You're invited to join us on Thursday, May 9 at 8pm ET for a special webinar, Oceans for All: Exploring Diverse Experiences in Marine Conservation. This webinar celebrates the voices and experiences of people who are making an impact in marine conservation. The webinar will feature a diverse panel of marine conservation professionals who will come together to discuss and share their unique professional journeys through the field.
We are excited to welcome the following amazing panelists:
Kiirah Green is a marine scientist with a passion for exploring deep-sea biology. She has a Master of Science from UCSD Scripps Institution of Oceanography. She has conducted research on fiddler crab physiology, described seven new species of deep sea and shallow water worms, and studied coral reef ecology in Jamaica. Currently serving as a Laboratory Assistant at Scripps, Kiirah excels in various procedures, fisheries data collection, and marine science education, with a dedicated commitment to advancing marine science education and contributing to the conservation of our oceans.
Todd Bohannon has worked as an educator in the greater Seattle area for over 20 years, working exclusively in small, public, alternative schools. They have a B.A. in media studies from The Evergreen State College and a Master’s in Teaching from Antioch University-Seattle. They have worked extensively in environmental education for nearly three decades, including leading middle school trips to the Peruvian Amazon with No Barriers Youth. Todd has also worked closely with REEF since 2011, as an educator and curriculum designer for the Grouper Moon Project.
Sabeena Beg-Cook is the Executive Director of Audubon Everglades and Chair of Science Communication. Her career has spanned the environmental science, non-profit, government, and public education fields. She specializes in marine, avian, and coastal ecology, and has led research projects including coral reef and seagrass surveys and contributed significantly to environmental planning. As a conservationist, she aims to make a lasting impact through science, research, partnerships, education, science communication, and leadership in the non-profit sector.
Alex Troutman is a fish and wildlife biologist, birder, nature enthusiast, and science communicator from Austell, Georgia. He has a passion for sharing the wonders of nature and introducing the younger generation to the outdoors. He has a master’s degree in biology from Georgia Southern University. Because he knows what it feels like to not see individuals who look like you, he strives to ensure that kids have exposure to the careers they are interested in, and the diverse scientists working in those careers. Alex conducted his master's research on the seaside sparrow, a bird that lives in the tidal salt marshes off the coast of Georgia. He has also worked with endangered species like Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtles and Karner Blue Butterflies. He is a member of Black in Marine Science and is currently a NOAA Knauss Fellow with the Fish and Aquatic Conservation Program (FAC) at Fish and Wildlife Service.
Lys Myriam Isma is a marine biologist. She received her B.S. in biology with a minor in marine biology from Florida International University. She is currently a Ph.D. student at the University of Miami in Dr. Nikki Traylor-Knowles’s Cnidarian Immunity Lab, and her research focuses on coral reefs and stressors, such as heat and Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease. She is a member of Black Women in Ecology, Evolution and Marine Science (BWEEMS) and Black in Marine Science (BIMS).
You can register for the Oceans for All webinar at www.REEF.org/fishinars. This webinar is part of a series of educational opportunities focused on supporting diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in marine conservation throughout the REEF Oceans for All initiative. Check out our Oceans for All page for more information.