Dive Into NOAA’s Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Sophia Barwegen, Coastal Discovery Center Coordinator/Southern Region Liaison for NOAA’s Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary will present our members with information regarding the Sanctuary.
NOAA’s Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary is a federally protected marine area that spans from Marin to Cambria and contains biodiverse ecosystems like extensive kelp forests and deep sea canyons. During this talk, you will be taking a deeper dive into what makes this area of the Central Coast so special including venturing into the depths of Monterey Canyon to listen to whales, visiting one of the world’s only octopus gardens, and learning about the importance of our lush kelp forests.
Sophia grew up in the Bay Area, but has called the Central Coast home for the past 6 years. She holds a B.S. in Environmental Management and Protection with a minor in biology from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and has a background in environmental policy and terrestrial biology. For the past five years, Sophia has worked for NOAA’s Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, first starting off as a volunteer science communications intern and is now serving as the Coastal Discovery Center Coordinator/Southern Region Liaison. Currently, she manages the sanctuary’s visitor center in San Simeon, oversees sanctuary educational programming out of San Luis Obispo County, and provides community outreach to help visitors develop connections to our oceans. Additionally, she also serves as the Board Secretary for Central Coast State Parks Association which is the non-profit organization that supports and funds interpretive and educational programming out of the State Parks in San Luis Obispo County. Prior to her role at NOAA, Sophia spent two years in Yosemite working in the outdoor industry, helping lead backpacking trips in the park’s wilderness for recreational enthusiasts of all ages. Outside of her professional endeavors, you can most often find Sophia backpacking, hiking, or skiing in the Sierra Nevada mountain range.
