Eric Martin
Facility Director & Educational Co-Director

In January of 2004, Eric Martin was promoted to his new position as Facility Director where he continues to teach classes, add new programs, and care for all the fishes! Eric has been with the Roundhouse since Feb 2002. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in zoology from California State University of Long Beach. Prior to the Roundhouse, Eric worked for many years as an educator in the animal care unit at the late Marineland by the Pacific. Since then, he has been working in conjunction with the Center for Whale Research on the Orca project, and Cascadia Research working on Blue Whale and Humpback projects. In 1997 he founded a nonprofit organization called The Marine Mammal Study Center. The center is now housed at the El Segundo Center Street School. Eric continues with his work by taking his boat and camera out often to document the whales and dolphins that roam in the Santa Monica Bay.

Valerie Hill
Administrative Director & Co-Educational Director

In January 2007, Valerie was promoted to her new position as Administrative Director & Educational Co-Director.  Valerie began her career at the Roundhouse as an intern in 2003.  She became the Saturday Operations Assistant in 2004.  Valerie is really enjoying working at the Roundhouse full time.  Valerie has a Bachelor of Art degree in Marine Science from the University of San Diego.  While at USD she was the president of The Environmental Action Group, where she shared her love for the environment.  She is currently working on her Master's Degree in Biology at California State University, Long Beach.  Her masters research focuses on the smallest organisms in the ocean - phytoplankton.  When Valerie's not at the Roundhouse or school she loves to SCUBA dive and poke around the beach looking for seaweed.

Lauren Holman
Educator & Volunteer Coordinator

The Roundhouse and O.T.S. are pleased to welcome Lauren Holman to the staff.  Lauren graduated from    The University of California Santa Barbara with her Bachelor's Degree in Geography and went on to receive her Master's Degree in Environmental Education from California State University, San Bernardino.  She grew up right here in the South Bay and her love for the ocean has never ceased.  Lauren has shared her excitement for the environment all throughout Southern California. She has interned for Waves on Wheels at the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum, coordinated exhibitors for the Environmental EXPO in San Bernardino and taught Environmental Science 101 in San Diego, to name a few.  Lauren wound up back in her hometown and can't wait to help make the Roundhouse the most exciting place to volunteer. When Lauren isn't on the pier, you might spot her traveling up and down the coast, collecting seashells, playing soccer and hanging out with her family and friends.     

Dawn Eyre-Martin
Administrative Assistant

Dawn joined the Roundhouse as a Volunteer in 2001. She started out as our cook in our most famous summer camp on Catalina Island. While her college degree has taken her to work in Corporate Travel, her love and respect for the ocean has drawn her close to the Roundhouse. Dawn works for the Roundhouse part-time and part-time for CGC Travel in Hermosa Beach, all the while being a full time mom to the Roundhouse’s youngest volunteer, Cody. Dawn books our 1-hour, 3-hour, home school, tidepool classes & more! She also assists with in tank sponsorship and grants. If you don’t see her at the Roundhouse she is out on the water with Eric and Cody documenting whales and dolphins in the Santa Monica Bay.


 

Jivko Daskalov
Saturday Operations Assistant

Jivko grew up by the shores of the Black Sea (Bulgaria), where he spent the summers mostly on the beach, snorkeling and roaming the tidepools. For the last 9 years, he's been on and off in Los Angeles for a total of about 6 years. Presently he studies Marine Biology at CSU Long Beach, where he has three semesters left. Jivko joined the Roundhouse Aquarium staff at the end of 2007. He'd rather be in the ocean than anywhere else. Being in the aquarium is pretty close though, he loves watching how people react when seeing all the interesting creatures we have here and he enjoys talking about the marine world.


 

Robbie McCracken
Sunday Operations Assistant
 

Robbie started at the Roundhouse in 2004 as a volunteer, and after spending many weekends here, joined the staff in August of 2007. He is currently a senior at Mira Costa high School, with hopes of attending college in Northern California to study marine biology and conservation next year. He loves spending his free time here doing anything he can to entertain himself. On the few occasions he’s not at the Roundhouse helping Eric with usual maintenance, you might find him SCUBA diving, at the beach, taking pictures or playing soccer.