Behind the Bark
In this talk, The Marine Mammal Center will share a brief history of their work in rescue, rehabilitation, release, research, and education, and then take a deeper dive into the stories of some of our most common patients, including sea lions, elephant seals, and harbor seals. We will explore the challenges these animals face in places like the San Mateo County coast, how we care for them at the Center, and how people can get involved to help protect marine mammals and our shared ocean environment.
Laura Gill leads program development and implementation, including tours and behind-the-scenes experiences, virtual programs and interpretive resources, as Community Engagement Manager at The Marine Mammal Center. In 2019, Laura was selected as a Fellow within the National Informal STEM Education Network Sustainability Program, a highly selective community of informal educators and scientists dedicated to supporting learning about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) across the United States.
Prior to her current role, Laura collaborated with the Center on multiple occasions during her time at Aquarium of the Bay and the Sea Lion Center at San Francisco’s Pier 39. Laura served in many different roles at Aquarium of the Bay developing and teaching new and existing public programs, coordinating special events for the public and leading day-to-day education operations.
Before joining Aquarium of the Bay, Laura earned her Bachelor of Science in marine biology from UC Santa Cruz and had previous experience in the aquarium world as the Assistant Director, Volunteer Coordinator and Educator at the Roundhouse Aquarium in Manhattan Beach, California.
Next on the Docket
Saturday, July 25, 2026- A House Divided: the Lathrop, Connor, and Mansfield Families in the Civil War with Professor Tatiana Irwin
Many people know the history of the Civil War at a national level, but they don’t know how this event ricocheted across California, San Mateo county, and the Victorian parlors of Redwood City. For the Lathrop, Connor, and Mansfield families, the Civil War played out across public debates and domestic spaces. Their stories reveal the complicated nuances of California politics – public servants harbored pro-slavery views and Union generals pursued lethal campaigns against Mormons and Shoshone. In many homes, Chinese domestic servants contemplated the place of immigrants in a nation that was dedicated to a new birth of freedom. These engaging characters reveal much about our county’s past, and challenge us to think with our histories today.
Tatiana Irwin is associate professor of history at College of San Mateo, where she teaches California history and U.S. history. She is also a foundation instructor in the Honors Project and serves on the President’s Advisory Committee for the San Mateo County History Museum. Her past work in public history includes the Campbell Historical Museum, California Historical Society, and the Society of California Pioneers. She holds a graduate degree in U.S. history from San José State University and recently completed a certificate in digital humanities through UC Berkeley. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in history from UC Davis, with a focus on California history, borderlands, transpacific histories, and material culture.
Previously on the Courthouse Docket
On February 21, 2026, Dr. Frank Omowale Satterwhite and Juanita Croft shared their memories and perspectives of the Nairobi Movement in East Palo Alto and Belle Haven, Menlo Park. The Nairobi Movement was a time when Black folks in San Mateo County sought to take control of local government, civic life, and education. The presentation was part of the San Mateo County History Museum’s Courthouse Docket series.
If you have questions about previous Courthouse Dockets, please email education@historysmc.org.
The Courthouse Docket is a series of presentations held in the History Museum’s Historic Courtroom A. The Courthouse Docket Series is sponsored by Cypress Lawn Heritage Foundation.
