About Us
Company Profile
Ocean & Earth is a consulting firm that specializes in building environmental stewardship capacity through integrated partnerships, collaborations, and sound science. Our staff has expertise in large scale project development, grant writing, and efficient program management focusing on fisheries, water quality, ocean chemistry, restoration of public lands, and Tribal subsistence and traditional resources.
Our team has a documented track record of building dynamic networks of stakeholders focusing on large regional environmental issues that engage community members, resource managers, researchers, and students. Ocean & Earth has helped develop water quality monitoring programs and restoration projects in Florida to building large networks of Tribal governments in Alaska working together to assess their vulnerability of climate change impacts.
Track Record:
- $ 8.4 million in grant funds awarded to clients
- 162 grant applications
- Over 350 environmental professionals trained
- Over 8500 people served from grants awarded
- 285 partnerships and collaborations formed
Ocean and Earth Environmental is dedicated to increasing the capacity of local, regional, and national stewardship projects by providing excellent grant writing, project development, and training that focus on preserving, enhancing, and protecting natural resources, water ways, and public lands.
To preserve natural and cultural resources for tomorrow while enabling projects that benefit people today.
Ocean and Earth Environmental Core Values create clarity and alignment around 4 guiding principles that we follow at Ocean and Earth Environmental every day. We live these values, using them like a compass to guide our decisions and strategies.
Meet Our Team
Christopher Whitehead
Principal Investigator and Owner
Chris completed his degree in Environmental Marine Science at the University of Hawaii Manoa where he focused on marine biology, fisheries management, and environmental policy. He has over 18 years of expert experience working with non-profit, city, state, federal, and Tribal government agencies writing and managing grants, designing research projects, establishing water quality programs, developing shellfish aquaculture operations, managing fisheries, building environmental laboratories, and creating large regional networks of researchers, Tribal environmental staff, citizen scientist, and resource managers.
Chris’ superpowers:
Building large regional environmental networks and consortiums
Developing capacity for Tribal government environmental programs
Grant writing
Water Quality
Harmful algal blooms/biotoxins
Traditional Food Security related to climate change impacts
Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring
Restoration and mitigation projects
Fisheries assessments
Education and Outreach
Email: chris.whitehead@oceanearthenvironmental.com
Phone: 360-797-3152
John Harley
Environmental Scientist
John did his undergraduate degree in Marine Biology at the University of California Santa Cruz. He worked as a technician studying the biology and ecology of elephant seals at Año Nuevo and monitoring populations of Steller sea lions in the Gulf of Alaska. He completed his PhD in Biochemistry at the University of Alaska Fairbanks in 2017 where he studied environmental toxicology and the effects of pollutants in the Arctic and marine environment.
John’s superpowers:
Data analysis and management
Environmental modelling and forecasting
Marine toxicology
Water quality training
One Health
Email: john@oceanearthenvironmental.com
Elizabeth Tobin
Marine Scientist
Elizabeth “Liz” completed her undergraduate degree in Marine Science at the University of California Santa Barbara where she worked as a research technician studying disease dynamics in urchin populations from northern Baja California, Mexico to Point Conception, California. After obtaining her PhD in Oceanography at the University of Washington in 2014, Liz received a NSF Science, Engineering, Education for Sustainability Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Alaska Fairbanks to study the ecology and sociocultural impacts of harmful marine algae and biotoxins in Southeast Alaska. Liz has over a decade of experience working with academic researchers; local, state and federal agencies; Tribal governments; NGOs and the aquaculture industry on research projects, environmental monitoring, population assessments and natural resource management.
Liz’ superpowers:
Project Management
Data Analysis
Grant writing
Environmental Permits
Environmental Monitoring
Harmful algal blooms/Biotoxins
Restoration Projects
Fisheries Management
Population Assessment
Education and Outreach
Email: liz@oceanearthenvironmental.com
Esther Kennedy
Environmental Scientist
Esther spent the last five years working on projects in Alaska focusing on ocean acidification and harmful algal blooms. She is currently pursuing her PhD at UC Davis, where she is studying how ocean acidification and climate change impact nearshore environments. Esther received a bachelor’s degree in geology from Harvard University and worked as a seasonal ranger at Fossil Butte National Monument in Wyoming before beginning her career in marine science.
Esther’s superpowers:
Grant writing
Ocean acidification research
Interpretive materials and data communication
Phytoplankton morphology
HAB monitoring
Email: esther@oceanearthenvironmental.com
Spencer Fire
Marine Scientist
Spencer completed a MS in Marine Science and a PhD in Ocean Sciences at the University of California Santa Cruz, where he studied the impacts of harmful algal blooms (HABs or ‘red tides’) on human and marine animal food webs. He has nearly 20 years’ experience working in academia, federal/state research labs, and non-profit research groups to study the fate and effects of HAB toxins in coastal ecosystems. Spencer’s main expertise lies in investigating long-term trends of HAB toxin exposure in protected or commercially important species, and in facilitating developing laboratories to implement HAB toxin detection technologies.
Spencer’s superpowers:
Molecular detection methods for HAB toxins
Training international and/or developing laboratories to implement new analytical methods
Citizen-science phytoplankton monitoring
Field sample collection for marine mammals and finfish
Boat-based behavioral surveys for marine megafauna
Securing extramural funding
Data analysis
Email: spencer@oceanearthenvironmental.com
Meredith Pochardt
Fisheries Biologist
Meredith received her undergraduate degree from the New York State College of Environmental Science and Forestry with a focus in environmental science and watershed engineering. She then went on to work with nonprofits and tribes in Alaska pursuing projects focused on fish habitat restoration, fisheries research and water quality monitoring, and community education. Meredith then received her Masters degree from Oregon State University in fisheries science with a focus on using environmental DNA (eDNA) to monitor fisheries population trends in Southeast Alaska.
Meredith’s superpowers:
Grant Writing
ArcGIS
eDNA
Project Management
Wetland Mitigation
Fisheries Management
Data analysis
Habitat Restoration
Fisheries Management
Field Logistics
Data Analysis
Email:
meredith@oceanearthenvironmental.com
Jeff Moskowitz
GIS Specialist
Jeff earned an undergraduate degree in Geography from the University of Colorado at Boulder, where he specialized in human geography, geographic information systems (GIS) and cartography. Since 2008 he has worked with GIS and mapping software extensively on a variety of spatial and temporal projects with teams from around the world. Jeff’s professional and creative approach to visualizing and digitizing unique datasets, explores our environmental relationships in Southeast Alaska through satellite imagery, digital elevation models (DEM’s) and culturally significant map layers.
Jeff’s superpowers:
ArcGIS
Python
Adobe Illustrator
Database Management
Data Visualization
Remote Imaging
Digitization
Programming
Spatial Modelling
Email:
jeff@oceanearthenvironmental.com
Meghan Zulian
Environmental Scientist
Meghan completed her undergraduate degree in Geological Sciences at Queen’s University, Canada, and her MSc in Earth Science at the University of Toronto prior to pursuing her current Ph.D. program at the University of California, Davis and Bodega Marine Laboratory. In her research, Meghan thinks about the impacts of ocean acidification and hypoxia on culturally, ecologically, and economically important coastal invertebrates. She also cares deeply about mentoring our next generation of scientists, stakeholder engagement, and Tribal sovereignty.
Meghan’s superpowers:
Popular Science Writing
Ocean Acidification
Analytical Chemistry
Bridging Science and Policy
Event and Project Planning
Education and Outreach
Field Logistics
Email:
meghan@oceanearthenvironmental.com
Manny Delgado
Environmental Scientist
Manny completed his undergraduate degree in Marine Science at the University of California, Davis. He is currently a Jr. Specialist based at UC Davis’ Bodega Marine Laboratory, where he works for the Bodega Ocean Acidification Research Group and Coastal Health and Nearshore Geochemistry Lab at UC Davis. In his research and work, Manny assists general operations,; assists student projects; conducts fieldwork via water sampling (at BML) and sensor calibration in Tomales Bay (mainly Hog Island Oyster Company); analyzes samples and interprets data from XYZ machines; and leads his own research projects. He hopes to use the experience and knowledge gained as a technician to continue his education in a Ph.D. program along the West Coast where he can continue to improve the equity of marine science.
Manny’s superpowers:
Ocean Acidification research
Water Quality training
Analytical Chemistry
eDNA
Protocol Synthesis
Education and Outreach
Data Analysis
Field Logistics
Email:
manny@oceanearthenvironmental.com
Jenn Hamblen
Environmental Scientist
Since 2015, Jenn has worked with a variety of organizations throughout Southeast Alaska on topics ranging from harmful algal blooms and paralytic shellfish poisoning to hydrology and water quality sampling of Transboundary rivers. Before moving to Alaska, Jenn completed her B.S. in Environmental Resources from the University of Georgia, her home state, and then her M.S. in Hydrology and Water Resources from the University of Arizona. Jenn is passionate about providing communities, especially Tribal governments, with the information, tools, and resources needed to monitor and steward (or respect) their cultural and environmental resources.
Jenn’s superpowers:
Coordinating & Managing Multi-Partner Projects
Water Quality Program Development & Management
Capacity Development & Training for Tribal Government Environmental Programs
Water Quality Monitoring
Grant Writing
Field Logistics
Education & Outreach
Data Analysis
ArcGIS
Harmful Algal Bloom / PSP Monitoring
Email:
jenn@oceanearthenvironmental.com
Jarred Haynes
Environmental Program Coordinator
Jarred completed his undergraduate degree in Anthropology at the University of Maine, Orono. He worked with the Penobscot Nation doing discourse and policy analysis to find opportunities to increase Native environmental sovereignty under the Clean Water Act. After a year of international travel, training, and study, he will complete his MA in Sustainable Development Practice with the School for International Training in August.
Jarred’s superpowers:
Social-ecological systems thinking
Social-environmental policy analysis
Bridging policy and practice
Advocacy and bridge-building
Email:
jarred@oceanearthenvironmental.com
Nicole Reynolds
Environmental Specialist
Nicole will complete her undergraduate degree in Oceanography and Marine Biology at the University of Washington Seattle in June 2024. She’s worked with various government partners on researching invasive mudsnails, creel surveying, and notably, researching early detection methods of European Green Crab in Southcentral Alaska. Her undergraduate senior thesis focused on the community composition of zooplankton in the equatorial Pacific. She’s passionate about teaching, and interdisciplinary research between oceanography and invasion biology.
Nicole’s superpowers:
Data Analysis
RStudio
Invasion Biology
Environmental Monitoring
Field Logistics
Email:
nicole@oceanearthenvironmental.com
