Dan Evans Jr. Joins Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Foundation As Chapter Director
Contact: Chip Weiskotten
Director of Strategic Communications
301.608.3040 x 305
chip@marinesanctuary.org
Port Angeles, WASH. – The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation welcomes Dan Evans, Jr., lifelong Washingtonian and Seattle businessman, as chapter director of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, a chapter of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation.
Mr. Evans brings a wealth of experience working with non-profit organizations and the business community. In his new role, Mr. Evans will work with local partners and programs to strengthen conservation of Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Mr. Evans will lead efforts in Washington and across the Pacific Northwest to expand private support for education, research and outreach programs that promote stewardship of our ocean and advance our understanding and adaptation to ocean acidification.
Mark Ozias, chair of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, said, “We are excited to welcome Dan to the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Foundation family and to our community. His depth of experience, commitment to ocean conservation and desire to help build a broad constituency for the sanctuary make him the right leader at the right time for this organization.”
Central to the chapter’s mission is working with local partners, including Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary and Feiro Marine Life Center, to build a new Marine Discovery Center in Port Angeles, which will be a leading institution for ocean education, stewardship, and marine science for the Olympic Coast. In his leadership role, Mr. Evans will be able to draw upon the extensive knowledge and passion for the sanctuary of Deb Moriarty, who started the chapter and will transition to a role on its Board of Directors.
Mr. Evans will also continue the conservation legacy of his father, Daniel J. Evans, the former Washington Governor and Senator and namesake of the Daniel J. Evans Wilderness, which shares miles of coastline with Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary.
Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary protects 3,188 square miles off the coast of the Olympic Peninsula. The sanctuary lies within the usual and accustomed fishing grounds for four coastal treaty tribes: the Makah, Hoh, and Quileute tribes and the Quinault Indian Nation. These waters contain productive and biodiverse undersea and tidal habitats, which are home to marine mammals, seabirds, deep sea coral and other marine wildlife. The sanctuary also contains a rich cultural and historical legacy including more than 200 undersea shipwrecks. Visitors to the sanctuary can enjoy excellent wildlife viewing, hiking or backpacking along the coast, sport fishing, kayaking, diving and tidepooling.
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The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, established in 2000, is the official non-profit partner of the National Marine Sanctuary System. The Foundation directly supports America’s national marine sanctuaries through our mission to protect species, conserve ecosystems and preserve America’s maritime heritage. We accomplish our mission through community stewardship and engagement programs, on-the-water conservation projects, public education and outreach programs, and scientific research and exploration. The Foundation fosters innovative projects that are solution-oriented, scalable and transferable, and develop strategic partnerships that promote the conservation and recovery of species and their habitats. Learn more at marinesanctuary.org.
Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, based in Port Angeles, WA, is a local chapter of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. The chapter’s mission is to inspire the public to protect Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary through participation in and support of sanctuary programs, projects, and partnerships. Learn more about the chapter at olympiccoastfoundation.org.