San Diego Unified Port District

14/08/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 14/08/2025 19:16

Port of San Diego Recognizes Living Coast Discovery Center as Anchors of Excellence Awardee for the Month of August

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From left to right: Port of San Diego President & CEO Scott Chadwick, Living Coast Discovery Center Director Sanya Devore, Port of San Diego Vice Chair Ann Moore, Living Coast Discovery Center Executive Director Ben Vallejos, Port of San Diego Chair Danielle Moore, and Living Coast Discovery Center Director of Education Shayna Foreman.

The Chula Vista based nonprofit Living Coast Discovery Center is the Port of San Diego's Anchors of Excellence awardee for August. The organization is honored for its continued service to the public in the areas of sustainability, environmental stewardship, youth engagement, and education. Port Chair Danielle Moore presented the award at the August 12 Board of Port Commissioners' meeting.

"The Port of San Diego is proud to honor the Living Coast Discovery Center with our Anchors of Excellence Award," said Chair Danielle Moore of the Board of Port Commissioners. "They inspire local youth and the public at large to connect with San Diego Bay through exciting education programs and a rich history of conservation efforts. As climate change continues to impact communities around the world, innovative organizations like Living Coast Discovery Center are inspiring community action today, that will allow future generations to enjoy the beauty of our coastal environment."

The Living Coast Discovery Center is a nonprofit zoo and aquarium dedicated to delivering impactful education and conservation programs that connect the community to San Diego Bay. For more than 30 years, they have hosted thousands of children, including through a partnership with the Port and the Chula Vista Elementary School District, which offers field trips, outreach, scout programs, and other community education programs. The Living Coast Discovery Center is also responsible for raising and releasing nearly 700 endangered Ridgway's rails, into the wild, since 1999.

"The Living Coast is thrilled to receive the Anchors of Excellence Award," said Ben Vallejos, Executive Director of the Living Coast Discovery Center. "Thanks to the Port of San Diego's partnership, we're able to continue delivering impactful education and conservation programs that connect our community to the San Diego Bay and our coastal environment."

Nominations
Nominations for future Anchors of Excellence awards are welcomed by anyone for any individual, business, or nonprofit that does great work in the region. Nominations are reviewed by an internal Port selection committee, which considers the following:

  • Alignment with Port values: Accountability, Courage, Inclusiveness, Fairness, Fun, Innovation, Integrity, Teamwork, and Transparency.

  • Geographic diversity to ensure representation from all five Port member cities: Chula Vista, Coronado, Imperial Beach, National City, and San Diego.

For more information or to submit a nomination, please click here.
San Diego Unified Port District published this content on August 14, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on August 14, 2025 at 23:16 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]