The White Abalone Culture (WAC) Lab based at the UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory in Bodega Bay, California, leads the White Abalone Captive Breeding Program. Our mission is to create as many white abalone as possible that will be released into the ocean. In 2011, the lab became the Endangered Species Act (ESA) permit holder for caring for and breeding white abalone in captivity. We’ve taken the production of white abalone from zero to tens of thousands of white abalone babies every year and coordinate the efforts across all of our captive breeding partners. Lists of our current team members as well as WAC Lab alumni are below.
Current WAC Lab Members
Dr. Alyssa R. Frederick, PhD (she/they)
Captive Breeding Program Director/WAC Lab PI
For the last decade, I have been exploring the impacts of climate change and disease on abalone physiology and reproduction. As a postdoc in the White Abalone Captive Breeding Program, I used ecophysiology tools to determine how to make as many healthy white abalone babies as possible. As the program director, I supervise all spawning and activities in the WAC Lab, build new collaborations, coordinate activities between the WAC Lab and all of our partner institutions, acquire and administer all funding for the program, and build inclusive spaces to conduct research that improves white abalone production.
I received a B.S. in Marine Biology from American University, where I studied the ecophysiology of corals and the impact of nutrient pollution on mangroves on Guam. I was then a Fulbright New Zealand scholar, where I studied the photophysiology of temperate anemones when I wasn’t volunteering in kiwi bird tracking and conservation efforts. I completed my M.S. (2018) and Ph.D. (2019) in the physiology group in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department of University of California, Irvine. In addition to studying freshwater and marine fish physiology, my dissertation research primarily focused on abalone physiology. I have been a National Geographic Young Explorer and a Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the National Academy of Sciences.
I have collaborated with government management agencies, fishery and aquaculture industry, non-profits, and community stakeholders to ensure that my research will help meet research priorities for the conservation of these species and future sustainability of these fisheries. Research and community empowerment are critical for ocean sustainability. I am passionate about science communication, evidence-based policy, and creating just and equitable opportunities across the sciences.
Dr. Lauren Ashlock, PhD (she/they)
Assistant Project Scientist
Lauren is the Assistant Project Scientist White Abalone Culture Lab, at the Bodega Marine Laboratory. Lauren received their B.S. in Marine Biology from UC Santa Cruz in 2012 and their PhD in Biology from the University of Vermont in 2022. After completing a postdoctoral position in the WAC Lab, they became our lead scientist, overseeing the research in the program. Their goal is to figure out how to make more white abalone and prepare those babies for life in the wild. During graduate school, Lauren focused on the adaptive capacity of marine invertebrates to climate change stressors. Prior to graduate school they worked as a technician for the White Abalone Culture Lab. Lauren is excited to be working with white abalone again, and to use their evolutionary biology expertise to conduct research that supports the successful production and outplanting of white abalone. They host students, interns, and volunteers, increasing diverse engagement in our research program.
Dr. Keira Monuki, PhD (she/her)
Postdoctoral Scholar
Keira Monuki is a Postdoctoral Scholar in the WAC Lab. She completed her undergraduate degree in Biology at UCLA and recently graduated with her PhD in Population Biology from UC Davis. Her PhD research combined field surveys, laboratory experiments and genomics to investigate the processes facilitating species range shifts in our changing oceans. She is excited to continue her career as a postdoctoral scholar for the White Abalone Captive Breeding Program, working with national, state and local partners to restore white abalone populations. She plans to investigate the genomic underpinnings of white abalone reproduction to better understand the mechanisms underlying successful spawning as well as the consequences of high inbreeding, a common issue for captive breeding programs.
Nora Frank (she/her)
Husbandry and Data Manager
Nora is the Husbandry and Data Manager for the WAC Lab located at UC Davis. She has over 9 years of experience in aquarium husbandry and marine facility oversight specializing in ecosystems surrounding local waters of the California coast.
As the Husbandry Manager at the primary aquaculture production and research facility for the White Abalone Captive Breeding Program, Nora is responsible for the animal care, water quality monitoring, seawater system maintenance, and program-wide data management for this endangered species and associated restoration efforts.
As the former Aquarist Manager and Lead Aquarist at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center and the University of California, Santa Barbara Marine Research and Education Facility (REEF), she has served as a husbandry specialist, seawater system facility technician, live specimen collector, aquarium administrator, and education and public outreach science communicator. She holds a Master of Science (M.S.) from the University of Denver in Environmental Policy and Management and a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) from the University of California, Santa Barbara in Aquatic Biology.
Isaac Treviño (he/him)
White Abalone Health and Culture Lead
Isaac is the White Abalone Health and Culture Lead working in the UC Davis White Abalone Culture Lab. In this position, he collaborates closely with the White Abalone Health Specialist and the CDFW Shellfish Health Lab. He was previously a Junior Specialist in the lab working on projects related to pathogen transmission and shell-boring organisms.
As part of this project, he developed a microalgal culture library, leads the production of microalgae and red algae and oversees the collection of multiple species of kelps. His job also includes preparing juvenile culture systems for newly settled larvae and coordinating spawning and culture needs of partner facilities. Having spent over six years working in commercial aquaculture at Bodega Bay Oyster Company and The Cultured Abalone Farm, Isaac’s expertise in shellfish growing allows for quality animal care, strong relationships with our commercial partners, and insight into large scale abalone production. He graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a B.A. in Political Science and is passionate to see the California aquaculture industry expand as education and training becomes more available.
Cassidy Gordon (she/her)
White Abalone Health Specialist
Cassidy is the White Abalone Health Specialist, working in both the UC Davis White Abalone Culture Lab and the CDFW Shellfish Health Lab. She communicates with white abalone partners along the West Coast to ensure their facilities are well equipped to house healthy animals. In this role, she uses qPCR to detect and monitor withering syndrome in captive populations, participates in health inspections, performs necropsies and other examinations, and assists with research on shell lesions. She also helps with husbandry, spawning, and algae culturing. Cassidy is interested in improving abalone health and spawning success by evaluating various physiological mechanisms of the animals and their food sources. She graduated from Sonoma State University with a B.S. in Biology (Physiology), and holds an A.S. in Natural Sciences from Santa Rosa Junior College.
Zara Katzenstein (she/her)
White Abalone Culture Specialist
Zara is the White Abalone Culture Specialist in the WAC Lab. In her role she helps with the daily care of endangered white abalone and lab tasks including feeding animals, cleaning animal holding areas and related seawater systems, changing filters, maintaining pumps, temperature systems, UV units, and LED lighting. In addition, she assists with algae cultures and collections. She also participates in lab research and annual spawning. Zara is originally from Northern California. Her childhood in the mountains exploring lakes and rivers inspired her to pursue a degree in Aquatic Biology from UC Santa Barbara. During her time at UCSB, her passion for the ocean grew, especially as she began diving along the Channel Islands and California Coast. She went on to earn her scientific diving certification and got involved with research and fieldwork exploring community ecology in both kelp forests and coral reef ecosystems. Following her graduation, she moved to the Florida Keys to work with Mote Marine Lab in their Coral Reproduction Lab. She assisted with research on coral restoration and climate adaptability including independent research projects on coral settlement and disease mitigation in marine systems. Then, she went on to work at the Birch Aquarium in San Diego before coming to work at WAC. She is passionate about restoring and researching ocean ecosystems and helping ocean populations thrive.
Current WAC Lab Grad Student Collaborators
Audrey Deutsch (PhD Student, Advisor Dr. Sean Godwin, UC Davis; Formerly a Junior Specialist in the WAC Lab!)
Newton Hood (PhD Candidate, Advisor Dr. Donovan German, UC Irvine)
Current WAC Lab Volunteers/Student Interns
Roger Patton
Heidi Flaherty
Corey Kwan
Jose Lobato
White Abalone Culture (WAC) Lab Alumni
We have had the great fortune of working with many talented, dedicated, and exceptional folks over the years. Here we list many of our previous staff, students, researchers, volunteers, and interns at UC Davis. This list is not inclusive of all of our partner institutions (and would be miles long if it was!). Many of the “alumni” of the program are still very much active in white abalone work or in restoration of other abalone species.
WAC Lab PIs
Dr. Kristin Aquilino, PhD (Now: Associate Director, Bodega Marine Lab)
Dr. Gary Cherr, PhD (Now: Professor Emeritus, UC Davis)
Dr. Jim Moore, PhD (Now: Retired; former lead of CDFW Shellfish Health Lab)
UC Davis White Abalone PIs/Leadership
Dr. Laura Rogers-Bennett, PhD (CDFW Senior Environmental Scientist)
Dr. Kirsten Gilardi, DVM (UC Davis Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center Director)
Dr. Nature McGinn, PhD (EPA)
Research Staff, Technicians, Graduate Students, and Postdocs
Susan Jackson (Now: Business Analyst, LGC Biosearch Technologies)
Shauna Byron
Athena Maguire
Shelby Kawana (Now: Environmental Scientist, CDFW)
Dr. Cynthia Catton, PhD (Now: Aquatics Division Science Advisor, Washington State Department of Natural Resources)
Ben Walker (Now: PhD Candidate, UCSC)
Tallulah Winquist (Now: PhD Student, SDSU)
Dr. Malina Loeher, PhD (Now: Postdoc, Alaska Pacific University & USGS Western Fisheries Research Center)
Emily Hubbard (Now: Environmental Scientist, CDWR)
Kat Magaña (Now: Journeyman Carpenter)
Dr. Carol Vines, PhD (Now: Retired)
Katie Sowul (Now: Abalone Biologist & Diving Safety Officer, WDFW)
Dr. Sam Bashevkin, PhD (Now: Environmental Program Manager, California State Water Resources Control Board)
Dr. Kristin Elsmore, PhD (Senior Environmental Scientist, CDFW)
Chelsey Souza (Now: Pharmacy Student, UCSF School of Pharmacy)
Evan Tjeerdema
Jennifer McNealy
Sadie Small (Now: Staff Research Associate, UC Berkeley)
Dr. Priya Shukla, PhD (Now: Associate, Strategic Earth Consulting)
Dr. Dan Swezey, PhD (Now: Director for Oceans and Aquaculture, Kashia Band of Pomo Indians of the Stewarts Point Rancheria)
Dr. Sara Boles, PhD (Now: Assistant Project Scientist, UC Davis)
Meghan Zulian (Now: Director of Coastal Resilience, Coastal Quest)
Dr. Emily Kunselman, PhD (Now: Marine Aquaculture Postdoctoral Research Associate, Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute)
Audrey Deutsch (Now: PhD student UC Davis, collaborator with the WAC Lab)
Leela Dixit (Now: Data contractor with WAC Lab)
Genece Grisby (Now: PhD Student at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)
Volunteers, Undergraduate students, and Interns
Jesse Fichman
Orion Sweet
Zoey Burge
Dominic Dickerson
Elija Ferrer
Ishwa Muzaffey
Steven Ashlock
Daily Alvarez
Ry Ulmer-Strack
Emma Weiand
Gabe Larson
Stephanie Arriaza
Alina Santamaria
