Our Wonderful Staff
Each of our staff members bring something special to MarineLab. We can’t wait to bring you on a MarineLab adventure!
Sarah worked primarily in the marine science research field before finding her love of education when she was hired as an Instructor at MarineLab in 2007. Sarah works diligently to ensure that all MarineLab curriculum is current, accurate, and experiential. Sarah is the instructor staff supervisor and trains all instructors on lesson content and instruction. She is a USCG Master’s Captain, a RedCross Lifeguard/CPR Instructor, and a PADI Divemaster. She is published in scientific journals and is a contract writer for DAN’s Alert Diver magazine and DAN Europe. Sarah is on Key Largo’s Masters swim team and likes to spend her days off on the water diving, fishing, and hanging with her dog, Triton. She has a fear of squirrels, hates plastic, loves green smoothies, must travel to a foreign country annually, and is proud to be Philly born and raised. Sarah is passionate about ocean conservation and is grateful to have the opportunity to act on this passion via education.
Sarah Egner
Senior Vice President, Programs
BS Biology, Wake Forest University
MS Marine Science, University of South Florida
Ed.S Science Curriculum & Instruction, University of Florida
Walker grew up in Southern California and was always at the beach and in the water. He started diving at 15 when he went on a family trip to the Maldives and he knew he was hooked. Walker obtained his Divemaster in Catalina Island Camp Emerald Bay at the age of 18. He went on to earn his Associates degree in commercial diving at Santa Barbara City College. While in college, he worked as divemaster and deckhand on day trip dive boats out to Anacapa and Santa Cruz Island. He continued to work on liveaboards guiding clients around the Channel Islands. One off season, he traveled to Utila, Honduras to complete his PADI Instructor certification and PADI Freediver Instructor certification. With his USCG Masters 100 ton Captains license and PADI Instructor certification, he was ready to travel to the warm, clear waters of Cayman Brac. After two years of working for Reef Divers, he decided it was time to come back to the United States, where he landed at his new home here in the beautiful Florida Keys.
Walker Gareri
Marine Operations Director
AS in Marine Diving Technologies, Santa Barbara City College
Rachel grew up in Wisconsin but discovered her love for the ocean after her first encounter with a sea turtle. That was the moment she decided to dedicate her future to positively impacting our oceans. Since starting at MarineLab as an Instructor in 2016 she has seen how powerful education is, especially the hands-on educational experience provided at Marinelab. Rachel works to ensure that each program at MarineLab is performed to the best of our abilities and that the instructors are set up to make sure each student’s experience at MarineLab is memorable. Rachel is the on-site contact for visiting group leaders, the instructor supervisor, an American Red Cross Lifeguard Instructor and Basic Swim Instructor.
Rachel Carrier
Director of Education Operations
BS Biology, University of Wisconsin Madison
Our Instructors
Pat Malloy
Assistant Director of Education
BA Environmental Studies, Florida Gulf Coast University
Erin O’Neil
Lead Field Instructor & Data and Curriculum Coordinator
BS Ecology, Evolution & Biodiversity, University of Michigan
Anne denOtter
Outreach Coordinator and Lead Field Instructor
BS Marine Science & Biology, University of Miami
Alexis Kuhre Haag
Full Time Field Instructor
BS Environmental Studies & Sociology, Ohio University
Lucy Wiedmar
Full Time Field Instructor
BS Environmental Science, Nova Southeastern University
Molly O’Neil
Full Time Field Instructor
BS Marine Biology & Ecology, University of Miami
Bailey Tate
Full Time Field Instructor
BS Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State, MPS Tropical Marine Biology & Ecology, University of Miami
Ariana Katsaras
Full Time Field Instructor
BS Biology, MS Geographic Information Science, Florida State University
Samuel Trimble
Full Time Field Instructor
BS Ocean Science, University of Georgia
Courtenay Lampert
Full Time Field Instructor
BS Biology, Lafayette College
Cayden Eliason
Full Time Field Instructor
BS Biology, Brigham Young University Hawaii
Torrey Wetzelberg
Temporary Field Instructor
BA Animal Behavior, Franklin & Marshall College
Jena Myers
Temporary Field Instructor
BS Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington
Aislinn McCarthy
Temporary Field Instructor
BA Marine Science, University of California Berkeley
Alexis Carrasquillo
Temporary Field Instructor
BS Marine Biology & Ecology, University of Miami
Brian Chansky
Temporary Field Instructor
BS Marine Science, University of Delaware
Lauren Hesse
Temporary Field Instructor
BS Animal Science, Colorado State University
Our Office Staff
Ginette Hughes, CEO
Bachelor of Business Administration, FIU
Anne Hill, Coordinator
Procurement and Material Management, Bowling Green University
Kelley Seaman, Office Manager
Kristen Prado, Marketing Specialist
Florida International University- Marketing
Karen Copen, Assistant Coordinator
Columbus College of Art and Design
Janette Holmes
Cook
Yanette Taveras
Head of Housekeeping
Chely Ornelas
Housekeeping
Jorge Zelada
Head of Maintenance
Andy Bohl
Maintenance