I have two fundamental commitments to the local marine resources: I am a commercial fisherman of six years working out of Santa Barbara, and a biology adjunct professor at Ventura Community College. I fish predominantly for urchins and snails, and operate my own boat. I am involved in many additional fisheries, working on other boats, and strive to keep the seafood close to Santa Barbara by selling directly to the community. My main goal is to link the relationship with the harvesters to the community with the food they eat.

I also hold a number of positions on various advisory and executive boards:
• President of the local fishermen’s association, Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara (CFSB – www.cfsb.info), which integrates regional efforts of fishing communities with the aim of improving the economic and biological sustainability of fisheries
• Secretary of The Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations (PCFFA – www.pcffa.org) a trade association of commercial fishermen on the west coast that have been leading the industry in assuring the rights of individual fishermen and fighting for the long-term survival of commercial fishing as a productive livelihood and way of life
• Commercial fisherman advisor of Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council (www.channelislands.noaa.gov) which plays a vital role in the decisions affecting the Sanctuary, bringing valuable community advice and expertise to the task of assuring effective Sanctuary management
• Commercial fisherman advisor of the California Sustainable Seafood Initiative which requires the Ocean Protection Council to develop and implement a voluntary seafood promotion program for California fisheries
I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Biology from UCSB, and received her Master’s of Science degree at the School of Marine and Tropical Biology at James Cook University in Townsville, Queensland, Australia.