Meet the SCMEA Board!
President - HEIDI CHAMPION - Heidi is the Education Specialist with the Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission. Born and raised in the Florida Keys she has always had a close affinity to the water and the coral reefs she calls home. Heidi’s eleven years of experience in environmental education in the Charleston area has helped hone her skills as a naturalist and educator. As an informal educator with the Charleston County Parks for the past seven years, she has been lucky enough to share her love and passion of the environment with over 10,000 children a year and looks forward to sharing it with many more!
Past - President - COURTNEY GERSTENMAIER FELTON - Courtney is originally from Ohio (I know another one...), but has lived in the Charleston area for 11 years now. She has a masters degree in Marine Biology from the College of Charleston and has worked on numerous mudflats, beaches, and boats! She has been in informal science education for five years working in both DC and Charleston. While in DC she became a member of NMEA and was thrilled to meet other like-minded individuals! She currently works at the South Carolina Aquarium as an educational interpreter and as an adjunct professor at the College of Charleston.
Secretary - MORGAN TREON - Morgan is currently the Marine Education Program Assitant with S.C. Sea Grant Consortium. Prior to moving to South Carolina, Morgan earned her B.A. in Earth Science and M.A.T. in Secondary Education from James Madison University in Virginia. While Morgan’s educational background is in geology, she grew up exploring and appreciating the Chesapeake Bay in her hometown of Virginia Beach. Since moving to Charleston, Morgan has worked as the Lead Education Aide with Charleston County Parks and earned her South Carolina Master Naturalist Certification. From birding to kayaking, Morgan loves to be outdoors learning and educating about the Lowcountry’s ecosystems.
Membership Secretary - DAKOTAH TANCZUK - Dakotah grew up in Colorado, California, and Charleston, SC, and has always loved adventuring outdoors, whether hiking, camping, skiing, or surfing. She got her B.S. in Animal Science from Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, and while education wasn’t what she studied, it has been her passion since middle school. She has been working in informal science education at various aquariums for over 4 years now. Currently, Dakotah is the Virtual Programs Coordinator at the South Carolina Aquarium. In her free time, she volunteers for Folly Beach Turtle Patrol, participates in nest surveys, cuddles with her cat while reading as many books as possible, paints (poorly), takes photos of birds and surfs.
Board Member at Large - DR. MICHAEL WILLIAMSON - Associate Professor Michael Williamson has been active in education and research for over 45 years. He founded the STEM interactive website, WhaleNet, in 1993 which was exhibited in Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of Natural History, to excite students about math, science, the environment and technology. He is also Vice-president of the Mingan Island Cetacean Study which conducts the longest research program in the world on blue whales, and he a member of the Board of Directors of the National Museum of Education. Williamson, was an Associate Professor of Science/Marine Sciences at Wheelock College in Boston, Massachusetts 1988-2008, and was a Scientist in Residence at St. Mary’s Anglican Girls School in Perth, Western Australia (2000-2019) where he taught and advised on marine science education and research. Previously, he taught 8th and 9th grade for 15 years at Shore Country Day School where he created and taught a marine bio and oceanography course as a grade 9 elective. He was also a pioneer in Massachusetts whale research as the founder and director of the Pelagic Systems Research & Massachusetts Whale Watch, which began studying cetaceans in Massachusetts Bay in 1976.
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President-Elect and SeaScripts Editor - DR. STEVE MORTON - Steve received his B.S and M.S. from Florida Institute of Technology in Biological Oceanography and his Ph.D. in Plant Biology from Southern Illinois University. He is currently a Research Oceanographer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring and Reference Branch. Steve is the Principal Investigator of the NOAA Phytoplankton Monitoring Network (PMN), a citizen science program whose volunteers represent public and private schools, colleges and universities, Native American tribes, state and national parks, aquariums, civic groups, shellfish growers and other non-governmental organizations. During his career, he has authored over 140 per reviewed manuscripts, serves on the editorial boards of four international journals, and serves as a technical expert for the United Nation’s International Atomic Energy Agency and the United Nation’s Decade of Ocean Science Arctic Task Force. Steve recently co-edited “Harmful Algal Blooms: A Compendium Desk Reference” published by Wiley-Blackwell press. Dr. Morton has been awarded the NOAA Administrator’s Award in 2016, the United States Department of Commence Bronze Award in Research in 2007, 2008 and 2015 and the United States Vice President’s Hammer Award in 2000.
NMEA Chapter Representative
- JAIME THOM - Jaime is the School Programs Manager at the South Carolina Aquarium. She is passionate about sharing her love of nature and conservation with students all over South Carolina. She also enjoys working with teachers during professional developments. The ocean has always been a calling of hers from the time she was a little girl from Indiana exploring the beach on family vacations. Now she gets to share that love with her daughter and the visitors at the South Carolina Aquarium. Her 14 years experience in the informal education field is only the beginning!
Treasurer - CHRISTOPHER JACKSON - Growing up in Michigan, Chris was always interested in nature and being outdoors. His decision to study marine biology eventually brought him to Charleston for the College of Charleston’s graduate program. He quickly fell in love with the climate and the amazing coastal habitats. While still in grad school in the late 1980’s, he attended a science conference of marine science educators out at Camp St. Christopher. That was his first introduction to SCMEA. Following grad school, he did research for a while as a field biologist with DNR, but discovered his true calling while doing educational outreach programs in local schools. He developed a love for teaching. He started working as an environmental educator for the City of Charleston, Cypress Gardens and for an eco-tour company called Charleston Explorers. He was also fortunate to work with some amazing people as a volunteer at the SC Aquarium and as an educator aboard USS Yorktown. He currently works as a biology instructor at Trident Technical College. He has been a member of SCMEA off and on for over twenty years.
Scholarship - Caroline Stroud - Caroline grew up in a small town, in the upstate of South Carolina. She attended Clemson University where she earned her Bachelors of Science degree in Animal and Veterinary Sciences. At Clemson, Caroline was part of the Conservation of Marine Resources undergraduate research team where she studied coral transplants in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, fueling her passion for marine science. After college, she worked as an Educational Interpreter at Mississippi Aquarium for a year, where she developed programs to inspire guests to engage in environmental conservation. Today, Caroline is an Education Host at South Carolina Aquarium, where she is excited to educate guests about her home state’s ecosystems and animals.
Media Secretary - MARY ELIZABETH MCDONALD - Mary Elizabeth McDonald is originally from Gainesville, GA. She attended college in the mountains of North Georgia in Dahlonega. After college, she got married and spent a year in Abaco, Bahamas. Although her job was focused on youth and music, living on an island gave her a huge appreciation and respect for the ocean and conservation. Upon moving back to the US, she took a job in northern Kentucky as a zookeeper (Ararat Ridge Zoo, Ark Encounter), where she primarily worked in general care of small mammals and reptiles; She also started diving into animal programming. She found that her true passion was educating the public, showing them the importance of each and every part of the world around us, no matter how small. As you can imagine, it is difficult to find people who love animals AND also love people. She currently works at the South Carolina Aquarium in the education department and it has been her most fulfilling opportunity to date. Each day she is shown new and exciting facts, passions, and the joys of educating.
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Current SCMEA Officers and Board Members
President: Heidi Champion Charleston County Parks and Recreation Commission Past President: Courtney Gerstenmaier Felton Naturalist President-Elect: Steve Morton NOAA Treasurer: Christopher Jackson Trident Tech Membership Secretary: Dakotah Tanczuk South Carolina Aquarium NMEA Chapter Rep: Jaime Thom South Carolina Aquarium SeaScripts Editor: Steve Morton NOAA Media Secretary: Mary Elizabeth McDonald South Carolina Aquarium Scholarships/Awards: Caroline Heape South Carolina Aquarium Secretary: Morgan Treon SC Sea Grant Consortium Board Member At Large: Dr. Michael Williamson WhaleNet, Mingan Island Cetacean Study |
List of Past Presidents
2022 Courtney Gerstenmaier Felton 2021 Kelsey Murdaugh 2020 Hannah Giddens 2019 Marni Friedman 2018 Kendyll Collins 2017 Lindsay Patterson 2016 Rachel Davis 2015 Meika Samuel 2014 Blaik Keppler 2013 Beth Thomas 2012 Elizabeth Vernon Bell 2011 Beth Burkett 2010 Scott Meister 2009 Elizabeth Joyner 2008 Sue Morrison 2007 George Sedberry 2005 *Sue Morrison 2004 Elaine McClure 2003 Mark Madden 2002 Colette Dryden 2001 Arla Jessen 2000 Carmelina Livingston 1998 *Rob Young 1997 Sarah Mitchell 1996 Fred James 1995 Leslie Sautter 1994 Julie Cliff 1993 Bruce Lampright 1992 Phil Astwood 1991 Beth Day 1990 Paula Keener-Chavis 1989 Rhett Wilson 1988 Wendy Allen *18 month term because the conference changed from Fall to Spring between 1998 & 2000 and then changed from Spring to Fall between 2005 and 2006. |