MEET
TEAM
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KATY BEAR NALVEN
PROGRAM MANAGER
Katy Bear Nalven (she/her) joined The Collaborative in 2022, bringing her expertise in marine mammal conservation from her previous role at a national NGO. With an M.S. in Marine Resource Management from Oregon State University, Katy thrives at the intersection of conservation and community engagement. Outside of work, she can often be found playing soccer, surfing, hiking or simply enjoying time at the gorgeous central Oregon Coast beaches with her furry companions.
JAMIE KISH
PROGRAM ASSOCIATE
Jamie (she/they) is a Yachatian local who joined the Cape Perpetua Collaborative in 2020. Before becoming our Tidepool Ambassador Coordinator, Field Guide, and Programs Associate, they worked in an array of public aquariums and marine education orgs including The Seas at Disney World Epcot, Castaway Cay in the Bahamas, and The New York Aquarium with primary focuses in elasmobranch and octopus training and jellyfish care/cultivating. She got into the field at age 11, being a part of the first group of Youth Volunteers to ever work at the Oregon Coast Aquarium in 1999, and wrapping up in 2007 as the youngest member ever of the volunteer dive team. Jamie is also an artist and avid photographer on the central coast since 2016 with her business Girl In Water Photography. When not working with volunteers or giving enthusiastic educational tours throughout the tidepools and forests of Yachats, Jamie can be found painting, gardening, foraging, or adventuring around with her best friend, her pug B.
AVA OWENS
ASSISTANT COORDINATOR
Ava Owens (she/her) joined the CPC team in 2023, focusing on programs and events. Ava’s background is heavily focused on marine conservation NGOs. Before joining CPC, she spent a few years in the corporate world as a project manager and international goods exporter for a hobbyist aquarium product company. Ava is a central Costa local and a former educator and youth volunteer at the Oregon Coast Aquarium– she is very passionate about getting young people involved in the conservation world. After a severe chronic illness diagnosis in 2022, she is constantly looking for new ways to make the outdoors more accessible to herself and hopes to use that experience in creating more accessible programs in the future. Ava especially enjoys leading the Young WaveMakers program and looks forward to its evolution as The Collaborative grows. Ava holds an Associate of Applied Science and a Certificate of Aquarium Science from Oregon Coast Community College. Outside work, Ava enjoys crocheting, exploring new trails with her pigeon Bubbles, and foraging with her partner.
BOARD
MEMBERS
MEGAN HOFF
Megan Hoff works as an Associate Planner at the Lincoln County Planning Department. She is interested in coastal zone management and planning, marine reserves, intertidal and estuarine ecology, watershed science, ecosystem service valuation, and sustainable agriculture. Megan has a Master's Degree in Environmental Science and Policy from the University of Wisconsin- Green Bay, and a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Economics from DePaul University. Megan enjoys kayaking, beach cleanups, and going on hikes with her adventure cat, Maple.
BOONE OGDEN
Boone Ogden is born and raised in this warm community. Boone is a scientist, educator, poet, father, traveler and steward for this fabulous place that has nurtured him. He is excited to teach and share and serve. Boone would like to see more art, education, science, social media coverage and funding for Cape Perpetua Collaborative.
NICHOLE LIPPINCOTT
Nichole Lippincott has called the Yachats area home for 14 years, immersing herself in Oregon's captivating landscapes. With a supportive husband and two lively children, Ansel and Esmee, Nichole's days are filled with exploring the untamed beauty of the region. From hiking up creeks to running along old logging roads, and spending countless hours combing rocky beaches from Yachats to Florence, she embodies a deep reverence for the natural world.
Born and raised in Oregon, Nichole's love for the wild terrain is matched only by her commitment to environmental conservation. Her extensive travels worldwide have only strengthened her passion to protect the Earth's beauty and educate her children about their role in preserving it. As a new member of the Cape Perpetua Collaborative, Nichole is ready to help educate others about the area's land and sea.
