Michelle is the Assistant Curator of Vertebrate Zoology at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. She received her B.S. from Colorado State University where she first gained marine mammal experience during a summer internship at Moss Landing Marine Laboratory in Monterey Bay, California. She completed her Masters work studying lipid metabolism in fasting Steller sea lions at the University of Central Florida.

Michelle is currently the California Marine Mammal Stranding Network’s central coast stranding coordinator for cetaceans. Her main research interests include examining cetacean natural history and epidemiology as well as studying anatomical and physiologically adaptations to their environments.

Through presentations at international scientific conferences, regional society meetings and boat-based natural history tours, Michelle has educated people from all age classes and backgrounds on marine mammal natural history, anatomy and physiology. In addition to coordinating the marine mammal stranding response at the museum, she curates regional mammals, marine mammals, reptiles and amphibians for the museum’s research collection.

Meet our speaker at a no-host dinner at 6:00pm in the beautiful surroundings of Calle Ocho Mexican Restaurant at 800 S. Pacific Ave., San Pedro, CA 90731 (at the corner of 8th and Pacific Ave.). Plenty of free parking is available in the lot behind the restaurant off 8th Street.