The Team | sea-slugs

The Sea Slugs Team

TREY HIGHTON

Founder

Born and raised in Virginia Beach, VA, Trey grew up around Hobie Cats, fishing boats, and made frequent surf trips to the islands of the Outer Banks, NC, with his friends and family. He followed an unconventional path of studies as an undergraduate that saw him through four universities on both coasts of the United States – an experience that only served to fuel a sense of wanderlust and adventure that remains unabated. After graduating with a degree in Creative Writing from UC Santa Cruz in ’08, Trey travelled the South Pacific and Central America, working as a surf guide to pay his way. Unbeknownst to him at the time, these experiences would later serve as field studies for his graduate research, which centers on surfing and globalization – examining surfing as a conduit of Western subcultural hegemony along the borderlands of the coastal Pacific and beyond. Trey returned to UC Santa Cruz in 2011, where he currently teaches Creative Writing and other courses concerning the history and culture of surfing. Along with his work as the Executive Director and Founder of the Sea Slugs, Trey works as the UCSC Liaison for the Santa Cruz Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, as well as a Research Fellow for Save The Waves.

You can contact Trey directly at treyhighton@gmail.com

WAVE MORETTO - President of Campus Affairs

(She/Her)

Wave has spent most of her life in Northern California, and has had a deep appreciation for marine life and conservation from an early age. She began volunteering at both the Marine Mammal Center, just north of San Francisco, and the Seymour Marine Discovery Center here at UCSC, during her sophomore year of high school, where she discovered her passion for conservation biology and marine policy. Now, in her senior year as a marine biology major, Wave has continued to pursue these interests. She is entering her third year as an intern in the Mehta Lab at UCSC, where she is completing her senior thesis on the affect of acute temperature changes on California moray eels. In addition, she is currently applying for marine biology PhD programs for fall 2021. Wave is excited to take on a greater leadership role within the club, and will be working to continue to connect students to the club this year, both virtually and in-person!

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RUBY LANIER - Vice President of Campus Affairs

(She/Her)

Ruby was born in San Francisco and grew up just a couple blocks away from Ocean Beach. The beach has always been her happy escape. The ocean has always been an important part of her life, from swimming in the water, to hanging out and walking her dogs on the shores. A rule her family has always had is that every time you go to the beach you have to take at least one piece of trash that you find with you. Whether it was participating in organized beach clean ups or doing her own, protecting the oceans has always been a passion of hers. She is in her third year and majoring in community studies with a focus in environmental justice. She can’t wait to get more people involved in taking action to protect the beaches she loves so much.

CHELSEA KINTZ - Treasurer

(They/Them or She/Her)

Chelsea has lived in the Bay Area and North Carolina but has spent the last eight years living in Santa Cruz. During high school they volunteered at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center which inspired them to apply and attend UC Santa Cruz where they are in their 4th year of pursuing a degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. They have been a research assistant at the Mehta Lab for two years working on various projects from moray eels to bird beak morphology. They also volunteer with the Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group where they assist with various research projects about predatory birds in Santa Cruz and with outreach projects. They are also very passionate about scientific illustration and love applying art to the research projects they do to make science more accessible to the public. Also while at UCSC they became a NAUI Rescue Certified SCUBA Diver through the recreational diving program. Chelsea is excited to connect with other members about their shared passion for protecting and taking care of the environment.

RYAN HALLISEY - Secretary

(She/Her)

Ryan grew up in San Diego, CA and is in her final year as a Marine Biology major at UCSC. She has been a research assistant in the Mehta Lab for two years and is passionate about animal form and function. She has volunteered at the Birch Aquarium at Scripps, spreading knowledge about local organisms, and for the Reef Check Foundation, monitoring California’s precious and diverse kelp forest ecosystems. She is an AAUS scientific diver and has completed two field studies using this certification, one on Santa Catalina Island and the other in Sitka, Alaska. Her plan after graduate school is to work for a non-profit or government agency, doing research and continuing to monitor the health of underwater ecosystems. Ryan is thrilled to help our members take part in protecting our beloved coast and oceans!