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Alaska
Sea Grant Kurt Byers Education Services Manager Kurt began his career in science communication with Michigan Sea Grant in 1985, shortly before graduating with a B.S. in Natural Resources/Environmental Communication from the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources. He became Communications Manager for Alaska Sea Grant (ASG) in 1988 and now is Education Services Manager, and serves on the ASG Management Team. In the 1970s, he co-founded and operated a successful small business, and brought that entrepreneurial approach to his work with Sea Grant, building a publications and marketing effort that in 2006 yielded more than $120,000 in sales. He's won numerous national awards, including for the book, The Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands: Region of Wonders, and the video, Ocean Fury: Tsunamis in Alaska. He has twice been elected chair of the National Sea Grant Network Communications Steering Committee. Among other national efforts, working with his graphic artist, Kurt conceived the design for the Sea Grant logo, and pulled together the Not So Muddy Waters Sea Grant Blues Band (so named by Washington Sea Grant's David Gordon). Kurt's an avid swing and ballroom dancer, and enjoys compiling music for dances, photography, shooting baskets, throwing the football, playing golf, and spending quality time with his partner, Carol, and her four daughters. |
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California
Sea Grant Marsha L. Gear Communications Director Marsha joined California Sea Grant in August 1998, serving on the National Media Relations Advisory Committee and later as chair of the National Sea Grant Communications Steering Committee in 2004. Prior to joining Sea Grant, she worked 19 years in communications at San Diego State University, where she served as director of communications for the Business College and editor of the alumni quarterly publication. Marsha has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and public relations and volunteers as a media spokesperson for the local American Red Cross at wildfire evacuation shelters. She also has served on the board of the local chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. Her hobbies are singing, surfing, downhill skiing, dancing, and observing wildlife (human and otherwise). Her most memorable California coastal experience was swimming with leopard sharks. Her favorite Sea Grant philosopher is Washington’s David Gordon, who said, “We make the difficult seem impossible.” |
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University
of Southern California Sea Grant Phyllis Grifman Associate Director Phyllis began her career at Sea Grant directing the communications program at the USC Sea Grant Program. As Associate Director of the Program for the last 10 years, she manages the research, outreach, education and communications programs, while juggling and playing blues on bagpipes. She holds degrees in political science and film and literature from the University of California Santa Barbara. Phyllis's interests include ocean governance and marine protected areas, and she has a long-standing interest in environmental education. She has been involved in the California "Education and the Environment Initiative," which helped enact and implement state law requiring teaching environmental concepts in California public schools. She serves as the "Public-at-Large" member on the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council, and on the Steering Committee of the California Ocean Communicators Alliance. The latter launched a public awareness campaign in 2006, designed to foster citizen stewardship of the oceans-please visit thankyouocean.org! |
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Hawaii
Sea Grant Cindy Knapman Communications Leader Cindy joined Hawai'i Sea Grant (HSG) in 2005. She holds a Master's degree in Marine Affairs from the University of Rhode Island, where she examined a broad range of marine policy issues, from the local to international scale. She also has completed graduate and undergraduate level courses in natural resource management and other marine subjects in the University of Hawaii Graduate Ocean Policy Certificate Program. Cindy moved to Hawai'i 1991 and has direct experience in research, education, and communications. She has been at sea in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands as a research technician, studying spiny and slipper lobsters, and collecting DNA samples from sharks. Prior to coming to HSG she worked for four years as the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council's Education Coordinator. In her free time she enjoys canoe paddling, kayaking, and hiking, and has recently taken up salsa dancing. |
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Oregon
Sea Grant Joe Cone Assistant Director Joe joined Oregon Sea Grant (OSG) in 1983 as the science writer, a position he held until he became assistant director for communications in 1994. That position was established as a member of the program management team, and in recognition of the broader role Joe plays with the program, his title was changed in 2004 to assistant director of OSG. He leads the communications office, which includes five other specialists. In 30 years as a professional communicator Joe has written hundreds of articles for newspapers and magazines, produced dozens of feature reports for public radio stations, and produced, shot and edited more than two-dozen educational videos. He has also written two books. The first, Fire Under the Sea, was published by William Morrow and Company in 1991 and won recognition as one of the top science books of that year; the second, A Common Fate: Salmon and the People of the Pacific Northwest, was published in 1994 by Henry Holt and Co. Joe has also been editor of an alternative weekly newspaper and a public interest forestry magazine, and, for 12 years, a director of a community-owned neighborhood economic development corporation. He holds a B.A. in English literature from Yale and an M.A. in Journalism from the University of Oregon. |
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Washington
Sea Grant Dan Williams Communications Manager Dan joined Washington Sea Grant (WSG) on in 2006, bringing with him more than 20 years of experience in media relations, public affairs, writing and editing. He has a bachelor's degree in English from Grinnell College. Before joining WSG, Dan was in charge of media relations and public disclosure for Seattle City Light, the City of Seattle's municipal utility. He also produced City Light's annual report. Before that, he was the media relations specialist and spokesperson for Metro, a public agency that provided transit and water quality services for King County, Washington. Dan has also worked as a weekly newspaper editor and a sportswriter, and has won awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association. When he's not working, Dan enjoys hiking, camping, golfing, and reading. |
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