top of page

AMBASSADORS

Our ambassadors have a diverse range of experience, but they all love sharks. Many are available for classroom presentations, Virtual Lessons or work shops. You will find others creating amazing educational resources or talking all about sharks at events! 

Please CONTACT US to find out more or to schedule a visit. 

Jessica Sharks4Kids.jpg

Jessica Woodend

(SHE/HER)

Maine

Jessica is a Wildlife Educator, and an avid diver. This means you will find her holding an owl and teaching kids that yes, there are sharks in Maine! Jessica does events, school presentations, and helps with the social media. 

 

 LEARN MORE

CONTACT JESSICA

analyze eggs.jpg

Leann Winn

New Jersey & New York Director

Education Team 

Leann is a marine biologist, teacher and researcher. Leann has worked on shark projects around the world and along with educational outreach, she is also assisting with STEM activities and curriculum development. 

LEARN MORE

CONTACT LEANN 

BOOK A LESSON

Enie 1.jpg

Dr. Enie Hensel

(She/HER)

Virginia

Enie is a marine ecologist  and currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Her research focus is currently seagrass restoration and ecosystem responses to hurricanes. Enie does school presentations, events and assists with curriculum development. 

LEARN MORE

BOOK A LESSON

BLOG

michelle trigg.jpg

Michelle Trigg

England

After traveling the world as a scuba instructor, Michelle has returned to the UK. She does presentations in person and virtually, teaching students about sharks and share her passion for the ocean with them.

LEARN MORE

BOOK A LESSON

Jenny shark

Jenny Bortoluzzi

Ireland

Jenny is currently a PhD researcher at Trinity College Dublin where she is studying the ecology of large marine predators. Jenny does school visits in the region as well as virtual lessons. 

LEARN MORE

BOOK A LESSON

BLOG

lindaweiss.jpg

Linda weiss

South Florida Program Director 

Linda has been assisting our team with outreach events and is also active with the Guy Harvey Research Institute shark tagging program. Linda is an avid scuba diver and loves sharing her passion for the water with others. Look for Linda at our Fort Lauderdale area events! She is also does our Shark of the Month blog!

LEARN MORE

candace fields  copy.jpg

candace fields

Florida, The Bahamas 

 From The Bahamas, Candace is currently a Ph.D. student under the joint supervision of Drs. Demian Chapman and Yannis Papastamatiou at FIU. Her research focuses on the population dynamics and geographic population structure of large predators, with a particular focus on oceanic whitetip sharks. Candace shark talks, is part of Project LemonAid and helps create lessons. 

LEARN MORE 

Tyler Mahler sharks.jpg

Tyler Mahler

Florida

Tyler is an avid shark diver and has logged thousands of hours underwater with these amazing animals. His commitments to the ocean, environment, scuba diving and the tourism industry involves an ongoing educational and outreach component.  

You can follow his dive adventures HERE

ADVENTURE OCEANIC INITIATIVES

LEARN MORE 

BOOK A LESSON

Ronwatkins BIO.jpg

Ron Watkins

Pennsylvania

Ron is a professional award winning underwater photographer who travels the world capturing incredible shark images. He does presentations and events for us. Ron has also been assisting us with our 3D model project for the Bahamas. 

LEARN MORE

BLOG 

michaela.jpg

Michaela Palmer 

(she/her)

Hawaii

Michaela works for an environmental engineering firm focused on coastal management and water resources. She is currently working on a MS  at Johns Hopkins University. She is an avid freediver as well. Michaela has been assisting us at education and outreach events as well as creating content.

LEARN MORE

INSTAGRAM

Michelle Andersen.jpg

Michelle andersen

Florida

Born and raised in Minnesota, Michelle worked in aquariums there before heading south to find warmer weather and more sharks. She earned a degree in biology from the University of South Florida. You will see Michelle at various outreach events and school visits. She has assisted in developing programs as well as coordinating events. Her passion for sharks is contagious.

LEARN MORE

burke-paddy-portrait-keith-witmer-767x767 - Patrick Burke.jpg

Patrick Burke 

Australia 

A PhD candidate at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. Originally from Kentucky but completed a BSc in marine biology at the College of Charleston in South Carolina, then a MSc in marine biodiversity and conservation in Belgium. Patrick is PhD candidate studying sawshark ecology. He does virtual and in person lessons and creates materials. 

LEARN MORE

Bianca Rangel.jpg

Bianca rangel 

Brazil 

Bianca is a biologist and is currently a PhD candidate in Physiology at the Institute of Biosciences of the University of São Paulo, Brazil. She studies the ecophysiology of sharks and batoids. Bianca creates educational materials and graphics and does shark lessons in person and virtually. 

LEARN MORE 

Brian Rolle .jpg

BRIAN ROLLE  

The Bahamas 

Brian went through our student program and has since graduated. He is now  an eco tour guide and is helping us with school visits in Bimini. 

LEARN MORE 

Cailla Sharks4Kids.jpg

CAILLA STROBEL

Florida

Cailla is a marine biologist and teacher. Cailla is also an avid shark diver. She does school presentations and education events throughout Florida.

LEARN MORE

Screenshot_20220208-114259_Gallery.jpg

Barbara Mattiace  

Florida 

Barb is an avid scuba diver and loves sharing her passion for sharks with kids. She does virtual lessons and events. 

LEARN MORE 

Bio Photo.jpg

stepahnie Huynh 

New Jersey

Stephanie is an avid diver who loves sharks. She is passionate about sharing shark facts with kids. Steph does virtual lessons for us. 

 

LEARN MORE 

Gabe Jensen.jpg

Gabe jensen

Florida

When Gabe is not working as a chemist, you can usually find him wearing a shark costume and teaching kids how awesome these animals are.  He is an avid diver and free diver, always sharing his love of the ocean with those around him. 

LEARN MORE

TG Bio Pic.jpg

Tatyana Dacostagomez

Virginia 

Tatyana is an avid diver and digital artist. She creates amazing graphics for us and is part of our social media team. 

LEARN MORE 

Ambassadors are in no way official representatives of the organization and cannot speak on behalf of Sharks4Kids, Inc.

bottom of page