Welcome Kate!

Kate Shaffer has joined the National Marine Life Center as our new Animal Care Technician and Facilities Coordinator. Prior to her post as Animal Care & Facilities Coordinator, Kate worked for Volusia County Environmental Management in Deland, Florida as the Manatee Protection Program Associate and the Marine Mammal Stranding Team Coordinator. Kate coordinated team response to cetacean and manatee standings within the county including necropsies, disentanglement efforts, live animal rescues, and post release monitoring. Kate worked closely with the staff of Hubbs SeaWorld Research Institute and assisted with their cetacean research projects including aerial population surveys and boat based photo identification studies. Kate also worked for the county’s Marine Science Center as a Sea Turtle Rehabilitation Assistant and conducted sea turtle nesting surveys for the Volusia Sea Turtle Society. Originally from Upstate New York, Kate earned a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in Environmental Science from Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY in 2006. Kate’s previous work experiences include Sea Turtle husbandry and rehabilitation at Coral World Ocean Park, St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands, and environmental education with SeaWorld, Orlando, FL and the Seneca Park Zoo, Rochester, NY.

Feel free to contact Kate with questions about NMLC’s rehabilitation program, or just to say hi!  She may be reached at 508-743-9888 x307 or kshaffer@nmlc.org.

Welcome Kate!