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Your Life-Saving Gift Will Be Matched

Found with his flippers tucked tightly against his body, California sea lion Pockets looked like a sick child with a bellyache.

Pockets was battling a potentially fatal bacterial disease, leptospirosis. We've rescued nearly 500 sea lions affected by this year's intense outbreak.

With your matched gift, you’ll not only help provide the meals and advanced medical care needed to help a sea lion like Pockets recover, but also support our researchers in learning more about this disease.

Match my life-saving gift
California sea lion
Mike Smylie

Mike Smylie, MBA

Individual Philanthropy Manager – Volunteer

Mike Smylie worked as an environmental consultant for over 40 years. During that time, he worked in over 45 countries with many of the world’s largest companies in the refining, chemical, manufacturing, pharmaceutical and semiconductor/high technology industries. 

Prior to retiring in 2015, Mike was a Principal Partner and a member of the Senior Partner Group at ERM, the world’s largest privately owned sustainability consultancy. Mike was also chairman of ERM’s U.S. Low Carbon Enterprise Fund (LCEF), an organization that employs an impact investment model to provide financial, technical and professional support for low carbon entrepreneurs in the developing world. 

After retiring, Mike committed himself to community service and volunteer activities. In addition to his volunteer work at The Marine Mammal Center, he also serves as the interim Executive Director at Gilead House, a Novato-based nonprofit that provides transitional housing, education and mental health support to single, often homeless, women and their children. He also coaches the boys' basketball team at Hamilton Middle School. 

Mike and his wife Beth have lived in Marin County for more than 35 years where they raised their three sons.

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