MBNMS Program Operations Staff

Karen F. Grimmer
Deputy Superintendent
(831) 647-4253
karen.grimmer@noaa.gov

Karen Grimmer is the Deputy Superintendent and Program Operations Coordinator for the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) - a Federally protected marine area offshore of California's central coast. She oversees the siteís annual operating plan and financial administration and supports the Superintendent, as needed. Job responsibilities include managing budget planning and execution, office safety and facilities, human resources, IT, Sanctuary Advisory Council, field operations (including a 67 ft research vessel) and supervising a staff of ten. Karen has worked at the Sanctuary since 1999 and has almost twenty years of experience in marine resource program management including experience as an education director, marine policy specialist, aquarist, SCUBA diver and boat pilot.

Before joining the MBNMS, Karen worked for five years as the Director of Education for the nonprofit Marine Science Institute in Redwood City, CA. Prior to MSI, Karen worked as an aquarist at Steinhart Aquarium in San Francisco, CA. Karen received her bachelorís degree in Biology from San Francisco State University and her masterís degree in Education from California State University, Hayward.

Nicole Capps
Sanctuary Advisory Council Coordinator and Management Support Specialist
(831)647-4206
nicole.capps@noaa.gov

Nicole is the Sanctuary Adivisory Council (SAC) Coordinator, in charge of all the logistical and operational duties of the Council. The second hat she wears is the Management Support Specialist, helping the Superintendent with special projects. Ms. Capps is working towards finishing a bachelor's degree in Administration of Justice. Her plans are to someday work with NOAA's Office for Law Enforcement, joining her passions for the ocean and law enforcement.

Sophie De Beukelaer
GIS Analyst
(831) 647-1286
sophie.debeukelaer@noaa.gov

As a Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Analyst, Sophie compiles, creates and analyzes GIS data layers and related tools to augment efforts of the MBNMS staff. Since joining the sanctuary in September 2005, she has focused her GIS support on water quality issues, shoreline sensitivity issues, and evaluating the potential for marine protected areas within the sanctuary. Sophie is also developing biological, oceanographic, geologic and thematic layers in order to help inform future management decisions for the sanctuary and contribute to improved characterizations of the region.

Sophie holds a B.A. in Natural Sciences from New College and a M.S. in Oceanography from Texas A&M University. She focused her graduate research on the deep sea ecology of the Gulf of Mexico and combined a variety of remote sensing efforts, including submersibles and side-scan sonar, to identify the locations of chemosynthetic communities on the northern continental slope. Sophie recently completed a 2 year NOAA Coastal Management Fellowship with the Shoreline Management Program at the Washington State Department of Ecology to hone her GIS skills and learn more about coastal policy.

Ray Chisolm
Program Specialist
(831) 647-4216
ray.chisolm@noaa.gov

Christian Walters
Operations Specialist
(831) 647-4201
christian.walters@noaa.gov

Christian is the Operations Specialist for the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, holds position at the front desk, and is the first point of contact for most people wishing to contact the Sanctuary. He also occasionally takes on additional duties regarding travel and maintenance of the website. Originally from Texas, he joined the MBNMS staff in spring of 2006 and has earned a Bachelor's Degree in English through Ellis College, a division of the New York Institute of Technology.

David Minard
R/V Fulmar Captain
(831) 647-4218
david.minard@noaa.gov

Dave Minard joined the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary in 2006 to become the lead captain on the new research vessel Fulmar. Dave has over 15 years experience working on a variety of boats on Californiaís central coast and in San Francisco bay. Prior to coming to the Sanctuary he was captain for the Seafloor Mapping Lab at Cal State Monterey Bay. Dave holds a 500 ton USCG masters license as well as holding a degree in history from San Jose State University.

Hans Bruning
R/V Fulmar Captain