The Marine Mammal Center is delighted to announce that Michelle Oates Detkin has been elected to its Board of Directors.

Michelle is a retired attorney and philanthropist based in Los Altos Hills, California. She earned her Juris Doctor from Pepperdine University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of the Pacific. Her legal career spanned corporate law and commercial real estate contracts, including time at Intel Corporation and at Jackson, Tufts, Cole & Black.

Michelle brings a rare combination of legal expertise, philanthropic leadership, and genuine passion for animal welfare to our board.

Michelle and her husband Peter are well known and respected in the Silicon Valley philanthropic community for their generosity and long-standing commitment to animal welfare.

"Michelle brings a rare combination of legal expertise, philanthropic leadership, and genuine passion for animal welfare to our board," said Joshua Copp, the Center's Board Chair. "Her work with Humane Society Silicon Valley speaks to exactly the kind of impact driven thinking we need as we grow our mission. We're thrilled to have her join us."

Michelle is deeply passionate about animals and addressing the needs of both wildlife and companion animals. She first became involved with The Marine Mammal Center following the death of Fran, one of California's most famous and frequently sighted humpback whales, who was found dead in 2022 from a suspected ship strike.

Michelle and Peter are the parents of three children and share their home with multiple pets.

The Marine Mammal Center is honored to welcome Michelle to its board and looks forward to her contributions in advancing the organization's mission to rescue and rehabilitate marine mammals and advance ocean health.