Our Team

Estuary Program Staff

Melodie Grubbs

Executive Director

Melodie Grubbs

Executive Director

Melodie leads program efforts and brings together partners to help further the mission of protecting and restoring Morro Bay. She is passionate about coastal habitat restoration and conservation and brings experience from working with Sea Grant, the Santa Monica Bay National Estuary Program, and the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo.

Ann Kitajima

Assistant Director

Ann Kitajima

Assistant Director

Her responsibilities include grant writing and grant management, strategic planning, and administrative functions. Formerly the Monitoring Program Manager for the organization, she continues to provide support in monitoring planning and protocol development.

Chrystina Kelly Newton

Finance & Operations Administrator

Chrystina Kelly Newton

Finance & Operations Administrator

Chrystina manages the financial and administrative operations of the Estuary Program. She works in tandem with the Estuary Program’s directors and the Bay Foundation Board to meet the administrative conditions and compliance requirements for awarded grants. She also ensures EPA grant match compliance and coordinates our annual external Single Audit (OMB Circular A-133).

Jodi Marfia

Administrative Assistant

Jodi Marfia

Administrative Assistant

Jodi is fairly new to the SLO life but is loving every minute of it. Lured down by her two Cal Poly kids with promises of sun and family dinners, she cherishes time spent with family. Jodi is an administrative assistant to the office and is excited to make positive contributions to the program! When not working she can be found at one of the local dog beaches with her lab, Penny.

Makenzie O'Connor

Monitoring Projects Manager

Makenzie O'Connor

Monitoring Projects Manager

Makenzie coordinates ongoing monitoring in the watershed through collaboration with local partners, agencies, and volunteers. Makenzie received a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Ecology with a minor in Outdoor Adventure Leadership in 2015. Since then, she has worked in a variety of ecosystems, from salmon-bearing waters on the Klamath River, to the snow-covered slopes of the Truckee-Tahoe area. Outside of work, you can usually find Makenzie on her mountain bike or going on long hikes with her dog, Josie.

Carolyn Geraghty

Restoration Program Manager

Carolyn Geraghty

Restoration Program Manager

Develops and oversees watershed and estuarine restoration projects and conservation efforts. Prior to joining the Estuary Program, Carolyn was an Environmental Scientist with the San Francisco Estuary Institute supporting research of river and estuarine environments. Before that, she worked as the Restoration Director for the Klamath Basin Rangeland Trust and oversaw implementation of stream restoration projects. She has worked on a variety of aquatic ecology and water quality monitoring studies with The Nature Conservancy, National Park Service, and USGS. Carolyn received a Masters in Environmental Planning at UC Berkeley focusing on watershed science. Her research evaluated stream restoration projects to inform restoration practices and planning in Oregon’s Klamath Basin. She also holds a B.S. in Biology and Environmental Studies from Aquinas College, MI.

Nick Soares

Monitoring Coordinator II

Nick Soares

Monitoring Coordinator II

Nick is responsible for coordinating sampling events conducted within the estuary and generating a variety of water quality reports. He graduated from Cal Poly with a B.S. in Marine Sciences and minored in Statistics and Environmental Studies. While at Cal Poly, he worked as a research assistant studying phytoplankton and nearshore rockfish populations. Nick has lived in SLO County for most of his life and spends much of his free time surfing the local beach breaks.

Jenn Fields

Restoration Projects Manager

Jenn at the field chemistry lab for studying the effects of climate change on tidepool ecosystem functioning at Otter Rock in Oregon for her master's research.

Jenn Fields

Restoration Projects Manager

Jenn coordinates and supports watershed and estuarine restoration projects at the Estuary Program. Jenn received a B.A. in Environmental Analysis from Pitzer College in 2015 and a Master’s of Science in Biology from California State University, Northridge in 2020. Her thesis work focused on the effects of climate change on Oregon tidepool ecosystem functioning. She was a California Sea Grant State Fellow at the State Coastal Conservancy in 2021, where she supported their Climate Ready Program and the Central Coast Climate Collaborative. Before that, Jenn worked with AmeriCorps and NatureBridge conducting environmental education, fisheries, estuarine, and habitat restoration projects. In her free time, you can find Jenn planning elaborate trail run adventures and contemplating how everything is connected.

Fiona Litton

Monitoring Coordinator

Fiona Litton

Monitoring Coordinator

Fiona coordinates a variety of monitoring events for the Estuary Program, as well as supports data analysis to share findings with partners and the public. She moved to SLO county from Nevada City, where she served an AmeriCorps term with the South Yuba River Citizens League doing water quality monitoring, volunteer coordination, and meadow restoration in the Yuba River watershed. Prior to this, she did a brief stint in salt marsh restoration in the San Franisco Bay Area. She graduated from UC Santa Barbara in 2024 with a BS in Ecology and Evolution and a minor in Education. In her free time, she likes to go on long runs, spend as much time outside as possible, and play the banjo.

Forest Lurz

Education Coordinator

Forest Lurz

Education Coordinator

Forest was born and raised on the Central Coast, and received their Bachelor's in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology from UC Santa Cruz in 2015. Since graduating, they have had a variety of jobs in the outdoors and education, most recently as a naturalist at Camp Ocean Pines in Cambria. They are looking forward to combining their passions for education and community engagement in this role!

Bella Slosberg

Community Engagement Coordinator

Bella Slosberg

Community Engagement Coordinator

Bella implements our public engagement, communications, and storytelling efforts. These initiatives work to promote estuary and watershed health, support community action, and showcase the scientific, restoration, and education work of the Estuary Program. With a bachelor's degree in journalism and a master’s degree in environmental science, Bella loves translating complex data into compelling narratives that inspire understanding and action. Outside of the office, she is an avid gravel biker, animal lover, and audiobook enthusiast.

Our Team

Estuary Program Staff

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