Rachel Bowman

President, Lionfish Invitational 

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Introduced to lionfish by beer magnate Adolphus Busch IV in 2010 (seriously), Rachel was a participant on the 2nd Lionfish Invitational and promptly took over.  A five-time Lionfish World Championship winner and the first person to sell lionfish to Whole Foods, she lives in the Florida Keys with her Sexy Boyfriend and more cats than necessary.  Rachel gets excited about good book suggestions, so please oblige.

Dr. Holden Harris,

Vice President, Lionfish Invitational

 

Dr. Harris has a PhD in Scientific Modeling, and we still don't know what that means. He has authored various scientific publications about lionfish and continues to have great hair.  Dr. Harris legitimately likes long walks on the beach and dogs. And yes, that is his real laugh. 

Leah Neal

Treasurer, Lionfish Invitational

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Leah is the GOAT of the aquarium world.  Formerly a Senior Aquarist at the Ripley's Aquarium of Canada, she is now the curator at the worlds third-largest aquarium, the Georgia Aquarium.  She's been scuba diving with Shaquille O'Neal and is amazing at catching baby lionfish in Ziploc bags.  You can watch Leah being Leah on Animal Planet's award-winning Aquarium show.   

Dr. Michelle Johnston

Sanctuary Superintendent, Flower Garden Banks Nat'l Marine Sanctuary

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Originally from Ohio, Dr. Johnston started her dive career as Scuba Mickey at Disney World.  The original founder of Lionfish Invitational, she is also a surfer, yoga instructor and mother to the smartest 7-year old on the planet.  Dr. Johnston is Rachel Bowman's hair-twin, and credits the film The Little Mermaid for inspiring her to become a marine biologist.

Hanna Bauer, 

Science Lead, TPWD

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In 2022, Hanna had the brilliant idea to approach Lionfish Invitational with a pot of money and an impish grin. ( It worked. ) Having written her Masters thesis on lionfish, Hanna is now the Policy & Education Lead for Texas Parks & Wildlife.  A founding member of The Belly Band, Hanna wants to be compared to the Komodo Dragon, but in reality she is most likely wearing a cow-print bathing suit and napping somewhere.

Rachel "Rigs2Rach" Parmer

Artificial Reef Coordinator, TPWD

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A former competitive gymnast and platform diver, Rachel now dives oil platforms (see what I did there? It's funny, right?).  While working in marine husbandry, Rachel started her TPWD career as a volunteer  in 2011 with the Rigs-to-Reef program, which she now runs. Don't let the sweet demeanor fool you: She has sustained multiple face injuries and dives with Orcas in Norway, so you might wanna mess with someone else.