Karin Vardaman

Experience

• 

  Pacific Marine Mammal Center

  Aug 1983 - Aug 1986

  Director of Animal Care and Operations

  Responsible for overseeing all animal care and operations including:~ Rescue, rehabilitation, and release of sick and injured marine mammals~ volunteer management; recruitment, training ~ Research projects~ Media and promotions~ Facility maintenance~ Education programsVolunteered from 1979 until offered paid position in 1983

• 

  Ocean Institute

  Jun 2003 - Mar 2013

  Led, developed, and managed all aspects of the Maritime Department including:Award-winning maritime and science education and outreach programs; team of staff (20+ including two full time captains, maintenance, administrative, and education staff); team of volunteers (60+); $1.2 mil annual budget; operations and maintenance of facilities including two tall ships and maritime center; sail training program aboard tall ship brig Pilgrim; school, public and private sails aboard tall ship schooner Spirit of Dana Point; partnerships and collaborations with professionals in the field, community organizations, city/county/govt agencies, and potential funding partners; marketing strategies and public relations; fundraising programs; organizing and managing large community events including coordination, sales,marketing, media relations and promotion. Show less

  • Senior Director, Maritime

    Sept 1989 - Mar 2013

  • Tall Ship Festival Director

    May 2002 - Oct 2006

  • Director of Public Programs

    Jun 2003 - Jun 2006
• 

  Maritime Museum of San Diego

  Jul 2006 - Oct 2007

  Interim Director of Development

  Responsible for all development writing, including:Grant proposal writing, contract fulfillment, reporting, and administration for both government and foundation grants; quarterly newsletter, annual report, financial reports, appeal letters, member letters, event invitations, program descriptions, and marketing materials. Also involvement with donor cultivation and capital campaign efforts.Also served as Director of Education overseeing all school education programs

• 

  California Wolf Center

  Apr 2013 - Jun 2018

  As the Director of California Wolf Center, Northern California, I oversee all activities as it relates to our Northern California, Southern Oregon and Colorado work; on the ground activities and operations, including:Developing, implementing and directing our innovative Working Circle Proactive Stewardship program; a community based, comprehensive model designed to empower and support the livestock community while protecting wolves by implementing proven methods and strategies to reduce wolf/livestock conflict. Additional responsibilities include:~ Strategic planning~ Budget development and management~ Fundraising: grants, donor relations, events~ Community relationship building~ Creative problem solving~ Education and Outreach~ Field training~ Work in partnership with state and federal agencies~ Lead and motivate a team of staff, volunteers, and contractors~Present at conferences nationwide Show less As the Northern California Director, I oversaw all activities as it relate to the return of wolves to California including:~ Participating as a member the CA Wolf Management Stakeholder Working Group~ Working with diverse communities to create meaningful collaborations~ Developing key partnerships within livestock communities~ Hosting fundraising events~ Conducting innovative outreach and education~ Implementing revolutionary strategies to reduce risk of wolf-livestock conflict~ Managed all media and public relations Show less My focus was to grow the organization in terms of organizational development, community engagement and raising the the critical funds needed to ensure that the California Wolf Center can fulfill its cause in helping this vital species can return to its native habitat. Accomplishments include:Created and implemented new organizational messaging, including new mission and vision statement; brought about organizational alignment to the identified cause; developed and facilitated successful board retreat; revised public outreach and engagement programs; led successful fundraising campaign- exceeding goals; implemented new fundraising strategies; testified at multiple state and federal hearings regarding the protection of wolves under the endangered species act; participated in wolf recovery project for the critically endangered Mexican gray wolf in the Arizona recovery under the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Show less

  • Director, Northern California

    Jun 2016 - Jun 2018

  • Director of California Wolf Recovery

    May 2014 - Jun 2016

  • Director of Development

    Apr 2013 - May 2014
• 

  Rangeland Wild | Working Circle

  Apr 2015 - Nov 2022

  Founder, Executive Director
• 

  Working Circle

  Mar 2016 - now

  Director, Co-Founder
• 

  Shamlaigh Media LLC

  May 2018 - now

  Owner | CEO

  Book Production, Author Pages, Writing and Editing www.shamlaighmedia.comPublished Amazon #1 Best-Seller: The Adventures of Garry The Gargoyle, Book 1: Garry's Upside-Down Adventure; book 2: Garry's Heroic Adventure. Author Karin Wyman Vardaman; www.garrythegargoyle.comSounds of Fall, Author Karin Wyman Vardaman; www.shamlaighmedia.com