The Whale Museum’s 2009 Lecture Series continues with a conversation with Senator Kevin Ranker on Tuesday, July 21 at 7:00 pm. Senator Ranker will give a briefing on how the environment fared in the 2009 Legislative Session. Senator Ranker serves on several committees including Natural Resources, Ocean & Recreation (of which he is the Vice Chair) and Environment, Water & Energy.

A resident of San Juan Island, Sen. Ranker was elected to the Washington State Legislature in 2008. Sen. Ranker has worked at the local, regional and international level developing and advancing coastal and ocean policy, community development strategies and conservation initiatives. His most recent public service was as a San Juan County Council member from 2004-08 (serving as Chair of the Council in his freshman year). Prior experience includes working as a program officer for the Pacific Region for The Ocean Foundation where he was responsible for all funds and policy for the west coast of the United States, Mexico and Canada. Prior to that, he was the executive director of the Friends of the San Juans. He also served as the Chair of the Washington Coastal Counties Caucus; Chair of the Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Council; and as a board member of the Puget Sound Partnership and a member of the Washington State Shoreline Hearings Board.

The July 21 lecture is free and open to the public, although donations are appreciated. For more information, call (360) 378-4710 ext. 23. The Whale Museum is located in Friday Harbor at 62 First St. N.

Founded in 1979, The Whale Museum’s mission is to promote stewardship of whales and the Salish Sea ecosystem through education and research. In addition to providing exhibits, the Museum also provides programs including the Orca Adoption Program, Soundwatch Boater Education, Marine Naturalist Training, San Juan Islands Marine Mammal Stranding Network, and the Whale Hotline. The Whale Museum can be found on-line at www.whalemuseum.org.