Shayna is based in Ocean Beach,, California and is a conservation communication specialist, photographer, graphic designer, videographer, drone pilot, branding expert and event planner with a background in marine biology and ecology.
Shayna is currently the Director of Media & Communications at the Waitt Institute, a non-profit that works globally to protect and restore ocean ecosystems in partnership with governments and communities. Shayna oversees the forward facing communications for the Waitt Institute's partnerships in the Azores, Bermuda, Curaçao, Federated States, Fiji, the Maldives, Samoa, Tonga, and Vanuatu.
Shayna has guided marine conservation communications at the Waitt Institute since 2017. Before that she was the community & media manager for the VC backed startup Lumi.com.
She worked in scientific research, studying fish behavior, fire ecology in the Rocky Mountains, and marine mammal populations and behavior in South Africa, New Zealand, and California. She also has worked for many animal rescues, aquariums, and NGOs including The Wild Animal Sanctuary, Colorado Ocean Coalition, Heal the Bay, Star Eco Station, and the Denver Aquarium.
Shayna has a Master's degree from Scripps Institution of Oceanography focusing on Marine Conservation and Biodiviersity, and an undegraduate degree in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology with a minor in Technology and Media.
