Crab Cove

Address: Crab Cove Visitor Center, 1252 McKay Ave., Alameda, CA 94501
Phone No.: (510) 521-6887
Email: ccove@ebparks.org

Gail Broesder, Naturalist

Naturalist Gail, who started working for the EBRPD in 1994, is an interpretive naturalist with years of experience helping youth and their families understand and appreciate our natural world. Specializing in marine and aquatic education with an AA from the College of Alameda, a BS in Biology from San Francisco State and a MS in Education from Cal State University East Bay, she teaches in classrooms, on hikes, walks, beaches, mud flats, marshes, estuaries and boats. Gail has worked in just about all the wet areas around and continues to share her knowledge, working for other agencies as well as EBRPD, teaching about the environment. 

Michael Charnofsky, Naturalist

Michael joined EBRPD in June, 2006. He grew up in Los Angeles, earned a B.A. in Environmental Studies from U.C. Santa Cruz, and he moved back to the bay area for this wonderful job. Michael worked as a naturalist for twelve years at the Los Angeles County Outdoor Science School and as the Nature Director for a camp for children with diabetes for ten years. For the past thirteen years Michael has also served as a board member of the Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (AEOE). His many interests include organic/native plant gardening, photography, drumming, sustainable living, birdwatching, visiting the desert in spring, attending music festivals, and taking care of the worms in his vermicomposting system.

Sara Fetterly, Naturalist | Docent / Volunteer Coordinator

Sara began working for the Park District in the spring of 2001 and has spent her time planting potatoes and playing dress-up at Ardenwood Historic Farm ever since. Prior to Ardenwood, she spent several years as a wildlife biologist studying the endangered spotted owl and marbled murrelet, worked as a marine biologist studying the effects of the Valdez oil spill on intertidal plants and animals, and was the school programs director for Coyote Point Museum. Sara holds a B.A. degree in Environmental Geography from San Diego State University, an M.A. degree in Education from the University of San Francisco, and a California teaching credential from the University of San Francisco. In her spare time she loves traveling, hiking, camping, snowboarding, and spending time with her husband and two children. 

Sharol Nelson-Embry, Supervising Naturalist

Sharol is the "Head Crab" at Crab Cove. With a degree in Natural Resources Management from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, she's worked in many avenues of environmental interpretation since 1982 including sixth grade science camps, summer camps, and regional nature centers in both northern and southern California. She has worked to connect more people to nature through writing outdoor columns that have appeared in the Ojai Valley News, Alameda Times Star, and more recently, the Contra Costa Times Newspaper groups. She also wrote or contributed to curriculum for chaparral, redwood, and estuarine habitats. Investigating how to make better use of technology to hook today’s generation into getting outdoors is her new passion. Sharol enjoys writing, playing guitar, and hiking and camping with her husband and two children.

Tara Reinertson, Naturalist

Tara earned her Bachelor's degree in Biology and Environmental Studies from U.C. Santa Cruz in 1991 and since then has been enjoying working as a naturalist and sharing her passion for the outdoors with children and adults. Before joining EBRPD in 2000, Tara worked for various non-profit environmental education organizations in the Bay Area, including the Marine Science Institute in Redwood City, Yosemite National Institute in the Marin Headlands, and Canoes In Sloughs of Save the Bay. At Ardenwood she delights in teaching people about where their food comes from and the importance of California agriculture. When not working, she enjoys gourd crafting, painting, hiking and playing guitar (not necessarily all at the same time!)

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