Staff

Shannon Davis Deputy Directorshe/her/hers Shannon works to safeguard the Salish Sea from the net zero home she and her husband built in Port Townsend. She holds a Master’s degree in Urban Planning with an emphasis on natural resource management and an undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies. As Deputy Director, Shannon helps the Executive Director with ... read more

Isabel Alexander Executive Administratorshe/her/hers Isabel provides administrative support to the Executive Director and the Board. Prior to joining Friends, Isabel was the Program Director at a nonprofit summer camp in the San Juan Islands. There, she gained experience in fundraising, marketing, hiring, grant writing, and outdoor education. Isabel has also interned with both the EPA ... read more

Elise Cope Communications and Outreach Directorshe/her/hers Elise Cope is a dedicated advocate for both people and the planet, leveraging her expertise in information design and digital storytelling to construct bridges of understanding. Her passion for environmental stewardship, community empowerment, and social equity drives her work as the Communications and Outreach Director at Friends of the ... read more

Katherine Dietzman Shoreline and Mapping Specialistshe/her/hers Katherine joined Friends in 2021. She holds an undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies, a minor in Women and Gender Studies, and a certificate in Ecological Restoration in the San Juan Islands. She is passionate about protecting and nurturing the islands she loves and calls home – whether that is ... read more

Jess Newley Community Science and Education Directorshe/her/hers Jess Newley joined our team in 2018. Passionate about marine conservation and life under the surface, she has been SCUBA diving the Salish Sea waters for 10 years now and wouldn’t want to be found anywhere else. In 2013 she graduated from Western Washington University with a Master’s ... read more

Lovel Pratt Marine Protection and Policy Directorshe/her/hers Lovel joined Friends in 2018. Her previous consulting work focused on maritime shipping and oil spill prevention on behalf of environmental groups, including Friends of the San Juans. Lovel served on the San Juan County Council for one term and represented WA State counties on several regional and ... read more

Ken Putney Data and Gifts Administratorhe/him/his With experience in philanthropy, Ken is excited to use his skills to connect the critical work of Friends of the San Juans to those most interested and affected by it. Ken brings a BS in Business Administration and Computer Information Systems and decades of experience in Microsoft Office, Networking, ... read more

Jan SanburgOperations and Finance Manager Jan has called Shaw Island home since 1968 and enjoys many aspects of small-scale farming, including the importance of how everything is connected and how we must all work to keep the environment healthy. She and her son enjoy spending time at the beach and camping in the PNW. The ... read more

Tina Whitman Science Directorshe/her/hers Winner of the 2022 Salish Sea Science Prize, Tina is staff scientist for Friends of the San Juans, where she has managed shoreline research, restoration and protection programs since 2002. Tina holds a Master of Science from the University of Oregon focused on the application of biological data to improved land management ... read more