Sophie Guarasci traces her career path back to a volunteer position she held at The Marine Mammal Center in 2004. Following successful careers in investment banking and fashion design, Sophie’s volunteer work inspired her to pursue her lifelong passion for animals and become a licensed veterinary technician.
Sophie received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Cambridge, UK, her Associate of Arts degree in fashion design at FIDM, San Francisco, and completed her veterinary technician license in Davis, California. Sophie is fluent in Italian, Spanish, and French.
An avid animal rescuer since childhood, Sophie co-founded the first dog shelter in La Paz, Mexico. She enjoys kitesurfing and resides in Sausalito, California, with her husband and four rescue dogs from Mexico.
Sophie’s expertise in pinniped husbandry allows her to provide consultation to marine mammal rescue facilities, zoos, and aquariums around the globe. She is actively involved in field research to advance global ocean conservation, including strong partnerships with NOAA, as well as leading efforts to disentangle marine mammals both locally and internationally, most notably in Mexico [citation].