Shara Fisler, Executive Director & Founder
sfisler@oceandi.org
As Executive Director, Shara envisions what Ocean Discovery Institute can achieve and how we can make the greatest difference possible. Her leadership ensures that the organization has the resources and guidance needed to carry out the mission of transforming young lives through science. Shara has been recognized with numerous commendations, including the CNN Hero Award, the California Society for Ecological Restoration President’s Award, KPBS Union Bank Women’s History Month Local Hero Award, and Sunset Magazine Coastal Hero Award. Shara holds a B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a M.A. in Marine Resource Management from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, and previously served as adjunct faculty at the University of San Diego.
Lindsay Goodwin, Associate Director
lgoodwin@oceandi.org
As Associate Director, Lindsay oversees educational initiatives to ensure that Ocean Discovery Institute provides comprehensive, innovative programs that empower young people to become science and conservation leaders. She also spearheads efforts for strategic growth so that the organization may expand to reach more students. Lindsay holds a B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Notre Dame and a M.Ed. in Curriculum and Teaching.
MacKenzie Sandy, Director of Philanthropy
msandy@oceandi.org
As Director of Philanthropy, MacKenzie plans and leads Ocean Discovery Institute fundraising efforts through stewarding donors and securing the contributions needed to provide tuition-free science education programs. In these programs, young people develop the spark that makes them want to learn. She is also responsible for establishing and meeting annual philanthropy goals and developing strategies to help Ocean Discovery Institute reach sustainability. MacKenzie holds a B.A. in Comparative Literature from San Diego State University.
Elvia Meza, Director of Finance & Administration
emeza@oceandi.org
As Director of Finance & Administration, Elvia is responsible for financial management and compliance. She ensures that funds are stewarded and that each member of the team and the organization as a whole has the resources needed to carry out the Ocean Discovery Institute mission of transforming young lives through science. Elvia holds a B.S. in Business Administration, with an emphasis in International Business from California State University, San Marcos and is bilingual (English/Spanish).
Anne Correia, Facilities Operations Manager
acorreia@oceandi.org
As Facilities Operations Manager, Anne ensures the growth and sustainability of the organization through the maintenance of current facilities and the planning and development of the Living Lab. This new, state-of-the-art science education facility will be Ocean Discovery Institute’s permanent home in City Heights and will allow the organization to engage 14,000 more students from the community each year. Anne holds a B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Vermont.
Carla Camacho, Manager of Business Development
ccamacho@oceandi.org
As Manager of Business Development, Carla uses her knowledge of the City Heights community she grew up to grow the impact of Ocean Discovery Institute. She works closely with the City Heights community in order to build readiness for the Living Lab facility that will provide greater opportunities. In addition, she is leading efforts to explore the replication of the Ocean Discovery Institute model in other areas of the country through a partnership with the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Association. Carla holds a B.A. in Politics and Latin American Latino Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Joel Barkan, Research & Restoration Manager
jbarkan@oceandi.org
As Research and Restoration Manager, Joel ensures that authentic science research is integrated into Ocean Discovery Institute programs, exposing students to relevant science through intensive research experiences. He also manages the restoration of City Heights’ urban canyons into safe, vibrant environments within the community. Joel holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Vassar College and a M.A.S. in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
Jo Vance, Program Manager jvance@oceandi.org
As Program Manager, Jo supports both community programs that engage young people and their families in daily conservation science activities and intensive middle school to college and career programs designed to foster leadership in the STEM fields. Jo holds a B.S. in Environmental Management from the University of Redlands and an M.A. in Environmental Science with an emphasis in experiential and special education from California State University Fullerton.
Christina Contreras, College & Career Coordinator
ccontreras@oceandi.org
As College & Career Coordinator, Christina guides Ocean Discovery Institute students through their journeys of self-discovery and along their paths to overcome adversity and achieve. Pairing her passion for social-emotional learning with leading research about the education pipeline, she has helped students successfully pursue higher education and rewarding careers so that they may make a difference in the world. A Teach for America alumna, Christina holds a B.A. in Economics with a minor in Spanish from Pomona College and a M.Ed. in Learning and Teaching from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Rachel Whelan, Program Coordinator rwhelan@oceandi.org
As Program Coordinator, Rachel supports the student programs that bring hands-on ocean science to over 3,750 elementary and middle school students in City Heights each year. She works closely with the AmeriCorps Discovery Fellows and a cohort of volunteers to facilitate student and instructor engagement, program development, and enhancement. A Notre Dame AmeriCorps alumna, Rachel holds a B.A. in Marine Science from the University of San Diego.
Nalleli Arriaga, Volunteer and Event Coordinator narriaga@oceandi.org
As the Volunteer and Event Coordinator, Nalleli works to increase our number of volunteers, deepens our volunteer connection to the mission, and celebrates their impact. Nalleli is also responsible for coordinating our premier annual fundraising event, the Bubble Up! Gala. Nalleli is an Ocean Leader alumni and began her involvement with Ocean Discovery in 2004 as a middle school student. Nalleli grew up in City Heights and she is passionate and committed to making a difference in her community. Nalleli holds a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus in Communications, Spanish, and Hospitality and Tourism Management from San Diego State University.
Christian Macedo, Facilities Operations Coordinator
cmacedo@oceandi.org
As Facilities Operations Coordinator, Christian provides support for all Ocean Discovery Institute technology and facilities problems, ensuring that the organization has all of the tools needed to carry out its mission of transforming young lives through science. Christian possesses a thorough knowledge of computer hardware and software applications, has vast knowledge in Computer Information Systems, and brings 14 years of experience working as an IT Support Technician.
Lupita Sandoval, Volunteer Coordinator lsandoval@oceandi.org
As Program Coordinator, Lupita helps to facilitate, lead and coordinate our out of school programs. Lupita supports the after school Ocean Adventures Camp and ensures our students are growing to believe and achieve in science. Lupita also supports in various other capacities that build support for the mission of the organization. Lupita holds an A.S. degree in Math, Natural and Computer Science from Grossmont College and a B.S. degree in Environmental Science from San Diego State University. Lupita is also a City Heights native and a Spanish speaker.
Ranielle Cunanan, Data Assistant rcunanan@oceandi.org
Being born and raised in San Diego, Ranielle was able to spend a lot of time at the beach where she developed a love for the ocean. This motivated her to go to the University of California, Santa Barbara for her undergrad where she pursued a degree in environmental studies. She interned for LiMPETS where she would help take underserved kids to the rocky intertidal and teach them about monitoring and data collection. She decided to go back home to San Diego after graduating and was excited to find out about Ocean Discovery Institute and soon got involved as a volunteer. Now, as an AmeriCorps Fellow she is excited to help as much as she can and grow with the organization.
Isabel Herrera, Community Outreach Coordinator iherrera@oceandi.org
As Community Outreach Coordinator, Isabel ensures a welcoming space for all community members, volunteers, and visitors into the Living Lab. From community outreach fairs and in-school recruitment, Isabel makes sure students are successfully enrolled in our after-school programs at the Living Lab. Isabel is an Ocean Leader alumni since 2009 and grew up in the community of City Heights. Isabel obtains a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of California Santa Cruz and is bilingual (English/Spanish).
Rose Do, AmeriCorps Fellow rdo@oceandi.org
As a Notre Dame AmeriCorps Fellow, Rose assists with Ocean Discovery’s after school programs by providing direct support to instructors and mentorship to students. A City Heights native, Rose grew up fascinated by the world around her and decided to pursue a B.S. in Agricultural and Environmental Education with a specialization in Plant and Soil Sciences at UC Davis. After graduation, Rose decided to return to the community she grew up in to share her passion and love for the environment. She is proficient in Vietnamese and Spanish.
Luis Ramirez, AmeriCorps Fellow lramirez@oceandi.org
As an Ocean Discovery Alumni, Luis strives to give back to the organization that helped him succeed during high school. Currently a student at Mesa College, Luis serves Ocean Discovery Institute as an AmeriCorps fellow. During the afterschool programming, he uses his passion for wildlife conservation and mentorship to support staff and students in the most optical way. He also uses his proficiency in English and Spanish to communicate to a bilingual community about Ocean Discoveries impact in City Heights.
Reyna Carrillo, AmeriCorps Fellow rcarrillo@oceandi.org
Reyna is serving as an AmeriCorp Fellow with the Ocean Discovery Institute. She utilizes her experience in marine science and mentorship to support the staff and students of the afterschool programming. She recently graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a Bachelor’s of Science in Marine Biology. She spent her time in college as a mentor with Chancellor’s Associates Scholarship Program and a volunteer at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography.
