Staff & Board

Bee Redfield, Executive Director

With a lifelong love of learning and a passion for helping animals, Bee began working in the veterinary field in her teens and eventually moved into the wildlife sector. Over the past two decades, she has worked in zoos and aquariums across the midwestern United States, in the field conducting research in Hawai’i, Montana, and the Channel Islands, and at the University of Chicago and Purdue University. She discovered early on that she equally enjoyed the human element of ecology, and feels that community education is the most important part of successful conservation initiatives. This drove her to pursue education in both HR (training and development) and in ecology. 

Bee holds dual master’s degrees in human resources management and in conservation biology. Blending these two skill areas, she brings a human-centric perspective to the work that we do. Bee devotes her time to making sure that our operations are running smoothly, our staff and community are supported, and our resources are allocated to make the biggest impact that we can in our Salish Sea conservation efforts. In her free time, Bee enjoys birding, spending time with her corgi, and helping others to understand and appreciate the natural world around them.

Liesl Slabaugh, Marketing & Development Director (she/her/hers)

As Marketing & Development Director, Liesl delights in helping people put their passion for the environment into action. She says, "My job is to make the experience of supporting the Marine Science Center a positive one. When people know that their resources are making a difference they feel good." She adds, "it is a very powerful experience to see one's deepest held values become actual in the world and I am honored to be part of that." Liesl also works with staff to be sure resources are stewarded well. She is motivated by a desire to help people of all ages feel a deep relationship with the natural environment. 

Liesl is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE). She holds an MPA from the University of Colorado and a BA in philosophy from Haverford College. Liesl has served on many volunteer boards and commissions, including the Jefferson County Community Foundation, the Port Townsend Planning Commission, and the Non-Motorized Transportation Advisory Board. She has worked for nonprofits for over 20 years, including United Way, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Womenspace.

Diane Quinn, Program Director

Diane comes to the Port Townsend Marine Science Center with great enthusiasm and a huge amount of experience having worked for over 21 years with educational outreach, exhibit, and public programs as Director of Education for the Burke Museum. Most recently, Diane has been working as an Education Consultant for Elwha Klallam Heritage Center exhibits and education activities. Now, as Program Director for PTMSC, Diane guides our program team to inspire conservation of the Salish Sea through a myriad of programs throughout the year.

360-385-5582
ext. 104
bkay(at)ptmsc.org

Brian Kay, Marketing & Development Coordinator (he/him/his)

A brief rundown of his numerous tasks: as part of the marketing team, Brian designs print and web collateral for PTMSC's events and programs while updating the PTMSC website, social media channels, and e-newsletter communications. Development duties include maintaining the donor database and membership programs, as well as providing administrative support to the PTMSC Annual Benefit Auction and the Stewardship Celebration. Brian also attends to internal IT matters.  

Prior to working at PTMSC, Brian interned with Port Townsend-based Copper Canyon Press. Before relocating to Port Townsend in 2010, Brian worked previously with Oregon State Parks as a public service representative. Brian currently serves as secretary on the board of Port Townsend Film Festival; he also volunteers with Olympic Angels to provide support to local foster care families.

Whether it's sipping americanos at a local Port Townsend coffee shop, cranking punk rock on his RAV4 stereo on another errand to the local hardware store, day-tripping with his mirrorless camera to any of the infinitely beautiful locations around the Olympic Peninsula with his amazing and beautiful wife Dana, or just spending a rainy day at his beautiful home with his lively cats Luke and Leia, Brian enjoys living the good life. (Oh, and he likes bowling, too.)

360-385-5582
ext. 301
bcarlson(at)ptmsc.org

Betsy Carlson, Citizen Science Coordinator

Part of the PTMSC team since 2015, Betsy is thrilled to help coordinate Citizen Science projects, educational programs, volunteers, the Discover Lab, and the center’s data management.

Betsy has a Bachelors of Science in Plant Science from the University of Delaware and a Masters of Environmental Studies from Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. She has worked on a diverse array of projects with Washington State University, Olympic National Park, ForTerra, Olympic Park Institute, and Peace Corps Madagascar.

Always up for an adventure, Betsy is an outdoor enthusiast and loves to travel. She spent six years in Madagascar, one on a remote island studying forest habitat of an endangered primate, the Aye-aye. She fell in love with the Pacific Northwest as a backcountry ranger for Olympic National Park and has called Port Townsend home since the early 1990s. She enjoys gardening and raising her two sons.

360-385-5582
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tthompson(at)ptmsc.org

Tracy Thompson, Volunteer Coordinator

Tracy comes to the Marine Science Center with experience in a range of nonprofit functions, including marketing, fundraising, education and program development. She has previously worked at Centrum, and was the Assistant Head of School at Swan School in Port Townsend. For four years she led Carnegie Picture Lab, an art education nonprofit in Walla Walla, WA, where she recruited and trained a cadre of over 90 volunteers who brought art lessons and projects into 13 elementary schools in the valley. To diversify the curriculum of artists taught in the Picture Lab program, she wrote and published an illustrated picture book about Yakama/Warm Springs artist Lillian Pitt, titled Lillian Pitt, She Who Watches.

She is a big proponent of the power of volunteerism, and is eager to get to know the many dedicated volunteers at PTMSC, and to support the organization with this role. Tracy is an avid quiltmaker, dog walker, and loves to swim, bike and kayak.

360-385-5582
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gsanchez(at)ptmsc.org

Gabriele Sanchez, Programs Manager

Prior to moving to Port Townsend, Gabriele was the creator and owner/operator of The Retreat House in Rockport, Texas, an arts and crafts retreat facility. When she’s not working at the Marine Science Center, she enjoys volunteering, reading, knitting and exploring and learning about the Salish Sea.

360-385-5582
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aredman(at)ptmsc.org

Alexandra (Ali) Redman, Aquarium Curator

Ali is from Washington and grew up sailing the Salish Sea.  Always interested in conservation and animal husbandry Ali initially worked with terrestrial species from Southeast Asia. After getting her undergraduate degree from University of Washington she worked at an animal rescue facility in Borneo. She returned to the USA to pursue a master’s degree at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and refocus her career on the marine environment.  Most recently she oversaw the wet labs, aquarium, and field courses at the Chincoteague Bay Field Station in Virginia.  When not working Ali enjoys introducing her husband and son to the beautiful environment she grew up in. 

360-385-5582
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mjohnson(at)ptmsc.org

Mandi Johnson, Outreach Coordinator

As the Outreach Coordinator, Mandi enjoys connecting those within our community to PTMSC through a variety of sustainability projects and endeavors. Her focus is on community education and response activities that reduce waste and create a change in attitude towards this waste. Her favorite part of her job is seeing the way a person’s eyes light up when they do something that has made an impact and realize they too can make a difference! Mandi has held several different roles while with PTMSC since 2018, including serving two terms as an AmeriCorps member. She holds a BS in Biology with an emphasis in Animal Science and a minor in Environmental Sustainability from Northern Arizona University. While not working, you'll find Mandi playing around this beautiful state with her dog and significant other.

ddiner(at)ptmsc.org

Debra Diner, Administrative Specialist

I moved to Port Townsend three years ago after retiring from teaching in California, where I taught all subjects to grades K-8 at a small rural school for 25 years. I started with the Marine Science Center by volunteering as an aquarium docent, and loved it so much that I’ve been volunteering for more and more. I was thrilled to be offered a paid position! Actually, in high school, I wanted to be a marine biologist, but I discovered that I am very prone to sea sickness, so I switched to land, and got my degree in anthropology. While in college, I decided to become a teacher because it would include all my interests (math, science, art, reading, and kids) in one job! I also have a “hobby business”; a shop on etsy called Wee Brigadoon. I make custom tiny clay figurines that are put in fairy gardens or used as birthday and wedding cake toppers. I enjoy all kinds of crafts and art projects, and love to travel.

elyon(at)ptmsc.org

Elizabeth Lyon, Flagship Store Manager

Elizabeth started at PTMSC as a volunteer, greeting in the Museum and Aquarium. With a background in marine biology and education from Occidental College, she enjoys helping out on low tide walks, and is on an unrequited hunt to see a nudibranch in the wild. Following her 30+ career teaching Kindergarten- 7th grade, and lifelong love for visiting museum gift shops, she is now managing our retail spaces downtown and at Fort Worden. “I love that the downtown space has become a visitor’s center. I truly enjoy talking with visitors about our mission, and then sending them off to the Aquarium and Museum!”

awelch(at)ptmsc.org

Anna Welch, Cashier, Downtown Gift Shop and Visitor Center

I live in Port Townsend and love spending time with my family and walking the beautiful beaches.  I admire the knowledge and dedication of the PTMSC Team in stewardship of the Salish Sea and our environment, and found an opportunity to join the team when the Downtown Gift Shop opened.  I enjoy learning new information about sea life from the PTMSC Team, and sharing information with Gift Shop Visitors. 

Malaika Rosenfeld
Marine Stewardship Educator - AmeriCorps member 

"Growing up in Seattle with a penchant for poking anemones and dreaming about the day I would meet an octopus in its natural habitat, a lifelong love for the ocean was inevitable for me. Volunteering at the Seattle Aquarium throughout high school logically brought me to Minnesota where I got my BA in environmental science and anthropology, and I’ve been working my way back to the coast as an outdoor experiential educator in freshwater, marine, and forest ecology ever since. When I’m not bopping around trails on foot or bike, I’ll be reading in a sunny spot, attempting a painting-by-numbers, or looking for a show to hit up. I’m so excited to become part of the Port Townsend community, soak up as much as I can from my fellow ocean-lovers, and just to be back in my home waters being a steward for the coastline that’s given so much to me!"

Erin Merklein
Marine Stewardship Educator - AmeriCorps member 

"Hello! In 2020 I graduated from the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse with a bachelor’s degree in biology and a minor in technical writing. I am from the Milwaukee area and although I love the Midwest, I have always wanted to explore the ocean more. In the summer of 2020 I accepted an internship at PTMSC. I enjoyed my internship immensely and continued it until June of 2021 when I was hired on for seasonal staff. I am now transitioning to an AmeriCorps position and am excited to continue all the great work being done. I have been enjoying Port Townsend as I love being outside, hiking, reading and am learning how to kayak better!"

Holly Weinstein
Marine Stewardship Educator - AmeriCorps member

"I’m Holly (she/her) and I grew up in Rochester, NY and Naples, FL. I fell in love with the ocean and all its creatures as a child where you’d most often find me digging in the sand for clams or never leaving the water. I went off to North Carolina State University to follow this passion for the aquatic world where I studied Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology. Since then I’ve worked with sea turtles, specimen collections, and pacific salmon to name a few, but ultimately what I enjoy most is combining research with education. I am very excited to be a PTMSC AmeriCorps member and work with and learn from volunteers, share education programs, and learn all about the Marine Mammal Stranding Network. I plan to spend the time I’m not serving exploring tide pools, observing marine mammals, pressing plants and crafting, and getting to know the Port Townsend community!"

Malena Reyes
2022 Marine Education Intern 

Hello! I'm Malena and I'm a junior at The Evergreen State College pursuing a Bachelor's of Science in Marine and Environmental Science. I graduated in 2020 from the Ocean Research College Academy with an Associates of Arts and Science degree from Everett Community College. I grew up exploring the rocky beaches of Camano Island, igniting my passion for marine life and conservation. I've spent many summers volunteering at Cama Beach State Park and I currently volunteer at the Puget Sound Estuarium, educating visitors of all ages. I enjoy sharing my knowledge and enthusiasm about the life that thrives in the Puget Sound and the importance of conservation. In my free time I like spending time with family and friends, exploring the outdoors, playing guitar, photography, and watching baseball. I'm so excited to be the Marine Education Intern and working side by side with the Port Townsend Marine Science Center staff and the AmeriCorps team to inspire conservation of the Salish Sea.

Ellen Hargis - President

Ellen has over 30 years of professional management experience in the social services sector. After successfully leading non-profit organizations, including the Volunteer Center of Southern Arizona, she created her own consulting firm, providing organizational and fund development services. Ellen has earned a reputation as a leader in creating innovative programs, forging relationships and collaborations, and leveraging financial resources. After moving to Port Townsend, she was appointed by the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners to the Library Board of Trustees, where she served as chair. Ellen received a B.A. in Psychology from Vanderbilt University and an M.Ed. in Counseling and Guidance from the University of Arizona. She also earned a B.A. in Spanish Literature from Idaho State University.

Doug Rogers - Vice President

Doug has been interested in fish his entire life.  He grew up in Alaska and made nets out of coat hangers and worn out socks to catch fish in the local lakes as soon as he was old enough to venture out on his own. He spent every summer sport fishing, a hobby that he continues to this day.  Doug worked in commercial salmon, halibut, and crab fisheries as a young adult. Then, after moving back to Washington, he spent 10 years cooking Northwest cuisine, including lots of fish and shellfish.  In 1998, Doug began working for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and his destiny was finally realized.  He is now part of the Puget Sound Shellfish Unit and works throughout Puget Sound’s beaches and waterways. His love for the marine environment and everything that lives there led him to the PTMSC.  He plans to continue volunteering to protect the precious Salish Sea for many years to come.

John Mackey - Treasurer

John is a CPA with Gooding O’Hara and Mackey. He has experience with businesses, ranging from “start-up” to mid-size, as well as with individuals and fiduciary. A graduate of the University of Washington in Seattle, John has practiced public accounting since 1996 and moved to Port Townsend in 2002.  He is a past president of the Peninsula Chapter of the Washington Society of CPAs and active with the Port Townsend Sunrise Rotary Club, the Mountaineers Club and the Boy Scouts.

Ruth Shelly - Secretary

Ruth retired in 2020 after 45 years in the museum field and currently lives on the central Oregon coast. Most recently, Ruth was Executive Director of Portland Children’s Museum (7.5 years) and the Madison Children’s Museum in Wisconsin (10 years), which won the National Medal for Museum and Library Service during her tenure. Prior to children’s museums, Ruth served in management and exhibit design roles at the San Diego Museum Natural History, Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (La Jolla), Fernbank Museum of Natural History (Atlanta), Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, and the Albuquerque Museum. Her long museum career has included the planning and execution of six new buildings or expansions.

Diane Baxter - Member

Diane retired to Port Townsend in 2015. Her career in science, technology, and environmental education focused on increasing public understanding of science, and broadening participation in science by under-represented groups. Diane was the Director for Education at UCSD’s San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC), and prior to that was Development Director at the San Diego Botanic Garden, launching the “Seeds of Wonder” Children’s Garden, introducing children to nature through outdoor exploration. Diane launched her professional career as Education Curator at the Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Diane received her doctorate in Zoology (Botany minor) from Duke University in North Carolina.

Richard Ferrero - Member

Rich served 37 years with the federal government prior to his retirement in 2018. His last assignment was as the Regional Director for the United States Geological Survey supervising the Northwest Region (including Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming). In this position he oversaw approximately 650 permanent staff and 350 temporary staff in over two dozen locations. Earlier in his career, Rich served as a Strategic Science Planner for NOAA/NMFS/Alaska Fisheries Science Center, a Biological Aide for U.S. Fish and Wildlife at Lake Ilo National Wildlife Refuge in North Dakota, and a Research Fishery Biologist for NOAA's National Marine Mammal Laboratory in Seattle. Rich holds a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Management from University of Maine, a Masters of Marine Affairs/Marine Resource Management and a Ph.D. in Wildlife Sciences from the University of Washington.

Linda Dacon - Member

Linda moved to Port Townsend in 2003, retiring after working for 30 years in the field of public health. At the Los Angeles County Department of Health for 23 of those years, she managed large public vaccination programs, did legislative and budget analysis, and managed the contractor selection process.  In addition, she worked for 5 years for the largest publicly operated non-profit HMO in the nation.  As her last job before retirement, she served as the Executive Director of Clinica Para Las Americas, a community clinic near downtown Los Angeles.  As ED, she managed 36 employees and a $1.75 million budget. She has a Master’s degree in Public Health from California State University, Northridge.

Guritno Roesijadi - Member

Guri was a scientist and educator at several universities and a U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratory. He also served as Editor of the scientific journal Marine Environmental Research. He studied biological mechanisms that enable organisms to inhabit metal-rich environments ranging from contaminated coastal environments to deep-sea hydrothermal vents, and he taught undergraduates and graduate students at Penn State, the University of Maryland, the University of Zurich, and Florida Atlantic University. As Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences at FAU, he had academic, administrative, and fiscal oversight of programs at three FAU campuses and the Gumbo Limbo Marine Laboratory. He was also tasked with development of the university’s doctoral program in Integrative Biology. Later in his career, Guri was a Laboratory Fellow at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. He is a Fellow of AAAS, the American Association for the Advancement of Science.