Christine Fitzsimmons Cetacean Research Grant
Christine Fitzsimmons
The San Francisco Bay Chapter of the American Cetacean Society has established an annual grant to honor the legacy of Christine Fitzsimmons, conservationist and former Co-President and Treasurer of our chapter’s Board of Directors. Through this annual research grant, we continue Christine’s legacy by supporting both cetacean conservation and the advancement of women in marine science.
Christine “Chris” Fitzsimmons (1949-2021) arrived in Marin County with her first husband in 1970, and it didn’t take her long to become enthralled with the landscape of California; from the crest of the Sierra to the rich ecosystem of its coast. As a working mother of two, she volunteered at The Marine Mammal Center, taking her kids along for the midnight shift to feed the seals when the animals were still kept in plastic children’s pools.
She was devoted to Yosemite and formed a small business to lead novice back-packers from Tuolumne to the surrounding heights, where she met her second husband, Michael. Chris often referred to Yosemite as her “church” and embarked on solo and family adventures to Half Dome and beyond, throughout the years.
In Marin, she volunteered as a naturalist guide for Wildcare, founded by Mrs.Terwilliger to rescue injured species of all kinds, and gave her energy to a variety of local groups such as Ritter Center (serving the homeless) and the Mill Valley Film Festival.
Following a career in retail management and finishing her Bachelor’s Degree at San Francisco State, she set her sights on serving the environment full-time. Her first position was with the Oceanic Society as Administrative Director for the West Coast, supervising whale watching tours from the Bay area (even while prone to seasickness). While at Oceanic Society her management tasks took her to their field station on an atoll off the coast of Belize, a true adventure in cultural adaptation.
Next, Christine took a position with varied roles at the California Academy of Sciences, where she developed the highly successful “Penguins & Pajamas” overnight museum stay for kids and their parents.
Her last position was 6 years culminating as Assistant Director of the Children’s Creativity Museum within San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Gardens, where her responsibilities spanned finance, human resources, and facility management (including the Carousel), for this beloved institution. It was during this time, Christine kept her feet “wet” in conservation by joining the American Cetacean Society, San Francisco Bay Chapter serving as Co-President and Treasurer in support of our mission to protect and conserve whales, dolphins, porpoises, and their habitats. We are tremendously grateful to Chris for her skilled and thoughtful leadership of our organization, and for her many achievements in caring for and protecting wildlife and wild places.
Christine Fitzsimmons
Christine Fitzsimmons: a life well lived in appreciation of, and in service to the creatures and ecosystems of California. As she said of late, “If you look, you can always find me in nature.”
We would like to thank Christine’s family for assisting with crafting this remembrance of our dear friend and colleague. Thank you, Michael Harlock, Simone Silverstein, Aaron Silverstein, Mia Harlock, and Jennifer Harris.