By WECT Staff | February 9, 2021 at 7:22 AM EST – Updated February 9 at 12:21 PM
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – For years, the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center has been run by Jean Beasley, but after decades in the turtle business, Beasley is retiring and the organization has named a new executive director.
“The KBSTRRC Board of Directors and Staff are pleased to welcome our new Executive Director, Kathy Zagzebski. Clearly, no one person will ever be able to fill the very large footprint of our Founder and current Executive Director, Jean Beasley. But after more than four decades in the “turtle business” Jean is retiring this spring to spend much of each year with her family in Tennessee,” according to a Facebook post by the organization.
The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center Announces New Executive Director The KBSTRRC Board of…
Posted by The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center on Friday, January 22, 2021
“Kathy has over twenty-six years of experience working with stranded marine animals not only on our NC coast but also on the beaches of Georgia, California, Hawaii and Massachusetts, where she was the Executive Director and President of the National Marine Life Center in Buzzards Bay,” the post continues.
Over the past winter Zagzebski helped care for and relocate more than 200 turtles that were cold-stunned.
“I’m excited to join the fabulous team at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center. I feel honored to carry forward Karen Beasley’s dream and Jean Beasley’s wonderful legacy. It’s such a privilege to help sick and injured sea turtles recover so they can be released back to their ocean home!”
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