Serve with AmeriCorps at WAVE Foundation!

Team WAVE

Tricia Watts
Executive Director
859-815-1404

Tricia (she/her) appreciates the opportunity to serve as the Executive Director for WAVE Foundation. Tricia brings a growth mindset, a wealth of nonprofit knowledge, and years of experience in the for-profit sector. She is passionate about WAVE’s mission and excited to help others get involved. Tricia is a lover of the outdoors, and can regularly be found at or in the water. She has long been caring for the environment, helping to organize her first River Sweep in 1998 in her hometown of Hazard, KY.

Tricia earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Eastern Kentucky University. Tricia is a member of Leadership Northern Kentucky’s 2013 Best Class Ever. She is the Board Chair and a meals volunteer with the Emergency Shelter of NKY.  Tricia, her husband Jim, and furbabies Zippo and Fuzz reside in Northern KY. They like to hike, bike, paddle, travel, and see live music in their free time.

Katie Campbell
Conservation Education Director
859-815-1442

Katie (she/her) is the Conservation Education Manager, creating all our different programs for education outreach at WAVE. She attended Xavier University in Cincinnati, where she earned her Masters Degree in Education. From there, Katie worked at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden for a number of years as their Zoo on the Move Program Manager. In that role, she was able to help create curriculum and teach in hundreds of classrooms around Cincinnati, including as an adjunct professor for Miami University’s Advanced Inquiry Program. She also taught in a formal education setting at St. Veronica Elementary for two years. Katie’s favorite part about working with WAVE is how the organization connects our community with animals and gets the excited about conservation. In her free time, Katie loves to read Agatha Christie novels and go hiking.

Kristen Woods
Director of Conservation & Community Engagement
859-815-1424

Kristen (she/her) has spent the past ten years working for local nonprofit institutions, starting her career at the Cincinnati Museum Center and most recently, the Girl Scouts of Western Ohio. She is a University of Cincinnati graduate with a background in Art Education, and has spent most of her career in museum education, program management, and volunteer administration. Recently, Kristen joined the Cincinnati Association of Volunteer Administrators board as one of their Continuing Education Chairs and is also a proud lifetime member (and volunteer) of the Girl Scouts. Kristen is eager to work the volunteers to engage the community through the Newport Aquarium’s wildlife and educate about the importance of conservation!

Rachel Morgan
Director of Operations
859-815-1441

Julie Uffman
Operations Manager
859-815-1418

Julie is the Operations Manager for WAVE Foundation. She began working at Newport Aquarium in the Guest Services department just prior to opening day in 1999.  In fact, Julie sold the very first ticket to Newport Aquarium to the mayor! During her time in Guest Services, Julie served as the Guest Services Manager and was responsible for hiring and training staff working in Admissions and Exhibits. In 2005, Julie cut back to part-time so she could be at home with her children and began working for the WAVE Foundation. When she first started at WAVE, Julie was the Education Curator and was vital in the start-up of the Finstitute Classroom Programs as well as summer camp.  Julie currently serves as the Development Coordinator and has a variety of jobs, including event planning, donor relations, website updates and maintaining WAVE’s finances. In her spare time, Julie enjoys spending time with her husband Mike and two daughters, Kaitlyn and Lauren, and is highly involved in activities at church and school. Julie holds a bachelor’s degree in Science from Ohio University and a Master’s Degree in Education from Xavier University.

Autumn Segrest
Resource Development & Communications Manager
859-815-1465

Autumn (she/her) is the new Resource Development & Communications Manager at the WAVE Foundation. She graduated with a B.A. in communication studies from Northern Kentucky University in 2020. Prior to joining Team WAVE, Autumn worked at her alma mater raising money for scholarships and higher education programs! Autumn joined the team in November of 2023. She’s our go-to gal for all things FUNdraising, multi-channel communications, and relationship building. You can find Autumn tending to her houseplants, crafting, playing Dungeons & Dragons, or making memories with friends & family in her free time!

Harley Archer
Conservation Education Manager
859-815-1422

Harley (she/her) is WAVE’s Conservation Education Coordinator, running the outreach programs and Gills Club. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Biology with a concentration in Oceanography from Miami University. Harley has worked as a Wildlife Rehabilitation Intern in Naples, Florida, and a Marine Science Camp Counselor in Sanibel, Florida. Her first experience with WAVE was as a camper, and she decided to come back as a Conservation Education intern in 2019. She then came on to WAVE part-time before transitioning to full-time in November 2022. Harley loves seeing the faces of children light up during outreach programs after meeting an ambassador animal. She hopes to inspire the next generation of conservationists with both the outreach programs and Gills Club. When she’s not at work, Harley loves traveling with her husband, spending time with her dog Moses, creeking and discovering underwater worlds with her new scuba certification.

Kristen Schmitz
Conservation Education Manager

Kristen (She/Her) attended Anderson University and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education and a Master’s of Environmental Studies and Sustainability from Unity Environmental University. Kristen worked as a music teacher for 10 years, 2 years in Alaska and 8 years in Southern Indiana, before working as a camp counselor during the summer of 2023. She joined WAVE full-time as an Education Coordinator in December 2023. Kristen grew up camping and hiking and has always had a love for conservation. She loves being able to combine her love of teaching and conservation through WAVE. In her free time, Kristen enjoys hiking, camping, baking, fiber arts, and running. She also loves spending time with her two dogs, Pepper and Ginny, and her cat, Kravitz.

Sabrina Calhoun
Volunteer Manager

Sabrina (they/she) is the Volunteer Manager, facilitating adult volunteer, internship, and Teen WAVE programs. They attended Miami University in Oxford, where they earned their Master’s Degree in Biology. Additionally, they are currently working toward their Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Xavier University. Prior to joining WAVE, Sabrina worked at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden for several years as their Volunteer and Youth Conservation Programs Manager. In that role,  they were able to help support and grow the youth volunteer and internship programs. Additionally, Sabrina worked briefly with Great Parks of Hamilton County as an interpreter at the Winton Woods Farm and Equestrian Center. Sabrina’s favorite part about working with WAVE is how the organization celebrates volunteerism and community conservation efforts. In their free time, Sabrina enjoys spending time with friends and being active.

Sophia Spalla
Conservation Educator

Sophia (She/Her) attended Kent State University and earned a degree in Early Childhood Education. Prior to joining the team full-time, Sophia was a Summer Camp Counselor from 2021-2024. Sophia has always enjoyed working with children! With an innate curiosity and passion for the outdoors, she enjoys birding, hiking, photography, and even snorkeling given the chance. Sophia also loves nature and wildlife; seeing children making connections with animals and the natural world amazes and inspires her. Sophia truly loves teaching in the classroom and strives to make every educational experience engaging and entertaining. Sophia was thrilled to begin her career with the WAVE Foundation in August 2024. Just for fun, you might find her listening to music, painting, or playing video games.

Katie Woodell
Conservation Educator

Katie (she/her) is a Conservation Educator. She has a background in biology and earned her Associate of Science from Cincinnati State. Katie joined team WAVE as a Conservation Education Intern in 2023 and enjoyed it so much that she stayed. Katie loves getting kids excited about the natural world and inspiring their curiosity on programs because experiences like that can change the course of someone’s life. In her free time she enjoys hiking, writing, and spending time with her houseplants and dog, Koda.

Erin Huber
Part-Time Conservation Educator

Erin (she/her) is a part-time Conservation Educator for WAVE Foundation. She currently attends the University of Cincinnati with a major in Environmental Science and a minor in Management. Besides the WAVE Foundation, Erin also works for Groundwork Ohio River Valley as a Youth Leader Coordinator, where she found her passion for conservation and education. She loves that with WAVE she gets to teach the younger generations about the importance of animals and the environment, and how they play a critical role in our ecosystem. In her free time, Erin enjoys playing soccer, painting and traveling.