OUR MISSION
The mission of Sonoma Coast Historical and Undersea Nautical Research Society (SCHUNRS) is to promote greater knowledge and public stewardship of local maritime cultural heritage along the Sonoma-Mendocino Redwood Coast and beyond. SCHUNRS is an all-volunteer organization
using public education, historical research, and maritime archaeology to document historical and physical
traces of our maritime heritage before they are lost forever.
Meet the Board
Treasurer
John Harreld has been researching the shipwrecks and maritime history of the Redwood Coast in his free time for over a decade. He is a volunteer scientific diver for the Bodega Marine Lab and a volunteer member of the California State Parks Dive Team. John serves as the Treasurer of SCHUNRS and helps lead the Fieldwork and Research Teams.
Vice President
Sheli Smith has been working with California’s maritime heritage for decades, excavating shipwrecks, teaching and promoting stewardship. In addition to serving as SCHUNRS’ Vice President, Sheli is Director of Napa Historical Society and serves on the California State Parks Dive Safety Advisory Board. Sheli assists SCHUNRS research and outreach efforts
Secretary
Jason Herum is a Diving Safety Officer who manages the Scientific Diving Program for the University of California, Davis. In his role as DSO, he helps design, develop, and implement programs to promote diving and boating safety, risk management and accident prevention. Along with serving as Secretary, Jason helps lead the SCHUNRS Outreach and Fieldwork Teams.
President
Denise Jaffke currently works as Principal Investigator and Archaeologist for Far Western Anthropological Research Group, Inc. and a volunteer scientific diver with the California State Parks Dive Team. Along with serving as SCHUNRS’ President, she also leads the Documentation Team to ensure that all identified resources are recorded to professional standards. Denise assists with public outreach efforts—online, locally, and statewide.
Preserve & Protect Our Maritime Hertiage
An essential aspect of SCHUNRS’ mission is to discover and protect our remaining maritime cultural heritage, both on land and under the waves. Through education we can promote beneficial public stewardship of artifacts and sites. Through exploration, non-destructive archaeology, and documentation we can advance public knowledge and bring our maritime heritage to life.