We appreciate hearing from the public. Sanctuary staff will be ready to answer your questions or provide you with information.

General Email Address:
cordellbank@noaa.gov

Office Location
The Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary office is located in Point Reyes National Seashore just across the way from the Seashore Headquarters in the giant red barn.

Fed Ex/Packages physical address:
1 Bear Valley Rd.
Point Reyes Station, CA 94956

Mailing address:
PO Box 159
Olema, CA 94950

Phone: 415-663-0314
Fax: 415-663-0315

How to get to our Office
There are a few different routes to get to the Cordell Bank Sanctuary office. Check here to see the best route for where you're coming from.

Michael Carver
Operations Coordinator/Vessel Captain
(415) 663-1437
michael.carver@noaa.gov

As the operations coordinator and captain of the sanctuary research vessel, Michael Carver is responsible for handling logistics and operations for the site's field operations. In addition to annual research cruises on the NOAA vessel McARTHUR II, Michael manages the sites monthly monitoring program that measures ocean conditions and assesses zooplankton, seabird and marine mammal populations at Cordell Bank. He works with the Bodega Marine Lab on the joint oceanographic buoy managed by Cordell Bank and UC Davis, Bodega Marine Lab. Michael's other responsibilities include writing and managing contracts and interagency agreements, tracking budgets, and working closely with the sanctuary superintendent to ensure smooth operation of the sanctuary's research and resource management activities.

Michael has been with Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary since 2000. One of his first tasks on the job was to manage the building and outfitting of a new 33 foot research vessel for the Sanctuary. Michael graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resource Management from North Carolina State University.



Lisa Etherington, Ph.D.
Research Coordinator
(415) 663-1443
lisa.etherington@noaa.gov

Lisa Etherington is the Research Coordinator for Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary (CBNMS). She oversees the research conducted by CBNMS and develops partnerships with outside researchers to ensure that the most effective and rigorous science is conducted so that sound scientific information is available for resource management, monitoring, interpretation, education, planning and policy needs. Before joining CBNMS, Lisa worked as a research ecologist with U.S. Geological Survey in Gustavus, Alaska.

Lisa's professional background includes conducting integrative marine ecological studies in locations ranging from the Caribbean to Alaska. Her research interests include: fisheries ecology, physical-biological linkages in marine systems, marine conservation ecology, species-habitat relationships, and spatial population dynamics. Lisa received her bachelor÷s degree in Biology from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and her master and doctoral degrees in Marine Sciences from North Carolina State University.



Rowena Forest
Sanctuary Advisory Council Coordinator
(415) 663-0314 x105
rowena.forest@noaa.gov

As the Sanctuary Advisory Council Coordinator Rowena is responsible for supporting the work of the advisory council by conducting research into marine issues effecting Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary, providing information to council members, and facilitating communication between the council, sanctuary management and the public.

Rowena Forest joined the Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary staff in the fall of 2002. Rowena is a native of coastal Northern California, with a family history of maritime exploration and the scientific studies of California's native habitats and people. She has previously worked as a field botanist for the U.S. Forest Service, and a historic ecology researcher for the federal government as well as land trusts and non-profit organizations; in addition to serving as a long-time volunteer on both Midway Atoll and Farallon Islands National Wildlife Refuge with her family.



Dan Howard
Sanctuary Superintendent
(415) 663-1456
dan.howard@noaa.gov

As the site superintendent, Dan manages all site activities and staff, policy development, interaction with local, state, and federal agencies and serves as a member of the National Marine Sanctuary Programs' Leadership Team.

Dan has been studying the marine environment in northern California since 1980 focusing on kelpbed ecology, predator/prey relationships and juvenile rockfish recruitment in a coastal upwelling system. In 1995, he started working for the Sanctuary program as an assistant manager for Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary and became the superintendent in 2003.



Dale Roberts
(415) 663 1408
dale.roberts@noaa.gov

Dale is a member of the Sanctuary's Research Team. He led the development of the CBNMS Conservation Science Action Plan and is now working to implement the plan. Dale performs monitoring investigations of the Sanctuary's rocky and soft bottom habitats using manned submersibles and towed camera systems. Dale is interested in producing a complete description of the sanctuary ecosystem which should allow management to differentiate the changes of marine ecosystems between natural and anthropomorphic influences.

Dale has a B.S. degree from U.C. Berkeley and a M.A. from San Francisco State where he studied the community ecology of kelp bed rockfishes. Prior to joining CBNMS Dale worked at a number of public institutions and private organizations including U.C. Berkeley, U.C. Santa Barbara, U.C. San Francisco, Stanford University, California Department of Fish and Game, National Marine Fisheries Service and Science Applications International Corporation. Dale's career includes a stint at a medical school where he was tasked with creating mutant amoebas which moved on command. To his knowledge, none escaped the laboratory.



Jennifer Stock
Education and Outreach Coordinator
(415) 663-1397
jennifer.stock@noaa.gov

Jennifer coordinates all education and outreach activities for the sanctuary, which includes creating teacher and student materials and hosting education workshops, creating outreach opportunities and publications, exhibits, signage, website content, and being the local "ocean DJ" as the host for her monthly radio show called "Ocean Currents" on community radio for West Marin, KWMR.

Jennifer has been with Cordell Bank NMS since 2000 and prior to that was an outdoor educator/naturalist with Yosemite National Institute-Headlands Institute, Guided Discoveries - Catalina Island Marine Institute, and the National Park Service as a seasonal interpreter. Jennifer brings 11 year of environmental education experience to her role at the sanctuary. Jennifer has a BA in Biology from the University of Delaware and has subsequently taken graduate level courses in environmental education evaluation and strategic planning.



Pamela van der Leeden
(415) 663-0314 x112
pam.vanderleeden@noaa.gov

Pam provides geographic information system support to the sanctuary's management, research, education and outreach programs. Activities include mapping, spatial analysis and cartography.
Pam joined the Sanctuary in 2004 and prior to joining the Cordell team, Pam acquired extensive experience mapping terrestrial vegetation communities for the National Park Service. Pam works part time for the Sanctuary and is working towards her master's degree in geography at San Francisco State University.