Staff
Dr. Krista Kamer
Director
415-518-2161
kkamer@csumb.edu |
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Dr. Krista Kamer has led the development of COAST since its inception in 2008, and has served as the program's director since 2011. As the Director she oversees all of COAST's activities with emphasis on implementing programmatic initiatives to serve CSU faculty members and students, increasing student success, developing strategic partnerships and engaging stakeholders, and pursuing extramural funding. Krista joined the CSU in 2003 and initially helped coordinate two large, multi-year, multi-million dollar ocean observing programs in California. Prior to her work with the CSU, she was a project scientist at the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Krista has a strong background in marine ecology, field work and experimental design. She earned her PhD in biology from the University of California, Los Angeles and a BA in biology from Connecticut College. Krista lives in Southern California with her husband and son and enjoys hiking and exploring the cultural diversity of Los Angeles. |
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Kimberly Jassowski
Senior Program Analyst
530-919-4830
kjassowski@csumb.edu
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 Kimberly Jassowski, who joined COAST in 2019, has a strong background in marine research, conservation, and education. While earning her Bachelor's in Biology with an emphasis in Marine Biology at San Diego State University, she assisted in the research of various COAST-funded graduate students at the SDSU Coastal and Marine Institute. After graduating, Kimberly served as a marine educator and an AAUS Scientific Diver, furthering marine research and restoration project goals for multiple non-profit organizations. During Orange County Coastkeeper’s Living Shorelines Project, Kimberly was part of the dive team that helped restore damaged eelgrass habitats in Newport Bay. She also performed numerous underwater surveys, tracking the health of California’s rocky reefs during her work with California Reefcheck and LA Waterkeeper. Since joining COAST, Kimberly became a part-time graduate student in CSU Monterey Bay's Environmental Science Professional Master's program. Kimberly can often be found scuba diving at the Monterey Bay Aquarium or taking her dog Luna on hikes with her fiancé during her free time.
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Adam Paganini
Adam Paganini was appointed to serve as COAST's Student Success Specialist in 2023. In this role he directs COAST's summer internship opportunities and plans to develop student talent and excellence through cohort-building and professional development. Adam is simultaneously the Director of Student Success for the California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) Ocean Science Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program. Adam received both his BS in Biology (2008) and a Master of Science in Marine Biology (2013) from San Francisco State University where he worked alongside his mentor Dr. Jonathan Stillman. Adam garnered attention in the Stillman Lab with his research demonstrating the metabolic tradeoffs intertidal crabs make when exposed to future ocean warming and ocean acidification conditions. Adam then worked with the Estuary & Ocean Science (EOS) Center’s former Executive Director, Dr. Karina Nielsen, NOAA, and CeNCOOS to deploy a novel CO2-monitoring buoy into the SF Estuary that provided real-time carbonate chemistry and acidification monitoring. Most recently, he concluded a 7-year NSF grant to build a new MS degree pathway at SF State called RIPTIDES, where he promoted student success in marine science training through cohort-strengthening and dedicated advising. Adam lives in Monterey Bay with his wife and enjoys wrestling with their dog, Frida, as well as playing guitar and singing in the latino punk-rock group
La Plebe.
Lora Johansen
Lora Johansen joined the COAST team as a Program Analyst in April 2024. Her academic background includes a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from the University of California at Santa Cruz, where she found her love of fieldwork and by studying northern elephant seals and a Master’s of Science in Marine and Environmental Science from the University of the Virgin Islands, where she studied the movement of juvenile hawksbill sea turtles using acoustic telemetry. After achieving her degrees, Lora went on to work in various public aquariums and ultimately became Director of the Pennington Marine Science Center, where she created a Remotely Operated Vehicle Program for kids of all ages to build their own underwater robots to explore ocean life. Beyond her professional endeavors, Lora enjoys scuba diving, backpacking, and she achieved a personal milestone by hiking the Pacific Crest Trail alongside her fiancé in 2023.