Science Challenge: Observing Birds
Bay Area Youth Program Coordinator
Matt Ellis-Ramírez is an interdisciplinary ecologist focused on science communication, education, and design. His work bridges the lab, classroom and community, from studying coral viruses as an NSF Microbiomes Fellow at UC Berkeley to leading field and professional development programs with Florida International University’s Coastal Everglades REU. He also co-created and taught a high school course on sea level rise that blends art and science to explore climate change. Matt is an Aspen Institute Future Climate Leader, former youth climate advisor to the Mayor of Miami-Dade County, and a published poet.
Most recently he served as an NSF Microbiomes Fellow at UC Berkeley studying the viruses that affect coral, however off the lab bench he led educational workshops at the Bodega Marine Laboratory. Previously he was the Assistant Program Coordinator for Florida International University’s Coastal Everglades Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) leading professional development training and field-work opportunities for underclassmen. Additionally, Matt co-wrote and taught an interdisciplinary high school course on sea level rise in Miami bridging art and science to highlight the magnitude of
Matt is an Aspen Institute Future Climate Leader award recipient, a previous youth climate advisor to the mayor of Miami-Dade County and a published poet. During his free time you will find him outdoors getting way too close to the crabs in the tidepools, cooking for his friends or working on community-led projects back home in Guatemala.
Program Manager
Baylee grew up in Lake Tahoe, California, where her love for wildlife and wild places first began. She earned her degree in Zoology from Oregon State University and has spent the past six years working in environmental education and conservation across eight states. From teaching ecology and wildlife programs in the wetlands of Florida to leading science-based field trips in the mountains of Washington, Baylee has dedicated her career to helping people better understand and appreciate the natural world. Her work with a variety of nonprofits and science organizations has strengthened her commitment to making education accessible, engaging, and inclusive for all learners.
Outside of work, Baylee feels most at home outdoors—whether she’s hiking through forests, paddleboarding on alpine lakes, or photographing wildflowers and starry skies. She believes that fostering curiosity and wonder in nature is the first step toward inspiring stewardship and conservation.
Senior Marketing, Communications, and Development Manager
Jenn Cotton holds a B.S. in Event Management from the University of Central Florida and brings over 15 years of diverse experience in education and science. Her career spans from hands-on marine science instruction—teaching through shark research and field investigations—to leading science education initiatives for over 300 secondary educators in a Florida school district. Jenn has served on the board of the Florida State Science and Engineering Fair, launched an educational program for OCEARCH’s Global Shark Tracker, and most recently worked as a Risk Manager at NASA.
Bay Area School Program Manager
Mary Kathryne Schumaker has a Bachelor of Science in Coastal Environmental Science from Louisiana State University and A&M College with a minor in Mandarin Chinese and Disaster Science & Management. She was previously the Watershed Programs Coordinator for the Tennessee based water quality nonprofit WaterWays, where she taught science programs and assisted with communications and fundraising efforts. She is excited to continue to help with school programs in the Bay Area while exploring the natural beauty the West Coast has to offer.
Communications Director and Research Program Manager
Megan Joyce works at the intersection between science, education, and storytelling as a communications consultant. She has worked to advance conservation in the US with Defenders of Wildlife, the Wolf Conservation Center, and NOAA, and works globally with Reverse the Red. Megan has also consulted with child and family services stakeholder engagement in San Francisco. Megan graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in Environmental and Sustainability Sciences and from Syracuse University with an MPA in Environmental Policy.
In her free time, Megan is often outsides hiking, rowing, coaching adaptive skiing, or taking photos of wildlife!
Program and Fundraising Assistant, Bay Area
Monique graduated from Vassar College with a double major in Biology and STS (Science, Technology, and Society) and a minor in Education. She is passionate about sharing her excitement for science with students through hands-on research. Before joining Headwaters, she worked as a kayak and bike guide in Washington State’s San Juan Islands. In her free time, Monique enjoys exploring the outdoors, hiking, biking, kayaking and trail running.
Program Coordinator of the Bay Area
Youth Programs and Research Experience Manager
Brea Gillespie has a PhD from the University of California, Davis, and San Diego State University and an undergraduate degree from Spelman College. Her research has ranged from fog occurrence throughout California to salinity in the Florida Everglades to bumblebees in Connecticut. She has taught elementary-aged children and informed them of the importance of data-driven policy and open-access data. In her free time, she volunteers with local organizations such as the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour, Pollinator Posse, and the California Native Plant Society to make her community more representative of the original landscape.
Programs
Mary Ellen holds a BA in Biology/Environmental Studies from University of California, Santa Cruz. She has worked as an environmental education guide for more than 10 years, balancing that with substitute teaching K-12 in the local school district. For fun she coaches a high school Nordic ski team and tries to get in as much play time outside, skiing, running and biking. She hopes to inspire students to be curious about natural processes in order to foster a deeper appreciation of our environment.
Program, Marketing, and Fundraising Assistant
Eva Bradman has a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from UC Santa Barbara, with minors in Science Communication and Spatial Science. She has worked with multiple nonprofits as an environmental science educator, teaching in classrooms and leading programs along the coasts of Santa Barbara and the San Francisco Bay Area. During undergrad, she worked in the field through marine science research, habitat restoration, and field ecology coursework. As a Berkeley native, she is excited to collaborate with local schools to inspire students and share her passion for science.
Grants and Programs
Anne holds a Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology from the University of Nevada, Reno where she researched the impacts of human-induced changes on sexually selected signals of a butterfly. She has also been a part of several scientific outreach programs, including a community science project (Pieris Project) and the University of Nevada’s Museum of Natural History. Anne is excited to continue sharing the scientific process and research with a diversity of students through the Headwaters Science Institute!
Program Manager of the Bay Area
Katie is the Program Manager of the Bay Area, managing after school and summer camps. Katie is originally from North Carolina and just recently made the move to California. She has her degree in special education and is working on her master of arts in biology through Project Dragonfly out of Miami University in Ohio. When not working, Katie loves to hang out with her rescue dog Charley and explore new areas in her new hometown.
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