Next Telling Stories Speaker, Dr. Tag Gornall Seattle’s Whale Doctor

Vashon Islander, Dr. Tag Gornall, is one of the world’s foremost Marine Mammal Veterinarians. He is known for his work with the heart and diving studies of Namu, the first orca in captivity. He worked with sea otters during the Exxon-Valdez oil spill and has helped design aquariums around the world. He has been consulting veterinarian for the Seattle Aquarium, Pt Defiance Aquarium, Woodland Park Zoo, and other national and international aquariums. He has consulted on movies about marine life, including Free Willy 2. Tag is a past president of the International Association for Aquatic Animal Medicine.

Tag credits his parents for teaching him to detect subtle clues in identifying problems by relying on an animal’s behavior and body movements. Both of his parents were deaf. They relied on Tag and his sibling to evaluate and judge many conversations with hearing individuals. This helped him learn to pay close attention to detail- not just what someone said but how they sounded.

Tag owned several veterinary clinics and was the director of the Marine Animal Resource Center based in Seattle. He spent his whole career working to rescue, heal, study and rehabilitate marine and other mammals. Now retired from his veterinary career, Tag has turned his efforts in both business and volunteer work to organizations devoted to bettering the community of Vashon. He is the owner of Island Media, president of Island GreenTech, vice president of the Vashon Electric Vehicle Association, and a VashonBePrepared volunteer. Tag sees these projects as his chance to give back for all the blessings in his life.

Come join us to hear stories of whales, otters, gorillas, polar bears and other mammals from one of the most respected men in the field of marine mammal veterinary science, Sunday, March 4 at 4 pm at Bethel Church, 14736 Bethel Lane SW, Vashon. All proceeds benefit the residents and programs of Vashon Community Care. Ticket sales are by donation and are available at Vashon Book Shop or Vashon Community Care. We expect tickets to sell out fast, so be sure to pick up your tickets in advance of the event. The Telling Stories Speaker Series is made possible by a generous donation from the estate of David W. and Catharine A. Carr.