Today we’d like to introduce you to Keith Matassa.
Hi Keith, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My story begins where the land meets the sea—a place I have been drawn to since early childhood. Since the age of 4 or 5, I have known that marine mammals were my calling. I’ve spent decades working in marine mammal rescue, rehabilitation, release, necropsy, and research. Along the way, I’ve witnessed both the resilience and vulnerability of ocean life. But I also saw systemic gaps—especially in how we respond to marine mammal mortalities, how we connect data to meaningful change, and how few accessible, inclusive pathways existed for students—particularly those from underserved communities—to be part of this work.
That’s where OARRA —the Ocean Animal Response and Research Alliance—was born in 2020. I wanted to create something deeper than just a response organization. I envisioned a space where science, education, equity, and care could coexist. “A place where we not only respond to tragic animal deaths with compassion and rigor, monitor live animals and their habitats for signs of change, but also ensure those stories inform conservation, educate future scientists, and elevate community voices.”
We started small—one response, one survey, one student, one employee, one question at a time. Today, OARRA is a growing nonprofit based in Southern California with a mission that spans four key pillars: marine animal mortality response and research, live animal survey and monitoring, education and outreach, and building inclusive, safe spaces for learning and collaboration.
Everything OARRA does is rooted in connection—to the ocean, to one another, to animal and environmental health, and most importantly, to human well-being. These connections guide us toward a more inclusive, informed, and compassionate future.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road to building OARRA has had its challenges—but in many ways, my previous experience helped smooth the path. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to help design, launch, and lead other marine programs and organizations. Those experiences gave me insight into what works, what doesn’t, and how to build something that can thrive even in uncertainty. They also taught me the importance of balancing vision with flexibility—how to stay rooted in purpose while adapting to real-world constraints.
That said, it hasn’t always been easy. Responding to marine mammal mortalities is physically and emotionally demanding. Creating a new nonprofit while navigating permitting, fundraising, staffing, volunteer and student support requires persistence, clarity, and a deep well of passion. We’ve also had to confront systemic barriers—like a lack of diversity in marine science, outdated views on student compensation, and limited attention on the research value of marine animal mortality response.
One of the biggest and most ongoing challenges is this: it’s extremely difficult to help people understand why examining marine mammal mortalities matters. Unlike live animal rescue and release—where there are dramatic stories, emotional photos, and quick outcomes—mortality work is quiet, complex, and often misunderstood. But it’s essential. These animals have stories to tell, and we learn about disease, environmental change, human impact, and more through necropsy. Unfortunately, fundraising is more problematic because the emotional draw isn’t the same. Few people donate to this kind of work, even though it’s foundational to ocean and human health alike. But just like with other non-profits, donations from everyday citizens help keep OARRA afloat.
Still, every challenge has shaped OARRA, its staff, and volunteers into something more resilient, intentional, more connected, and more aligned with the future we’re trying to build.
As you know, we’re big fans of OARRA—Ocean Animal Response and Research Alliance. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
OARRA—the Ocean Animal Response and Research Alliance—is a nonprofit based in Southern California that works at the intersection of science, compassion, and community. We are one of the few organizations in the country—and the only one in Los Angeles County—dedicated exclusively to responding to marine mammal mortalities. Unlike organizations that focus on live animal strandings, our work centers on the animals who have died—ensuring their stories are not lost. Through necropsy, investigation, and collaborative research, we translate each loss into knowledge that informs conservation, public awareness, and policy.
A necropsy is a scientific examination of an animal after death—similar to a human autopsy. It allows us to uncover how the animal died, what it experienced during its life, and what that reveals about the health of our oceans. During these examinations, we collect a range of tissue samples—blubber, liver, kidney, muscle, brain, and more—which are analyzed for contaminants such as DDT, fire retardants, and heavy metals; toxins from harmful algal blooms like domoic acid (the same events you are hearing about in the news); as well as emerging diseases, genetic information, and other critical indicators.
We’re also collaborating with a national children’s hospital, providing cetacean brain specimens to help doctors and researchers better understand human neurological development. In this way, the animals we examine—even in death—are helping to advance not only marine science but also human health.
This process transforms each individual loss into meaningful insight—informing everything from wildlife management and public health to climate resilience and conservation strategies.
Our work also involves our survey and monitoring program—the ongoing observation and data collection of marine animals and environmental conditions. Whether we’re responding to strandings, surveying coastlines, or tracking patterns over time, our goal is to understand how marine ecosystems are changing and how we can respond more effectively. Through our WatchSpotter platform®, we make this data visible and useful—connecting scientists, policymakers, and the public in real time.
Our work goes far beyond recovery—it’s about honoring every animal through rigorous science, reverent care, and storytelling that sparks action.
“Research, education, and conservation. Everywhere.” isn’t just a tagline—it’s a promise. It reflects our belief that scientific knowledge should be shared widely, accessibly, and compassionately—wherever it’s needed most.
We’re known for our expertise in marine mammal necropsy and response, as well as our deep commitment to training and uplifting the next generation of scientists. At OARRA, we provide meaningful opportunities for underserved and underrepresented individuals—people who might not otherwise have access to marine science or the chance to study marine mammals up close. Through hands-on training, fieldwork, and mentorship, we’re actively breaking down barriers and creating pathways into the field of marine science.
What truly sets us apart is our culture. OARRA isn’t just about collecting data or responding to calls—it’s about building an inclusive, interdisciplinary, and emotionally intelligent scientific space. We value transparency, equity, and the belief that good science includes everyone. We’ve also developed and utilized a digital platform called WatchSpotter®, which allows us to track and share marine animal data in real time—helping both the public and researchers understand what’s happening in our coastal ecosystems.
Whether we’re in the lab, on the beach, or mentoring in the field, OARRA is creating a new way forward—one that blends rigor with reverence, and purpose with heart.
For me, this work is deeply personal. It’s about listening to the quiet stories the ocean is trying to tell us—through the lives and losses of these animals. As someone who’s always felt a deep, fluid connection to the sea, this work is more than science—it’s an act of care, of respect, and of hope for a more compassionate relationship with our blue planet.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
One of my earliest and most formative childhood memories took place during a family camping trip in Wells, Maine—I was under six years old at the time. We went to the beach, and I proudly collected crabs, snails, and other sea animals in a small pail filled with fresh salt water. I didn’t know much, but I knew I wanted to care for them, to keep them safe and happy. That night, I placed the pail beside our trailer, excited to wake up to my new little ocean world.
Of course, you can guess what happened. I woke to stillness. They were gone. I was beyond devastated.
It wasn’t the happiest memory—but it planted something in me. Years later, I was 10-12, when my family lived in a coastal town in Southern Maine, we visited this local beach every day. At low tide, the rocks revealed tidepools—these tiny, magical ecosystems. Remembering that early heartbreak, I didn’t collect this time. I watched. I learned. I let the tidepools teach me about fragility, balance, and patience. The quieter I became, the more the tidepools revealed. I began to understand that observation could be an act of love.
It was in those tidepools, with the waves wrapping gently around me, that my dedication truly centered. That’s where I first understood what it means to listen to the ocean—and I’ve been listening ever since.
Now, through OARRA, I can, we can, continue listening. We listen to the stories hidden in loss—the quiet truths the animals have to tell us through their deaths. In every necropsy, in every shoreline recovery, we hear the tragedies, the patterns, the warnings… and we do our best to translate those into knowledge, action, and hope.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.oarra.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oarra_org/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oarraorg#
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@oarra_org
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@oarra_org
Image Credits
OARRA
