Ellie Bosacoma

Provide daily husbandry and rehabilitation care for ill, injured, and orphaned southern sea otters, including food preparation, feeding, grooming dependent pups, behavioral observations, and detailed record keeping. Implement species-appropriate enrichment to promote natural behaviors and support animal welfare throughout rehabilitation. Maintain quarantine areas and animal habitats by following strict biosecurity, sanitation, and husbandry protocols to ensure the health and welfare of rehabilitation patients.

Sea Otter Care Intern - Monterey Bay Aquarium - Monterey, CA

(2026-07)

• Provide daily husbandry and rehabilitation care for ill, injured, and orphaned southern sea otters, including food preparation, feeding, grooming dependent pups, behavioral observations, and detailed record keeping.
• Implement species-appropriate enrichment to promote natural behaviors and support animal welfare throughout rehabilitation.
• Maintain quarantine areas and animal habitats by following strict biosecurity, sanitation, and husbandry protocols to ensure the health and welfare of rehabilitation patients.
• Assist with live-stranded sea otter rescues and support rehabilitation efforts from intake through release when applicable.

Divemaster - Monterey Bay Scuba - Monterey, CA

(2026-07)

• Lead guided shore and boat dives for certified divers, delivering comprehensive pre-dive briefings, site orientations, and post-dive debriefs while supporting safe vessel operations, including anchoring, mooring, and docking procedures.
• Fit, prepare, and inspect scuba equipment for guests, troubleshoot gear issues, and assist with equipment setup to ensure safe and efficient dive operations.
• Provide exceptional customer service by welcoming guests, assessing diver readiness, answering questions, and creating a positive, professional diving experience.
• Lead dive groups in accordance with PADI standards, ensuring diver safety, adapting to changing conditions, and responding effectively to diver needs throughout each dive.

Stranding Response Fellow - National Aquarium - Ocean City, MD

(2026-02 - 2026-07)

• Respond to marine mammal and sea turtle stranding events through 24/7 on-call field operations along the Maryland coastline, coordinating response logistics, volunteers, transport, and hotline communications.
• Conduct rescues, triage, health assessments, stabilization, and long-term rehabilitation for stranded marine mammals and sea turtles, providing daily clinical care including animal restraint, behavioral observations, nutritional support, tube feeding, medication administration, injections, and patient monitoring.
• Operate Off-Road Vehicles (OSVs) during beach responses and maintain quarantine and biosecurity protocols to support safe rescue and rehabilitation operations.
• Perform QA/QC of marine mammal and sea turtle stranding database records and develop GIS mapping projects to support stranding response, data management, and research.
• Train and supervise volunteers during field responses and rehabilitation activities while engaging the public through outreach and conservation education, promoting safe wildlife interactions and marine conservation.

Marine Mammals Dive Volunteer - New England Aquarium - Boston, MA

(2024-01)

Former Marine Mammals Husbandry Volunteer Jan 2024 - Feb 2025

• Maintain exhibit habitats and perform solo underwater dives for habitat cleaning and maintenance alongside animals.
• Conduct daily husbandry routines for resident pinnipeds, including feeding, training support, enrichment, and behavioral documentation.
• Design and implement independent enrichment sessions to promote natural behaviors and assess cognitive engagement.
• Deliver conservation-focused presentations and engage directly with visitors to promote marine mammal awareness and stewardship.

Marine Mammal Stranding Intern - IFAW - Yarmouth, MA

(2025-09 - 2026-02)

• Conducted field triage, health assessments, live rescues, and post-mortem responses for stranded marine mammals.
• Assisted with biological sample collection and processing to support diagnostics and research.
• Provided animal care in the Cetacean Intensive Care Unit (CICU), including restraint, behavioral monitoring, and case documentation.
• Supported necropsies and systematic data collection for cause-of-death investigations and long-term monitoring.
• Managed stranding hotline intake, responder dispatch, and field equipment readiness.

Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Intern - New England Aquarium - Boston, MA

(2025-01 - 2025-05)

• Provided daily husbandry and medical care for stranded sea turtles, including restraint for injections, wound treatment, and recovery monitoring.
• Assisted with minor medical procedures and necropsies under veterinary supervision.
• Monitored and recorded behavior, health parameters, and treatments to inform clinical decisions and maintain medical records.
• Administered diets and medications in accordance with treatment protocols; conducted water quality testing and maintained quarantine and biosecurity standards.
• Served as Food Lead, overseeing daily feeds, medication preparation, and training interns and volunteers on feeding and handling.

Marine Conservation Research Assistant - Whale Shark and Oceanic Research Center (WSORC) - Utila, Honduras

(2025-05 - 2025-09)

• Led daily research dives, conducting briefings, safety checks, and in-water leadership for interns and program participants.
• Conducted coral reef and megafauna surveys and supported whale shark and dolphin monitoring through in-water observations and data collection.
• Led lionfish removal dives and dissections; trained interns in safe handling, data recording, and ecological impact assessment.
• Delivered classroom presentations and field briefings on reef ecology, marine conservation, and invasive species management.
• Supported intern coordination and NGO operations, contributing to scheduling, outreach events, and daily field logistics.

Research and Divemaster Intern - Indo Ocean Project (IOP) - Raja Ampat, Indonesia

(2024-05 - 2024-08)

• Completed PADI Divemaster certification alongside intensive marine research training in coral reef ecology, elasmobranch biology, manta and turtle ecology, and survey methodology.
• Conducted underwater visual censuses (UVCs), reef fish and elasmobranch surveys, BRUV deployments, and photo-ID for long-term monitoring projects.
• Performed coral reef health assessments, benthic cover surveys, and water quality testing; supported coral nursery care and outplanting efforts.
• Led marine debris removal dives, documenting debris types and contributing data to international citizen science databases.

B.A. - Marine Science, Minor in Earth and Environmental Science (Focus in Earth Observation and GIS) - Boston University (BU) (2025-05)

Honors - Oceanography Major - United States Naval Academy (USNA) (2021-06 - 2023-05)