Skip to content
Nonprofiteer
← All organizations

OCEAN DISCOVERY INSTITUTE

EIN 33-0862531 SAN DIEGO, CA

Revenue 2025
$4,595,377
Expenses 2025
$4,372,802

Program services were 69.9% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

As filed

Subsection
03
NTEE code
B12
Classification
1000
Street
4255 THORN ST

These codes are the IRS's own and are shown exactly as filed. What each one means is in the Business Master File documentation (opens in a new tab).

Mission and programs · 2025

Mission

OCEAN DISCOVERY INSTITUTE IS A CALIFORNIA NON-PROFIT CORPORATION ORGANIZED IN 1999 TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF SCIENCE LEADERS. OCEAN DISCOVERY INSTITUTE CREATES LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TRADITIONALLY EXCLUDED FROM SCIENCE DUE TO RACE, INCOME STATUS, AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY. EDUCATION SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TUITION-FREE AND BENEFIT STUDENTS IN A LOW-INCOME COMMUNITY IN CITY HEIGHTS, CA. CURRENTLY, APPROXIMATELY 7,000 YOUNG PEOPLE PARTICIPATE IN HANDS-ON SCIENCE PROGRAMS EACH YEAR. THE INSTITUTE PARTNERS WITH SAN DIEGO TEACHERS AND ENGAGES STEM PROFESSIONALS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS VOLUNTEERS AND MENTORS.

  • OCEAN DISCOVERY INSTITUTE IS A CALIFORNIA NON-PROFIT CORPORATION ORGANIZED IN 1999 TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF SCIENCE LEADERS. OCEAN DISCOVERY INSTITUTE CREATES LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TRADITIONALLY EXCLUDED FROM SCIENCE DUE TO RACE, INCOME STATUS, AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY. EDUCATION SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TUITION-FREE AND BENEFIT STUDENTS IN A LOW-INCOME COMMUNITY IN CITY HEIGHTS, CA. CURRENTLY, APPROXIMATELY 7,000 YOUNG PEOPLE PARTICIPATE IN HANDS-ON SCIENCE PROGRAMS EACH YEAR. THE INSTITUTE PARTNERS WITH SAN DIEGO TEACHERS AND ENGAGES STEM PROFESSIONALS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS VOLUNTEERS AND MENTORS.

    Expenses $3,057,580 · Grants $63,000 · Revenue $295,000

As filed on the 2025 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Officers and directors · 2025

As listed in Part VII of the 2025 return, in the order the filer printed them. Each return names its own; this is not a roster the organization keeps with us.

  • RUDY VARGAS

    CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • HEATHER BENTLEY

    VICE CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • DEVON GIBSON

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • TARA MARATHE

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • DAVE BOYER

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • BARBRA CALANTAS

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • JASMINE DAVENPORT

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • MATHEW MITCHELL

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • ANAI NOVOA

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • VANESSA SARDELLA

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • RICO SOLANO

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • KIMBERLY THOMAS

    BOARD MEMBER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • SHARA FISLER

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $185,890
    From this org
    $173,087
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $12,803
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $173,087
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $1,460
    Nontaxable benefits
    $11,343
    Filer's total
    $185,890

  • LINDSAY MCKAY

    ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $137,596
    From this org
    $134,991
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $2,605
    Hours/week
    40

  • MACKENZIE SANDY

    DIRECTOR OF PHILANTHROPY

    Total calculated
    $137,865
    From this org
    $129,640
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $8,225
    Hours/week
    40

  • SUSAN TILLMAN

    DIRECTOR OF PEOPLE & CULTURE

    Total calculated
    $136,529
    From this org
    $127,404
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $9,125
    Hours/week
    40

  • ELVIA MEZA

    DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION

    Total calculated
    $130,618
    From this org
    $120,723
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $9,895
    Hours/week
    40

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us. Earlier years are each on their own filing page.

Filings

  • 2025
    Revenue
    $4,595,377
    Expenses
    $4,372,802
    Contributions
    $4,157,041
    Grants paid
    $63,000
  • 2024
    Revenue
    $3,994,804
    Expenses
    $4,270,153
    Contributions
    $3,445,188
    Grants paid
    $68,436
  • 2023
    Revenue
    $4,450,999
    Expenses
    $3,743,341
    Contributions
    $3,784,679
    Grants paid
    $0
  • 2022
    Revenue
    $3,846,709
    Expenses
    $2,977,182
    Contributions
    $3,352,003
    Grants paid
    $0

The four totals the IRS asks for on Part I of the Form 990, as filed. A dash means the figure was not present on the return — not that it was zero.

Other returns filed

  • 2021 · 990

    Revenue
    $2,962,133
    Expenses
    $2,270,058
    Assets (EOY)
    $19,370,181

  • 2020 · 990

    Revenue
    $2,797,442
    Expenses
    $2,145,232
    Assets (EOY)
    $18,755,488

  • 2019 · 990

    Revenue
    $2,677,997
    Expenses
    $2,352,032
    Assets (EOY)
    $18,048,508

  • 2018 · 990

    Revenue
    $3,422,177
    Expenses
    $2,382,617
    Assets (EOY)
    $18,142,467

  • 2017 · 990

    Revenue
    $2,706,166
    Expenses
    $1,771,417
    Assets (EOY)
    $5,388,510

  • 2016 · 990

    Revenue
    $2,726,692
    Expenses
    $1,963,944
    Assets (EOY)
    $4,683,746

  • 2015 · 990

    Revenue
    $2,901,554
    Expenses
    $1,463,202
    Assets (EOY)
    $3,576,957

  • 2014 · 990

    Revenue
    $1,550,380
    Expenses
    $1,466,383
    Assets (EOY)
    $2,139,881

  • 2013 · 990

    Revenue
    $1,450,082
    Expenses
    $1,160,045
    Assets (EOY)
    $2,030,993

  • 2012 · 990

    Revenue
    not reported
    Expenses
    $1,389,310
    Assets (EOY)
    $1,785,293

Nonprofiteer parses Forms 990, 990-EZ and 990-PF, in a window of recent tax years. These returns are recorded from the IRS e-file index, so their figures were extracted by that index rather than read from the return here — treat them as a different source from the filings above, not as more of the same record. A dash means the index carries no figure; Form 990-T listings carry none at all. Showing the 10 most recent; the API carries the rest.

Grants made

Where these grants went next →

Grants received

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Other IRS files

Auto-Revocation List

Not listed. The IRS publishes this list for organizations whose exemption was automatically revoked for failing to file for three consecutive years.

Publication 78

Listed as of 13 October 2026, under deductibility PC.

These are two separate IRS files on two separate schedules, shown as published and not reconciled with each other. Neither is a statement about whether a contribution is deductible today: 19,245 organizations appear in Publication 78 while the IRS's own revocation file lists them as currently revoked, more than half of those revoked before 2019. Absence from Publication 78 is evidence of nothing, and presence is not evidence either. Verify current status with the IRS before relying on it.

What this page reflects

The registration facts above come from the IRS Business Master File published 13 October 2026 and read 23 October 2026, for every organization at once. Returns through tax year 2025, the newest we have parsed for this organization.