Laura Pederson
Eastsound,WA
Summary
Marine and environmental practitioner with a background in field surveying, data collection, wetland delineation, and environmental education. Contributes to reef conservation through coral predator removal, compliance documentation, and safe snorkel operations, combining technical reporting with clear communication and team coordination.
Overview
1
1
Certification
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Environmental Consultant
Jen-Jay, Inc.
Eastsound, Washington
04.2025 - Current
- Assessed project sites for contamination risks and regulatory compliance, informing critical mitigation strategies.
- Prepared compliance reports and permit documentation for consulting assignments.
- Coordinated project activities to meet deadlines, enhancing overall project efficiency.
Reef Surveyor
Sunlover Reef Cruises
CAIRNS, QLD
03.2023 - 08.2024
- Conduct reef monitoring, coral predator removal, and data reporting for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA).
- Supplied data for reef health assessments, aiding marine conservation efforts.
- Collaborated on reef conservation projects, contributing to enhanced ecological sustainability.
- Executed tasks for tourism reef protection initiative (TRPI), ensuring grant compliance while promoting reef health.
- Guided snorkel tours, prioritizing visitor safety and enriching marine education experiences.
Marine Biologist
Fitzroy Island Resort
CAIRNS, QLD
07.2022 - 08.2023
- Developed marine education programs focused on conservation, engaging and educating diverse age groups to foster environmental stewardship.
- Enhanced visitor understanding of marine ecosystems through interactive, hands-on sessions, resulting in increased awareness of conservation efforts.
- Led snorkeling and scuba activities, prioritizing participant safety and enhancing engagement.
- Reviewed permitting documents to ensure compliance with GBRMPA standards, facilitating successful project approvals.
Internship
Queensland department of environment and science
DEAGON, AUSTRALIA
06.2021 - 07.2021
- Facilitated environmental monitoring protocols for cross-functional teams, contributing to Queensland conservation efforts.
- Streamlined document retrieval process to enhance follow-up and accountability.
- Partnered with diverse coworkers to meet and exceed project goals.
Nursery Manager
Maui Native Nursery
MAUI, HI
06.2016 - 06.2018
- Managed daily operations at native plant nursery, led team of 10 to achieve production goals.
- Oversaw seed collection, planting, and distribution, ensuring timely deliveries and high customer satisfaction.
- Implemented fertilizer mixing processes to optimize plant growth.
Education
Bachelor - Marine Science
The University of Queensland
SAINT LUCIA, QLD, AUSTRALIA12-2021
Associate of Science - Horticulture
Cabrillo College
APTOS, CA06-2014
Skills
- Environmental compliance
- Wetland delineation
- Problem solving
- Research
- Regulatory compliance
- Stakeholder engagement
- Project coordination
- Time management
- Public outreach
Personal Information
Title: Environmental Scientist
Certification
- Wetland Delineation, Portland State University
- Wetland Science and Conservation, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- WDFW Forage Fish Surveys
- PADI Divemaster 544468
- CPR, First aid, and emergency O2 provider
Volunteer Work
- Cairns Turtle Rehab Center, Volunteer, CAIRNS, QLD, 2022-01, 2024-08, Caring for sick and injured sea turtles housed at the Cairns Aquarium, including food preparation, feeding, cleaning, behavior monitoring. Presented weekly educational talks and tours of the facility for visiting public.
- Reef Restoration Foundation, Volunteer, CARINS, QLD, 2022-04, 2024-08, Assisting at three locations of in-ocean coral nurseries. Duties included building coral 'trees,' collecting coral, attaching and maintaining corals on the under water trees, and out planting corals onto the reef.
- Ocean Connect, Volunteer, GOLD COAST, QLD, 2021-01, 2022-01, Assisting with school holiday programs that teach children and the community about local marine life and threats to the ocean environment. Participating in field surveys including sea slug scuba diving surveys, marine plastics beach surveys and seagrass monitoring surveys.
Languages
- English (Native)
- Spanish (Proficient)
Timeline
Environmental Consultant
Jen-Jay, Inc.
04.2025 - Current
Reef Surveyor
Sunlover Reef Cruises
03.2023 - 08.2024
Marine Biologist
Fitzroy Island Resort
07.2022 - 08.2023
Internship
Queensland department of environment and science
06.2021 - 07.2021
Nursery Manager
Maui Native Nursery
06.2016 - 06.2018
Bachelor - Marine Science
The University of Queensland
Associate of Science - Horticulture
Cabrillo College