Women's History Month

What does the National Marine Sanctuary System mean to you?

The National Marine Sanctuary System is small but mighty, filled to the brim with dedicated, professional, and passionate ocean leaders. To me, sanctuaries represent the best of what our country has to offer, and I am inspired daily by my colleagues to further advance the work of coast and ocean protection.

What is one of your proudest contributions to the National Marine Sanctuary System?

I am most proud of the contributions our site, Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, has made in advancing how sanctuaries plan for and respond to climate change impacts. I hope the work we have demonstrated in the field of climate adaptation will continue to guide the sanctuary system in its approach to ocean conservation.

What is your vision for the future of ocean conservation?

The future of ocean conservation will be dynamic, flexible, and in constant change. Traditional conservation practices must give way to bold and novel approaches. National marine sanctuaries must rise to the challenge of climate change and demonstrate leadership in how coast and ocean places should be managed in a climate-informed way.

What does the National Marine Sanctuary System mean to you?

Although the phrase National Marine Sanctuary System immediately evokes images of some of the most spectacular natural and cultural resources in our ocean and Great Lakes, to me, it means so much more. It is beyond a network of treasured places and, instead, is a network of individuals, communities, and partners striving to protect biodiversity, cultural, and historical connections, and ecological and economic productivity. Sanctuaries are ours to enjoy and to protect; they are what you make them.

What is one of your proudest contributions to the National Marine Sanctuary System?

It probably sounds funny, but some of my proudest moments are recruiting new employees and watching them grow and blossom in our workforce. The joy and commitment our employees bring to our mission is a driving force in our success.

What is your vision for the future of ocean conservation?

Ensuring a vibrant, ecologically, and economically productive ocean requires all of us. Therefore, my vision for ocean conservation is a well-educated global population equipped to make scientifically-sound management decisions. To do this, we must increase ocean literacy, integrate and develop new technologies and scientific capabilities, and create a culture of collaboration across all sectors that furthers our understanding of and protects our ocean and Great Lakes.

What does the National Marine Sanctuary System mean to you?

National marine sanctuaries are our country's underwater parks that we are protecting now and for future generations. These underwater treasures being managed by extremely passionate people inspires hope for the future, which can galvanize momentum for a healthy global ocean.

What is one of your proudest contributions to the National Marine Sanctuary System?

I had the opportunity to develop an international ocean science and cultural exchange program for teenagers from North America and the Greater Middle East to inspire a more peaceful world following the tragic events of September 11, 2001. This unique program brought together diverse students to foster cross-cultural relationships, explore marine science, and develop a stewardship ethic for the ocean. Our national marine sanctuaries were the living classroom where these high school students spent two weeks discovering how one ocean connects us all and how, by connecting to the ocean, we enrich our lives together. This experience was not only life-changing for the teenagers, it was transformational for me, too.

What is your vision for the future of ocean conservation?

It is important to note that there is only one large, interconnected global ocean and you are connected to it no matter where you live. The overall health of the ocean is vital to our quality of life and, ultimately, our survival. Therefore we must all do our part to ensure we protect and conserve the world's ocean. My hope is that the work many of us do will inspire conservation and stewardship to ensure an ocean-literate public making informed environmental decisions exists well into the future.

What does the National Marine Sanctuary System mean to you?

The National Marine Sanctuary System means that there are gifted, knowledgeable, and well-networked staff living in and working with local communities across the nation. Together, we are working on realizing our common goals around natural resource conservation and perpetuating cultural practices. It means that through our collective efforts, and by using our imagination, we can build programs, activities, and facilities that are effective, meaningful, and full of magical potential. NOAA provides a direct avenue for more people, no matter how remote they are from the nation’s capital, to be a part of not just a single sanctuary, but a larger system of marine managed areas.

What is one of your proudest contributions to the National Marine Sanctuary System?

After over a decade of dreaming of having an ocean discovery facility on the island of Kaua‘i, of conceptualizing it, holding public visioning sessions, and learning from other facilities over the years, we opened Kauai Ocean Discovery in January 2020. The beauty of this experience has been the collaboration with an array of partners; the sharing of talents and experiences from a number of geographies; respecting the planning process initiated at the community level and the ability to make their vision a reality; the focus on visual quality and content; and most of all, a “we” not “me” approach to getting things done.

What is your vision for the future of ocean conservation?

The future of ocean conservation will continue to be with each individual and groups of community members. Our success—as citizens and as government managers and decision makers—will be realized through strong relationships of trust, a sense of shared responsibility, and the common desire to care for what we treasure.

What does the National Marine Sanctuary System mean to you?

Our National Marine Sanctuary System, along with the National Park System, offers our country's best hope for preserving our beautiful, precious—and threatened—natural spaces and their resources. The sanctuary system’s mission and goals provide solutions that can energize communities to protect their waters, and ensure everyone's use and enjoyment of them in perpetuity.

What is one of your proudest contributions to the National Marine Sanctuary System?

As the first superintendent of the then-Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary, I am most proud of the site's program development in American Samoa—my home for 25 years. I count myself so fortunate to have lived and worked in this wonderful and remote island community blessed with the most beautiful and diverse reefs in the U.S. Although I can't take credit for the site's later expansion from the smallest to the largest in the sanctuary system, I am gratified that my contributions may have paved the way.

What is your vision for the future of ocean conservation?

Ocean conservation presents the most critical and formidable environmental challenge facing our planet today. The health and welfare of humanity (to say nothing of the myriad species living in, on, or near the world's seas) hinge on how successful we are in protecting and preserving the ocean, waterways, and water sources. Hope fuels my vision that future generations of conservation warriors—including scientists, politicians, and everyday people—accomplish extraordinary wins for ocean conservation.