The Team

Stefanie brendl

Founder and President

Stefanie has many years of experience in Underwater photo and video production.  She has hundreds of hours of diving with shark of all shapes and sizes, and has been working in Ocean related professions for years - one of them being a shark diving operation in Hawaii called Hawaii Shark Encounters, which she owned and operated with Jimmy Hall since 2002, and which she sold on to new owners in 2014. In recent years, her political work has put Stefanie on the forefront of shark conservation, in particular in the Pacific region. She was a driving force behind the first shark fin trade ban in the Nation in Hawaii in 2010 and has since then dedicated her life to the conservation of sharks. Stefanie has worked as a team member or consultant for several other great NGOs and founded Shark Allies in 2007 in Hawaii. 2014 she brought the organization to California. She is also the Executive Producer and cast member of Extinction Soup.

Erika Wunch

Vice President

Erika is a native of Southern California, a wildlife enthusiast, and a conservationist. After being a studio executive for over a decade, she left her respected position to become an independent film producer, pursuing her love of nature and focusing on projects that entertain and educate audiences about wildlife and the importance of conservation. In addition to producing she the created the fine jewelry line, Stick Sand Bones, utilizing prehistoric fossils mixed with precious gems and metals. Proceeds from this line are donated back to shark and ocean conservation. She currently resides in Los Angeles and devotes her time and energy to raise awareness and funds to help protect animals both underwater and on land.

Laurel Irvine

Public Relations and Campaign Manager

Laurel is a Los Angeles native and lifetime advocate of the oceans. She grew up with summers in Santa Monica Bay and extended visits to the Hawaiian Islands and French Polynesia. Her appreciation and respect for the ocean started with the green sea turtle program in Kona and the ancient aquaculture of Kalahuipuaa. Her love grew while studying at University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. There she narrowed her environmental scope to a focus on the Great White sharks in Southern Australia. The Great Barrier Reef and importance of this ecosystem pushed her to certify as a PADI Divemaster. With her education in film production, Before Shark Allies, Laurel worked in production for feature films and television in Los Angeles. She spends her weekends diving the Channel Islands and volunteering at Marine Mammal Care Center in San Pedro. The biggest thing she has learned over the years is that it is your responsibility to protect what you love.