Gina Contolini, PhD
Kelp Restoration Specialist; Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Team Member
(NOAA Affiliate)
Gina Contolini, PhD, is a Kelp Restoration Specialist for the Kelp Restoration Program, working to investigate opportunities to restore and protect kelp forests on the northern California coastline. Gina has studied marine ecology all over the Pacific coast from Washington State to Panama. She studied intertidal community ecology for her PhD research at UC Santa Cruz, and kelp management during a postdoctoral fellowship with California Sea Grant and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. In her free time she enjoys playing ultimate frisbee, road biking, stand up paddleboarding, and playing with her two pet rabbits.