Sean joined Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary in 1997 and serves as the site's resource protection coordinator. He is responsible for the development of policies and programs to address industrial, military, commercial and recreational uses and impacts in and around the sanctuary. He also handles emergency response, enforcement, permits, community relations, and is a liaison to the media. Sean helped to create the marine protected area network to restore local fish and invertebrate populations and habitats in the sanctuary, and helped the state of California to do the same in state waters on the mainland. With a multi-agency coalition and community support he has helped to move commercial shipping lanes to protect endangered whales. Daily he strives to raise the sanctuary's profile locally, nationally, and internationally through astute communication, media, and negotiation skills.

 

He has forged trusted partnerships with academia, government agencies, non-government organizations, and sanctuary user groups. Sean has a Master of Marine Affairs degree from the School of Marine Affairs, University of Washington, and a Bachelor of Arts in environmental studies, University of California at Santa Cruz. In 1998 he was nominated as a presidential management fellow. Sean is an avid outdoorsman who surfs, boats, paddles, scuba and free dives, fishes, hunts, skis, and snowboards throughout California's wildlands.