, restoration, education, outreach, volunteerism, and monitoring to promote the preservation, conservation, and restoration of natural habitats and the species therein.
Favorite Animal in OC - Felines (mountain lions, bobcats), then sea hares and octopi. However, my favorite animals of all time are cats and sea otters.
Favorite Habitat in OC - riparian wetlands, chaparral & alpine, tidepools
Cristina Robinson
Associate Director of Programs for OC Habitats
Organization’s Mission - OC Habitats aims to provide a public service for the many habitats of Orange County, California through conservation efforts, rehabilitation, restoration, education, outreach, volunteerism, and monitoring to promote the preservation, conservation, and restoration of natural habitats and the species therein.
Favorite Animal in OC - California Two-Spot Octopus
Favorite Habitat in OC - tie between coastal wetlands/estuaries and the rocky intertidal
Amanda Swanson
Orange County Reserve Manager for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Organization’s Mission - The California Department of Fish and Wildlife aims to manage California's diverse fish, wildlife, and plant resources, and the habitats upon which they depend, for their ecological values and for their use and enjoyment by the public.
Favorite Animal in OC - I like a lot of animals, but I get pretty excited when I see a Tricolored Heron.
Favorite Plant - Salt Marsh Bird’s Beak
Favorite Habitat in OC - Mudflat
Amanda Walters
Community Education Programs Manager for the Pacific Marine Mammal Center
Organization’s Mission - The Pacific Marine Mammal Center Rescues, Rehabilitates And Releases Marine Mammals And Inspires Ocean Stewardship Through Research, Education And Collaboration
Favorite Animal - Bottlenose Dolphin
Favorite Habitat in OC - The coves around Laguna Beach
Orange County Coastkeeper
Orange County Coastkeeper staff (left to right) Michaela Coats (Education Director), Genesee Ouyang (Education Coordinator), Claire Arre (Marine Restoration Director), Dyana Peña (Deputy Director of Programs), and Suzanne Welsh (Volunteer Coordinator).
Organization’s Mission - We all proudly work to keep, educate about, and restore the waters of Orange County.
Favorite Animal - Our favorite animal should be the Garibaldi of our logo, but we love so much more including Abalone, Santa Ana Suckers, California Spiny Lobster, California Two-spot Octopus, and Western Snowy Plovers!
Favorite Habitat - As for our favorite habitat, we love the waters of Orange County! From creeks and rivers to bays and coastline - these are the habitats of OC we LOVE.
Thank you everyone (those listed and not listed) for all you have done to keep the conservation efforts going. We appreciate all of your hard work and hope to see you continue your passion in making an impact in preserving our wildlife and environment.
