Laura joined Coastkeeper in May 2024 as the Community Science Director. Her work focuses on our community Water Quality Monitoring programs including Mission Bay, Chollas Creek, San Diego River and San Diego Bay, and involves sample collection, analysis, data reporting and training volunteers.
Her previous work experience included assessing water quality and the impacts of pollution on aquatic environments through state-wide monitoring and conducting aquatic toxicity tests at a research lab in Central California. This work also involved exploring management practices designed to reduce polluted runoff in urban and agricultural settings. Laura has also spent several years conducting salmonid spawning surveys and quantitative habitat assessments in Northern California. Additionally, she has taught outdoor-based marine science programs to children of all ages on the Texas Gulf Coast, Catalina Island, and Maine.
Laura holds an M.S. in Aquatic Resources from Texas State University, San Marcos, and a B.S. in Marine Biology from Texas A&M University at Galveston. Her graduate research involved assessing pharmaceutical, pesticide, and herbicide occurrences in groundwater within the vicinity of a future large-scale housing development and associated golf course. She also monitored stormwater runoff within a drainage basin of the study site.
She is excited to be a part of the team and apply her skill sets to aid in Coastkeeper’s mission. Outside of work, Laura enjoys being outdoors and going on adventures with her partner and kiddo.
You can reach Laura at [email protected].
