United States Marine Safety Institute
Improving our marine environment through action & education
I, Scott R. Steele, as an active veteran in the field of search and rescue for 32 years
and as founder and co-chair of this 501c3 public non-profit organization, United
States Marine Safety Institute and as the person, unbeknownst to me at the time,
that has been most blessed and honored in meeting Karen back in 2012, I herein
give my heart-felt and first-hand testimony on the character of this lady that has
become my dearest and most trusted friend and colleague of my life and has done so
much for so many in the short near decade that I have known her. Allow me to
introduce our program creator and Director of Education and Co-Chairman of the
board,
Karen L Netzel
Her Motto: “So Others May Succeed”
which, in honor of Karen, we have named her education program…
In Summary
Karen is a profoundly detail oriented professional teacher from Battle Creek High
School, Michigan where she earned tenure teaching history, math, English and social
studies. Besides her teaching career, I came to find out through colleagues, friends
and family that for over the past 20 years, Karin has, as a volunteer, tutored 100’s of
underserved youth all while building an extensive high school swim program from
the ground up, developing and nurturing relationships with children of all ages and
their families.
Professional Experience
Karen also has decades of experience in computer science and writing. Karen excels
at working with people, engaging and making connections with students, teachers,
parents, trainees and customers alike, promoting continual relationships with
anyone she comes in contact with. She is very capable of using technology to locate
information whenever needed and is extraordinary with students and athletes.
Karen recently took a website development course and is creating our usmsi.org
website (in progress) as her first foray into website design.
In 2012, Karen joined the U.S. Marine Safety Institute initially as a volunteer
educator after reading that the USMSI had lost an over six million dollar
environmental grant due to the BP oil spill disaster of 2010. Karen stepped up
because she felt a calling to help us. Karen always goes way overboard to do
whatever she can to make others lives better. Karen started by developing
education programs around our volunteer base of teaching veterans and in-field
search and rescue professionals. The USMSI and USSAR have had volunteer
professional teams for many years assisting in the aftermath of disasters beginning
with 9/11/2001 and with hurricanes beginning with Katrina. As she had in
Michigan, Karen then created, planned, implemented, monitored, and grew our
instructional Module Training Courses (MTC’s) as programs in the field with the
underlying goal to create opportunities and jobs for underserved youth and
veterans alike through proctored hands-on training. Karen’s instructional
techniques have proven to be without equal. Karen continues to tutor with a current
student base of 16 twice weekly.
Karen used her years of experience using a variety of teaching techniques to
encourage student critical thinking and discussions in general education, economics
& history as well as AP history classes. Karen planned, implemented, monitored, and
assessed classroom instructional programs, which was consistent with the Battle
Creek Public School District and state of Michigan regulations and Board of
Education goals. She modified the general education curriculum for special-needs
students based upon a variety of instructional techniques and technologies.
Respectfully Submitted,
Scott R. Steele & Karen L. Netzel
Co-Founders
U.S. Marine Safety Institute
A Message From the Co-Founders