When we say that some Seattle Aquarium team members wear their love for the marine environment on their sleeves, we mean it literally. And it doesn’t stop there! As it turns out, a good number of Aquarium staff members show their love for the ocean and its inhabitants with some pretty incredible tattoos—on sleeves, arms, legs and more.
In fact, when we put out a call for people who would be interested in sharing their tattoos—and the inspiration behind them—in a web story, the response was so strong that a series was clearly in order.
Here we bring you “Tattoos of the Seattle Aquarium, Part 1.” We hope you enjoy getting to know these four folks and discovering the stories behind their ink!
"I’ve always liked the parallel of flowers and sharks: something that's so stereotypically beautiful and something that's portrayed so poorly in media."
“I like to talk about how hippos statistically kill more people than sharks do, and that you’re more likely to get struck by lightning twice in your lifetime than you are to get attacked by a shark. Stats like that can help people think about it in perspective.
The top of my tattoo is an Indo-Pacific leopard shark, which actually fits nicely because that’s the species that the Aquarium is helping to restore. The bottom is a blacktip reef shark, my favorite species of shark and the first larger species I ever saw in real life, when I was 11. And then my favorite flower: white lilies. Whenever I see them, I think of my mom. She had them around the house all the time when I was growing up. She was a single mom, so we’re very close.
I’ve had a fun path with the Aquarium. I was 5 the first time I did marine summer camp. I came every summer until I was too old, then I joined the Youth Ocean Advocates program, became an adult volunteer, worked in the gift shop—and now I’m on staff.
I think doing those youth development programs really shifted my gears because, when I was little, the one obvious pathway for a career in marine science was research. The Aquarium’s youth programs showed me that other paths were possible and brought me out of my shell. It feels very full circle because I wouldn’t be who I am without that type of mentorship—and it feels really good to give that mentorship to other kids.”
—Alijah Benbrook (she/they), youth engagement mentor
Tattoo by Zezi at Finer Things Tattoo, Instagram @zezitattoo
"I love the ocean. It’s so unimaginably huge and powerful, with this sense of peacefulness about it. There's something about it that—it’s funny, it’s the opposite word—is so grounding."
“When my wife and I travel, the ocean is almost always involved. We went to the Big Island a few years back and I felt extra connected to Hawai‘i and my family there. For the first time, it felt like another home.
I’d been thinking for a long time about a sleeve tattoo and after that trip, it all just kind of came together. My wife and I had been going through really tough times with our youngest kiddo, who we almost lost. So the seed of life symbol inside the sea turtle has a lot of meaning. And the turtle itself was an easy choice because they’re amazing, peaceful, beautiful creatures. A great conduit for me to appreciate life and my roots in Hawai‘i.
If I go snorkeling and see one, it feels extremely personal. You’re underwater, you feel completely alone and there’s a sense of, ‘It’s only me here. I can’t talk to anybody. I don’t see or hear anybody. I’m just in this space…and with me is this turtle.’ You can’t help but feel a super special connection, being in such a private zone and experiencing it with a turtle.
Feeling a sense of connection is a big driver for me. My job at the Aquarium is trying to help make the best possible experience for our guests through graphic design—and even if I’m just creating artwork on a computer, I know it’s connected to something larger. We have a mission and people are furthering it from every level. I like being a contributor to that.”
—Mike Strassburger (he/him), senior graphic designer
Tattoo by Mua Posala at Paka Polynesian Tattoo, Instagram @paka_polynesian
"I think great blue herons are really graceful, very cool birds. They're also kind of awkward and dorky, and I like that too."
“I studied environmental education at Western, up in Bellingham. Some of the lessons I did were about great blue herons and eelgrass, and how important they are in the marine environment. I especially liked learning about herons. There’s a rookery in Bellingham and I visited it a lot. So a heron felt like a natural choice for my first tattoo.
I was quite an activist in college, did a lot of protests. I got involved in the political community through that—especially the environmental political community—and got connected through folks I knew. Someone reached out to me near the end of my college program said, ‘Hey, we need a campaign manager for this person, do you want to do it?’ I did, and it ended up leading me to where I am now.
After I graduated in 2017, I ran campaigns in Whatcom County for three years. I worked on a state senate race where the candidate lost by just 48 votes—seriously. I’ve also worked for Congresswoman DelBene, Governor Jay Inslee and Senator Patty Murray. Politics is fun. It’s very fast-paced.
What I like about my work at the Aquarium is that it’s a fusion of politics—or, rather, government relations—and what I studied and enjoyed in college: environmental education and marine science. I think of the government relations team as a funding force, helping to fund the Aquarium’s conservation work through government resources. We also maintain relationships with elected officials to help make sure the Aquarium can keep growing its impact.”
—Shelby Kremenich (she/her), government relations coordinator, 2022–2023
Tattoo by Dani Wilson at Rabbit and Thorn Tattoo, Instagram @daniwilsonart
"If you talk about abalone, a lot of people will say, ‘Yum, delicious,’ but there's so much more to know."
“I tell people how important they are for kelp forest health, and that they’re culturally significant to local tribes. That they used to be much more readily available in Puget Sound and now they’re not. And how we’re partnering to try to boost those numbers again.
I fell in love with pinto abalone when I was in college, working in a research lab. I thought they were excited to see me because when you give them kelp, they rear up and it’s the cutest little thing in the entire world. I was like, ‘These are my jam. I love them.’ So I decided to get a tattoo. My dad named him: Bill the ‘Balone, like baloney.
I also volunteered at the Aquarium during that time but it was when I did an internship here that I knew I’d found the thing I wanted to do. I was a temp for a while, got a relief position, then, earlier this year, there was an opening for a non-diving aquarist role. I’m not a diver—I have Type 1 diabetes and it’s hard enough being a diabetic on land. It was my dream job, and here I am.
The coolest part is that every day is different. You’re an aquarist, but you’re also a plumber or a life support technician, or coming up with a new design for a habitat. You have to be creative and artistic. I also like that we have our pinto abalone hatchery at the Animal Care Center now, and every other week I get to take care of them. I feel like I’m doing something important when I come to work, which is a really nice feeling.”
—Bailey Johnson (she/her), aquarist
Tattoo by Slave to the Needle, Instagram @slavetotheneedle
Interested in joining the people featured in our web story with a job at the Seattle Aquarium? No tattoos required! Visit our careers page to see our latest open roles.
