Staff

Executive Director

Patrick Rose is Save the Manatee Club’s (SMC) Executive Director. Pat has over 45 years’ experience working with manatees and is an Aquatic Biologist and Certified Public Manager. He is considered to be one of the world’s leading experts on the Florida manatee. From 1996 to 2006, Pat was SMC’s Director of Government Relations in Tallahassee, Florida. In the state’s capitol, Pat advocated on the manatee’s behalf before the Florida Legislature and Governor and Cabinet. Before joining SMC’s staff, he was the first federal Manatee Recovery Activities Coordinator and Florida’s first Manatee and Marine Mammal Coordinator for the Florida Department of Natural Resources. He was also the Environmental Program Administrator for the Bureau of Protected Species Management, Division of Marine Resources, for the Department of Environmental Protection in Tallahassee. In addition, he provided overall policy guidance and direction for statewide recovery efforts for endangered and protected marine species.

Pat has served as a member of every federal Manatee Recovery Team, presently serving on the Team’s Steering Committee, and is a former member of the I.U.C.N. World Conservation Union/Sirenia Specialist Group. His many professional awards include the prestigious “National Conservation Achievement Award” from the National Wildlife Federation and the “Award of Recognition” presented to him at the First International Manatee and Dugong Research Conference. Pat was also nominated for the esteemed Indianapolis Prize, which honors the world’s leading animal conservationists. Pat has a Master’s degree in aquatic biology from the University of Missouri at Kansas City. He is also an avid boater, pilot, and is a certified scuba instructor.

Staff

Kerry Azzarello Stmc

Kerry Azzarello

Bookkeeper
Smc Staff Cberchem

Cora Berchem

Director of Multimedia and Manatee Research Associate
JudyBower STMC

Judy Bower

Administrative Assistant
Cheyenne Canon Stmc

Cheyenne Canon

Program Project Coordinator
Tiare Fridrich Stmc

Tiare 'TJ' Fridrich

Manatee Biologist
Wayne Hartley Stmc

Wayne Hartley

Manatee Specialist
Lisa Hauk Stmc

Lisa Hauk

Membership Specialist
Tonya Higgins Stmc

Tonya Higgins

Director of Development and Operations
Gina McClain Stmc

Gina McClain

Volunteer Specialist
Eric Merrell Stmc

Eric Merrell

Program Logistics Representative
Alexandria Russell Stmc

Alexandria Russell

Director of Web Development and Office Logistics
Kayleigh Summers Stmc

Kayleigh Summers

e-Commerce Specialist
Shelby Theisen Stmc

Shelby Theisen

Development Coordinator