Dr. Julia O'Hern joined The Marine Mammal Center in 2016 to pursue her passion for ocean science and conservation. In her role, she is dedicated to scientific investigation that informs conservation, entangled whale response, and supporting an inclusive environment for marine mammal science. Previously, Julia served as the Operations Manager for the Center’s Monterey Bay office, leading a team of more than 100 volunteers, interns, and three staff. She supported the Center’s special rescue operations for entangled California sea lions as well as the West Coast Large Whale Disentanglement Network. Prior to joining the Center's team, Julia worked as a seagoing oceanographer studying the habitat of cetaceans near the Galapagos Islands. Her research utilized remote-sensing satellite data and non-invasive shipboard surveys to better understand the dynamic habitat of deepwater cetaceans. While finishing graduate school, she sailed on a wide variety of oceanographic research projects around the world and worked as a deckhand and diver before earning her 100-Ton Master Captain’s License. Julia received her bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and her Master of Science and doctoral degrees from Texas A&M University. She is a NOAA-permitted Level 3 entanglement responder, a co-chair with the Monterey County Marine Protected Area Collaborative, and a captain with local whale watching companies. Residing in Monterey, California, Julia spends her free time sailing, scuba diving, and hiking with her dog. Her areas of expertise include cetacean behavior and ecology, oceanography, wildlife health and welfare, conservation, and marine operation and safety [citation].