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Team WAVE

Tricia Watts
Executive Director
859-815-1404

Tricia Watts is thrilled to serve as Executive Director for WAVE Foundation. Tricia brings a wealth of nonprofit knowledge as well years of experience in the for-profit sector. She is passionate about WAVE’s mission and excited to help others get involved. 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 a Board member and volunteer with the Emergency Shelter of NKY.  Tricia, her husband Jim, and furbaby Charlie reside in Northern KY. In their free time, they like to hike, bike, paddle, travel (especially to the ocean!), and see live music.

Katie Campbell
Conservation Education Manager
859-815-1442

Katie 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
Community Engagement Manager
859-815-1424

Kristen Woods 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!

Julie Uffman
Development Coordinator
859-815-1418

Julie Uffman is the Development Coordinator 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.

Harley Archer
Conservation Education Coordinator
859-815-1422

Harley 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, creeking and discovering new underwater worlds with her new scuba certification.

Lizzie Ayers
Conservation Educator

Lizzie is a Conservation Educator for the WAVE Foundation. In this role, she has the opportunity to bring ambassador animals to different communities through outreach programs, as well as develop WAVE’s programs by writing curriculum. Lizzie is a senior in Marine Biology and Sustainable Aquaculture at Unity Environmental University. She started her journey with WAVE as an intern in May 2022, moving into an AmeriCorp position that September and then being hired on full-time in December 2022. Lizzie loves the outreach programs that WAVE offers and how they not only educate people on conservation, but empower people to make a difference. She believes that every individual is capable of making an impact on wildlife, and our impact matters for the oceans and local ecosystems as well. In her free time, Lizzie loves to go hiking an explore new places with her fiancé, Luke, and two dogs, Leila and Leo.

Lori Myers
Administrative Coordinator
859-815-1441

Lori Myers is the Administrative Coordinator for WAVE Foundation. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from Thomas More College. Supporting and giving back to the community, church and various schools has always been a priority for her. Over the years, she has volunteered countless hours as a committee member for her church festival and supported her children’s schools through fundraising, event planning and volunteering. She has worked in administrative roles in various fields including human resources, education and healthcare. Lori, her husband Carl, and their three sons reside in Union, KY. She often encourages them to volunteer alongside her. They enjoy traveling, especially to nearby lakes for boating and family time.

Daphne Schaff
Part-Time Conservation Educator

Daphne Schaaf is a part-time conservation educator for WAVE Foundation. She graduated from Thomas More university with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Biology on a marine biology track with a minor in environmental science and concentration in ecology. She was an animal husbandry intern at the Thomas More Biology Field Station where she grew her love for animal care. She then became a summer intern and volunteer at WAVE before coming on as a staff member. In her free time, she enjoys reading, walks in nature, and cuddles with her dog, Gus. Daphne loves her job at WAVE for the people’s amazement at seeing animals they may never get to see otherwise and learning how important they are to the environment.

Erin Huber

Part-Time Conservation Educator

Erin is a part-time Conservation Educator for the 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.