Executive Director

Patrick Rose is Save the Manatee Club’s (SMC) Executive Director. Pat has over 30 years’ experience working with manatees and is an Aquatic Biologist and Certified Public Manager. He is considered to be one of the world’s leading experts on the Florida manatee. From 1996 to 2006, Pat was SMC’s Director of Government Relations in Tallahassee, Florida. In the state’s capitol, Pat advocated on the manatee’s behalf before the Florida Legislature and Governor and Cabinet. Before joining SMC’s staff, he was the first federal Manatee Recovery Activities Coordinator and Florida’s first Manatee and Marine Mammal Coordinator. He also provided overall policy guidance and direction for statewide recovery efforts for endangered and protected marine species. Pat has served as a member of every federal Manatee Recovery Team, presently serving on the Team’s Steering Committee, and is a former member of the I.U.C.N. World Conservation Union/Sirenia Specialist Group. His many professional awards include the prestigious “National Conservation Achievement Award” from the National Wildlife Federation and the “Award of Recognition” presented to him at the First International Manatee and Dugong Research Conference. Pat has a Master’s degree in aquatic biology from the University of Missouri at Kansas City. He is also an avid boater, pilot, and is a certified scuba instructor.

Staff

Connie Graham is SMC’s Director of Operations and has been with Save the Manatee Club since 1993. Before joining SMC, Connie worked for 14 years in the customer service field at Southern Bell. She heads SMC’s Membership Department, is in charge of maintaining its membership database, and helps to provide oversight for SMC’s administration and management. A graduate of the University of Central Florida, she has a B.S. in zoology. In her spare time, Connie was president of the nonprofit group, CARE Feline Rescue, for many years. CARE has spayed or neutered over 15,000 homeless cats in Orange County, Florida.

Janice Nearing is SMC’s Director of Public Relations. She started volunteering for SMC in 1996 and continues to volunteer on weekends staffing education booths at statewide festivals. Janice was nominated for the JC Penney Golden Rule award and received a letter of recognition from President Clinton. She worked in radio and television major market stations for twelve years. She received writing awards from the Radio Bureau of Canada Annual Soundcraft Awards, and was honored by the Canada Safety Council for excellence in broadcasting, winning first place for a public service message. She has a degree in communications and twenty years experience in the field. As an SMC staff member, Janice is an informational source for the media, disseminating press releases, advisories, press kits, and public service announcements, assisting in areas of promotion, publicity, and education. She also coordinates the Club's volunteer department and its 1,000+ volunteers.

Nancy Sadusky is SMC’s Director of Online Communications and has worked for Save the Manatee Club since 1991. She has been a communications specialist for nonprofit organizations for over 25 years and was previously SMC’s Communications and Outreach Director. She has served as education representative on the federal Manatee Recovery Team as well as on several state advisory groups. Nancy received a master’s degree in English/Technical Communication from the University of Central Florida where her focus was online communications. She created Save the Manatee Club’s first website and is currently webmaster for the Club. She edits Paddle Tales, SMC’s e-newsletter, and is in charge of all e-mail communications for the Club. She also oversees SMC’s social media efforts. Save the Manatee Club’s website currently receives over three million hits per month.

Dr. Katie Tripp is SMC’s Director of Science and Conservation. She received her bachelor’s degree from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL, where she majored in Marine Science and received minors in both Chemistry and Environmental Policy.  Katie received her Ph.D. in Veterinary Medical Sciences from the University of Florida, where she conducted research on manatee physiology. Dr. Tripp was a lecturer, laboratory instructor, and graduate research assistant at the university.  She has worked as a manatee consultant for one of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Projects and also worked as a biologist with FWC’s Marine Mammal Pathobiology Lab where she assisted with manatee necropies, carcass salvage, marine mammal rescues, and various research projects. She has co-authored multiple abstracts and research papers on manatees. Among her many honors, she was chosen as the Florida League of Conservation Voters’ Betsy Wood Fellow and was a Ford Foundation and Morris K. Udall Scholar. She was chosen by the Board of SMC to be its first student member and became a full member in 2005. At the 2008 Marine Mammal Health Conference organized by the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine and others, Dr. Tripp received the Reep-Bonde Florida Manatee Biology and Conservation Award for her research that furthered the basic knowledge of fundamental manatee biology. Curriculum Vitae

Judith Vallee is SMC’s Development Director. She was Save the Manatee Club’s Executive Director for 21 years. Judith raises funds to support SMC’s programs and operations. She began working on manatee protection issues in 1982 as a volunteer at the local level. Along with Save the Manatee Club’s all-volunteer Board of Directors, she guided SMC on program, policy, fund raising, and administrative matters for over two decades. She was a member of the Florida Manatee Technical Advisory Council for thirteen years, has served as a past member of the federal Manatee Recovery Team, and is an appointed member of the I.U.C.N. World Conservation Union/Sirenia Specialist Group. She received a B.A. in art history from Lehman College (formerly Hunter College), City University of New York.

Artie Wong is SMC’s Staff Biologist. His work includes reviewing proposed permits for coastal development projects and making recommendations to the authorizing agencies that will minimize the negative effects of growth on manatees and their aquatic habitat. Aside from studying manatees, his wildlife background ranges from seal rehabilitation work in the Netherlands to studying rats in Hawaii. He was a biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, conducting marine mammal carcass salvage, necropsies, and rescues. He has a B.S. in Biology from Long Island University-Southampton College and a Master’s of Science degree from the University of Florida-College of Veterinary Medicine. His master’s research focused on monitoring oral temperature, heart rate, and respiration rate of manatees during research captures in Florida, Puerto Rico, and Belize. 

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