2020 Memorial Garden Honorees
Gregory "Greg" Brennon McFall
NOAA Diving Program Manager
Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary Research Coordinator
Greg built Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary's collaborative partnerships with researchers around the region and elevated the site's stature as a prime site for scientific study. He used his considerable photographic talents to create a photo library of the offshore site that served to introduce people to Gray's Reef who would otherwise never be able to experience the underwater wonders found offshore Georgia.In 2013, Greg became the NOAA Diving Program Manager, where he worked to train divers from across the agency, developed an advanced technical diving program, edited the NOAA Diving Manual and fostered partnerships to support NOAA's mission.
Elizabeth "Liz" Love Reisenbichler
Education Coordinator/Specialist
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Liz served for 24 years at Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS). As MBNMS's first Education Coordinator she built programs and products from the ground up. She developed strong partnerships and relationships with local education powerhouses (Monterey Bay Aquarium, School Districts, Universities and Marine Labs, etc.) who formed the Sanctuary Education Panel, a standing advisory council working group. Very early on, Liz's expertise was recognized and she was asked to join what is now the ONMS Education Executive Council and helped to develop the first National Education Plan.
Liz developed all of MBNMS's primary signage, brochures (general and user specific), field guides and presentations, taking sanctuary messages to the people. Liz was also a key figure in the development of NOS and ONMS's (award winning) first website. Heading a team of three, she focused on the development of curriculum and ways to interpret sanctuary science. Her participation in the Sustainable Seas Expedition led to the development of Student Summits for Monterey Bay area students; a high level student research symposia complete with panels of local researchers providing feedback.
Clint Moore
Volunteer and Advisory Council Member/Chair
Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary
Clint was awarded the "Lifetime Achievement" Award by the Texas Gulf Coast Council of Diving Clubs in 2018. Clint was first appointed to the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS) Advisory Council in 2005, as one of the founding Council members and served for over eleven years, including four as the FGBNMS Advisory Council chair. Clint was a driving force in the sanctuary expansion process, and contributed hundreds of hours of his time volunteering with the Advisory Council's Boundary Expansion Working Group.
Dr. Vernon J. "Jim" Henry
Advisory Council Chair
Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary
Dr. Vernon J. "Jim" Henry was an early investigator of the geologic foundation of Gray's Reef. The importance of his early work developed both the framework of following geologic studies and the appreciation and understanding of Gray's Reef. In 1974, Jim guided the first geological surveys of Gray's Reef with Jesse Hunt, a graduate student at the University of Georgia (UGA) Sapelo Island Marine Institute. Jim and Jesse were the very first scientists to map the geology and extent of Gray's Reef. These surveys paved the way for the national marine sanctuary designation in 1981. Jim continued his support of the sanctuary by volunteering as the inaugural chair of the Sanctuary Advisory Council, serving for two terms (1999 – 2002). Jim continued advocating for the protection of natural resources by establishing the Center for a Sustainable Coast and the Georgia Chapter of Wilderness Watch.
Warren Edward "Pa Whale" Glaser
Volunteer and Advisory Council Member
Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
Warren spent his entire life dedicated to the ocean and education. He was a long-time supporter of the Sanctuary Advisory Council and Naturalist Corps Volunteer Program for 13 years, up until his passing. He went above and beyond the call of duty and was an impassioned educator, making it his mission to educate the public about sanctuaries and to constantly improve the quality of the Channel Islands Naturalist Corps (CINC) program. He regularly served as a mentor to lead new volunteers and developed a CINC Mentor Training Manual and an evaluation procedure for the training process, thereby creating one of the most comprehensive regional natural history training programs.
Jerome "Jerry" French Meek
Volunteer and Advisory Council Member
Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Jerry Meek served on the TBNMS Advisory Council for more than a decade. He volunteered more than 1,000 hours to help create and grow the Thunder Bay Community Boat Building Program, which was referred to "as his home away from home." As the founder of the sanctuary's community boat building program, Jerry led a group of volunteers in a small boat building program that took place annually at the Thunder Bay Maritime Festival to a year-round program that was a prominent part of the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center's campus.
Hokuala Kari Johnson (Hoku)
NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service
Pacific Islands Region Supervisory Natural Resource Management Specialist
Hoku started at NOAA in 2005, where she was instrumental in shaping and supporting Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. She began her career with Papahānaumokuākea in the capacity as the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve Advisory Council (RAC) Coordinator. In this role, she helped to shape the work of the Advisory Council as they moved forward to provide advice and recommendations on the development of a Reserve Operations Plan and the draft Sanctuary Management Plan. Her role on the ONMS team changed over time and she transitioned from the RAC Coordinator to the Permits and Policy Coordinator in 2010. In this capacity she was instrumental in working among the Monument Management Board agencies to draft the numerous policies and procedures for the joint permitting system that are still the cornerstone of our monument operations. Hoku also took on the role of Acting Deputy Superintendent from late 2012 through the spring of 2015, during a transition in leadership at the site, and provided stability and guidance to the entire team during this time. In 2015, she moved to NOAA Fisheries Science Center to lead the Science Operations Division's Technical Services Program. Even in this new role she was still part of Papahānaumokuākea, serving as the Monument liaison for the entire Science Center on all joint activities that were coordinated within the monument.