The Team

Lori Schwacke, PhD - Consortium Director

Lori Schwacke currently serves as Chief Scientist for Conservation Medicine at the National Marine Mammal Foundation (NMMF), supporting NMMF efforts to improve the health and conservation of marine mammal populations worldwide. In the 16 years prior to coming to NMMF, Dr. Schwacke worked for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), where she led efforts to assess and quantify injuries to Gulf of Mexico dolphin populations following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. While at NOAA, she also led interdisciplinary research to understand the connections of human, animal, and environmental health under the NOAA Oceans and Human Health Initiative. Dr. Schwacke holds a PhD in Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Systems Science from the Medical University of South Carolina and a BS in Computer Science from Florida State University.

Cynthia Smith, DVM - Consortium Deputy Director

Cynthia Smith serves as the Executive Director for the National Marine Mammal Foundation (NMMF.org), a nonprofit organization based in San Diego, California. Smith is charged with furthering the NMMF’s mission to improve and protect life for marine mammals by integrating exceptional care with innovative science, national service, and public education. Over the course of her career, Smith’s research efforts have focused on enhancing marine mammal health and welfare, with an emphasis on advancing non-invasive imaging techniques for the rapid assessment of animal health. Following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Smith served as a lead veterinary scientist for NOAA’s Natural Resource Damage Assessment, specifically to help determine the adverse health effects on wild bottlenose dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico. Smith earned a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine with a Veterinary Thesis in Aquatic Biomedicine from Tufts University and then completed a National Research Council Post-Doctoral Associateship with the U.S. Navy’s Marine Mammal Program. She also completed Executive Education at Harvard University in nonprofit management and finance. Smith understands the importance of giving back locally and globally through scientific expertise and high-quality research to improve conservation and marine mammal protection efforts worldwide.

Consortium Management

Brenda Bauer
Logistics Coordinator

Ryan Takeshita, PhD
Research Coordinator

Celeste Parry
Outreach Coordinator

Eric Franks
Creative Coordinator

Steering Committee

Lori Schwacke, PhD
NMMF

Brian Balmer, PhD
NMMF

Maggie Broadwater, PhD
NOAA NCCOS

Ruth H. Carmichael, PhD
USA DISL

Kathleen Colegrove DVM, PhD, Dip ACVP
U Illinois

Lance Garrison, PhD
NOAA SEFSC

Keith Mullin, PhD
NOAA SEFSC

Sylvain De Guise, DVM, PhD
U Conn

Patricia Rosel, PhD
NOAA SEFSC

Teri Rowles, DVM, PhD
NOAA NMFS

Cynthia Smith, DVM
NMMF

Len Thomas, PhD
University of St. Andrews, CREEM

Randy Wells, PhD
CZS SDRP

Science Advisory Board

Chair: Ailsa Hall, PhD
University of St. Andrews, Sea Mammal Research Unit

Mike Ziccardi, DVM, PhD
UC Davis

Tracy Collier, PhD
Ocean Associates

Philip Dixon, PhD
Iowa St U

Frances Gulland, Vet. M.B., PhD.
The Marine Mammal Center

Nick Kellar, PhD
NOAA SWFSC

Key Collaborating Researchers

Carl Cloyed, PhD
DISL

Forrest Gomez, DVM
NMMF

Sharon Huston, DVM, Dip ACVIM
San Diego Veterinary Cardiology

Cormac Booth
SMRU Consulting

Mandy Tumlin
LA Dept of Wildlife and Fisheries

Milton Levin, PhD
U Conn

Guillermo Risatti, PhD
U Conn

Forrest Townsend, DVM
Auburn, Bayside Hospital for Animals

Eric Zolman
NMMF

Jeanine Morey
NMMF

Brian Quigley
NMMF

Todd Speakman
NMMF

Ross Martinson
NMMF

Tiago Marques
CREEM

Consortium Members