REEF (Reef Environmental Education Foundation) has announced its 2012 Volunteer of the Year recipient, Jonathan Lavan. Lavan joined REEF in 2004 and since then, has logged 324 REEF fish surveys and become a member of REEF's Advanced Assessment Teams for both the Tropical Western Atlantic and Pacific Coast survey regions, gathering key data on marine fish and invertebrate populations for REEF's publically accessible online database. He has submitted surveys in five of REEF's six regions.

Lavan's involvement with REEF has been instrumental in spreading the word about REEF and its programs. In 2012, he helped to expand the Volunteer Fish Survey project by instructing for REEF's online webinars, called Fishinars. His background in theatre, sense of humor and teaching style quickly made his Fishinars popular with both new and experienced fishwatchers. He has also assisted by serving as an administrator for REEF's experience level tests.

As a former diver and staff member of the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California, and a current diver at the John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, Lavan actively seeks opportunities to educate others about marine life, conservation and REEF. He is often a guest speaker at dive clubs and shows, and especially enjoys educating youth.

An avid underwater photographer, he uses his images gathered over the past 10 years to educate others about marine life, and many of his photos appear in art shows as well as online resources such as FishBase, Encyclopedia of Life, the Florida Museum of Natural History, and more. Lavan has also written several articles for online underwater photography publications.

Selecting just one outstanding volunteer each year is difficult. REEF volunteers are the cornerstone of the organization. The success of REEF’s marine conservation programs are in many ways dependent on our dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers. They are central to the REEF Volunteer Survey Project, in which over 12,000 divers and snorkelers have submitted their sightings information to create the largest marine life database in the world. To date, over 168,000 surveys have been submitted.

Dive News Network awards the 2013 Diver of the Year award to Janna Nichols. The Diver of the Year award, created in 2005 by the Dive News Network is to recognize the contributions of a local scuba diver who has made a significant contributions to the Pacific Northwest dive community.  These contributions can be made over time or sustained over many years.  This year, DNN awards Nichols the award because of her work as a volunteer, environmental advocate and work as REEF Outreach Coordinator including their online Fish ID webinar series.

More information about Janna Nichols:

Janna has been involved in the diving industry for more than 10 years. She has been a scuba instructor and an AAUS scientific diver, as well as Diving Safety Officer for Washington State University - Vancouver. She served on the board of the Washington Scuba Alliance for several years.

Always interested in marine life identification, underwater photography and teaching, many of her photos appear in fish ID books by well-known authors such as Andy Lamb, Milton Love and Paul Humann, as well as many newspapers and websites.  As a volunteer, she has conducted over 700 REEF surveys, been in the Top Ten of REEF's most active surveyors in the Pacific region since 2002, and has completed many projects as a member of REEF's Advanced Assessment Team. She was REEF's Volunteer of the Year in 2003.

Involved with local marine conservation issues, Janna was selected to serve on both the Rockfish and Giant Pacific Octopus Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Advisory Groups, and was part of the WDFW "Tunicate Response Action Committee" dealing with invasive tunicates.

She has taught numerous fish ID classes, been a speaker at many dive clubs throughout the Pacific NW, and has a website, pnwscuba.com of interest to local divers and marine enthusiasts. Hired as REEF's Outreach Coordinator in 2010, one of her favorite achievements has been to implement their "Fishinar" program: online webinars that teach Fish ID.

When University of Kansas graduate Keri Kenning joined REEF in August 2012 as a marine conservation intern, Keys residents constantly reminded her, “You’re not in Kansas anymore.” Five months, sixty dives, and zero lionfish stings later, Keri has abstained from clicking those ruby red heels together and returning to Kansas. She is staying at REEF headquarters in Key Largo as the new Communications and Affiliate Program Manager.

Keri graduated in May 2012 from the University of Kansas with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and University Honors. She began snorkeling at 10, diving at 14, and has been a bona fide Critterwatcher from the start. As an undergraduate, she lived in the Turks and Caicos Islands for a semester researching invasive lionfish and marine ecosystems. The Marine Conservation Internship was the perfect introduction to REEF programs and the diving community. As the Communications and Affiliate Program Manager, Keri writes press releases, manages social media pages, recruits Field Stations, and organizes community outreach and special events.

Summary

Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF), a non-profit, marine conservation organization, is seeking to hire a Communications and Affiliate Program Manager to develop and manage initiatives to increase participation in, and awareness of, REEF programs and services. REEF coordinates marine life education, field research, and one of the largest citizen science programs in the world. REEF programs engage with the public through unique partnerships with private, governmental, scientific, and educational sectors.

Position Description and Responsibilities

Duties will include education, outreach, and capacity building within the REEF Volunteer Survey Project, Invasive Lionfish Research Project, and other related REEF activities. The staff member will work collaboratively with other REEF staff and interns, and will be based at REEF HQ in Key Largo, FL. Priority tasks and duties will include, but may not be limited to:

·         Increase local, national, and international awareness of REEF with a focus on dive and environmental media outlets by working with other staff, Board of Trustees, and REEF members to create and distribute informational releases on a frequent and timely basis. Develop a strong coalition of support among a broad spectrum of promotional outlets, including print, radio, and electronic media. Develop and maintain a press contacts database and relationships with key media personnel. Track and record media coverage and post to REEF.org.

·         Work with the REEF Outreach Coordinator to support and expand the Field Station Program. Increase participation of current field stations and enlist new Field Stations. Strengthen relationships with TWA Field Stations, including frequent communication. Work with Field Stations to increase sales of REEF materials and donations, host workshops and surveys dives, and encourage participation in REEF-organized events such as fishinars and the GAFC.

·         Assist in scheduling, planning, and implementation of fundraising/outreach events. Create campaigns to attract new members, as well as to increase donations and participation among existing members. Participate in REEF events and out-of-area consumer trade shows.

·         Assist in the development of outreach and member correspondence, such as e-news and web content, as well as the development of PSAs, brochures, and other public relation materials. Develop and conduct presentations and demonstrations to members, Field Stations, educational institutions, and the public-at-large. Work with the REEF Outreach Coordinator and interns to coordinate existing outreach and training efforts, including the GAFC and fishinar series.

Qualifications

Bachelors or higher degree in biology, public affairs or related field. Proficiency with office computers and software.  Excellent written and oral communication skills. Highly positive attitude and aptitude for working as a self starter in a face paced non-profit conservation organization. Strong interest in ocean life, marine conservation, and citizen science.  Desire to make a difference.  Ability to work in a diverse team and collaborate across multiple disciplines. Experienced diver is preferred but not required.

Position Term, Compensation, and Work Environment

The position will be based at REEF’s Key Largo, Florida, headquarters, a 1913 historic conch-style house converted into offices, a retail area, and classrooms Headquarters staff includes the General Manger, Director of Special Projects, Store Manager, interns and volunteers. Work environment is casual. Three additional staff – Director of Science, Membership Development Coordinator, and Outreach Coordinator – are located in Washington and California. The position will report to the General Manager.

How to apply

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and brief writing sample (no more than three pages) to Martha Klitzkie, General Manager, at Martha@REEF.org. Applications will be considered starting October 29, 2012, and position will be open until filled.

Organization Background:

REEF was founded in 1990 as a way to educate scuba divers and snorkelers in marine life identification and to utilize their marine life sightings. Patterned after the successful Audubon and Cornell birding programs, REEF has grown into a 40,000 plus member organization with programs in place throughout the western hemisphere. Primary among these programs is the Volunteer Fish Survey Project, enabling marine enthusiasts to conduct surveys and submit sightings data from throughout the Tropical Western Atlantic, coastal North America, Tropical Eastern Pacific, Hawaii, and South Pacific. Data are managed by REEF staff and made available to researchers, scientists, managers, and the public free of charge via REEF’s on-line database at www.REEF.org. To date more than 160,000 marine life surveys have been submitted.

In addition to the Survey Project, REEF maintains a large and active diver education program with standardized course materials for each of its survey regions. Strong partnerships within the diving industry and effective outreach provide opportunities for thousands of divers to learn about marine life and take part in surveying activities throughout the year. REEF manages the July-long Great Annual Fish Count; the Grouper Moon Project – researching grouper spawning aggregations; the Exotic Species Program – tracking the impact and control of non-native marine fish species, particularly the human-induced invasion of Indo-Pacific lionfish into the Tropical West Atlantic; Special Projects – assessing fish population changes in and around marine reserves and on and around newly developed artificial reefs; printed and e-newsletter communications; and, several week-long field survey and data gathering expeditions. REEF maintains strong partnerships with federal, state, and local government agencies as well as other US based and international agencies, NGOs, and business entities.

REEF is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer