Forrest Gomez

Dr. Gomez is an accomplished marine mammal clinician with 15 years of experience caring for wild and managed marine mammals including cetaceans, pinnipeds and sea otters.

Her expertise has been gained primarily through care of the U.S. Navy’s marine mammals and the application of this knowledge to wild animal populations. Dr. Gomez also has a background in behavior, training and high-profile rehabilitation and release programs through her work as a sea otter aquarist with the Monterey Bay Aquarium. She has experience caring for marine mammals in sea pens, transporting animals globally, field medicine, ultrasound technique development, maternal and neonatal care and wild dolphin health assessments. She currently serves as the Director of Animal Health and Welfare for the National Marine Mammal Foundation, leading a team of veterinary clinicians, technicians and research staff caring for the Navy’s animals. Her focus is on advancing marine mammal medicine through clinical research and high-quality care with the ultimate goal of application to conservation medicine and species survival.