CORAL - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Grants Manager
- Member of the Development and Marketing Staff
Allie is a well-rounded grant writer with experience in many aspects of the nonprofit world. From program management, volunteer supervision, donor cultivation, and grant writing, Allie brings a heart-led and holistic approach to CORAL! She comes to us with a Bachelors Degree in General Studies and Associates in Organizational Leadership with minors in Human Services and Communications from Purdue University Fort Wayne. She grew up with a passion for the ocean and is a PADI-certified diver. She enjoys all things nature, from gardening to to scuba diving - any connection with this beautiful planet! Allie lives in Indiana where she enjoys the summer heat, beautiful fall weather, raising her daughter, and being surrounded by family.
You can't discover new oceans unless you're willing to lose sight of the shore.
Job Titles:
- Mesoamerican Region Program Staff Member
- Community Scientist
Ana Bessy Valdés Martínez was born in Puerto Castilla, Honduras. She grew up by the sea and began her first steps in fishing with her father and uncle, accompanying them on their fishing trips and cleaning the catch. She has a bachelor's degree in business administration and has extensive experience in fisheries topics, with more than 12 years working hand in hand with groups of fishermen. She is currently the secretary of the fishermen of her community and a member of the supervisory board for the fishermen's network of the Honduran north coast (REDPESCAH).
She has been a community scientist for CORAL since 2019 and has been responsible for collecting biological data of the species captured in the different fishing communities of Trujillo. In addition, he has participated in various courses on fishing and coral reefs .
Job Titles:
- Conservation Science Staff Member
- Program Coordinator
Ben has been captivated by coral reefs since his first underwater forays as an Island School student on Eleuthera, Bahamas. He is fascinated by the abundant and spectacular collections of life that exist in these underwater cities and is keenly interested in understanding how human health and well-being intersects with coral reef conservation outcomes. Prior to joining CORAL, Ben worked with the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation to help manage and develop Capitol Hill Ocean Week-an annual, marine conservation-focused conference in Washington, DC that draws over 1,000 attendees. As a 2018-2019 Watson Fellow, he embarked on a yearlong journey exploring the consequences of coral reef decline for coastal communities in Australia, Micronesia, Palau, Tuvalu, and Belize. He conducted over 100 interviews with scientists, fishermen, tour operators, artists, and others. Ben received his BA in Biology from Swarthmore College in 2018. He is also an avid runner, photographer, and musician.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Elizabeth was elected to CORAL's board in 2007. She is the Senior Advisor to the Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Large Business and International Business Division in Washington D.C. Before joining the IRS, Elizabeth served as director of governmental affairs for the National Association of Bond Lawyers (NABL), where she managed the interaction of NABL with the federal government. Elizabeth has also worked in the national tax offices of KPMG, LLP, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, LLP, and for the Department of the Treasury and law firm Latham & Watkins. She earned a bachelor's degree from The University of Texas, a master's degree in accountancy/taxation from the University of Houston, and a law degree from The University of Texas. A certified scuba diver for almost two decades, Elizabeth volunteers as a diver and underwater presenter at the National Aquarium (NA), has participated in NA fish exploration and collection trips and has conducted REEF field surveys. She serves on the Board of Directors of the NA. She currently resides in Washington, D.C.
Job Titles:
- Conservation Science Staff Member
Job Titles:
- Conservation Science Staff Member
- Project and Outreach Manager
- Project and Outreach Manager / Development and Marketing
Andrea Rivera-Sosa, Ph.D., is a marine biologist who has followed her life dreams of studying coral reefs in the Virgin Islands, Moorea, the Hawaiian Islands, and the Mesoamerican region. She is a diver, reef monitor, and trainer on coral bleaching, stressors, and ecology. She received her doctoral degree in marine science at CINVESTAV, México. She received her bachelor's degree at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa and a master's degree in water and coastal management at the University of Plymouth in the U.K. As CORAL's Project and Outreach Manager for the Global Conservation Science program, she works with multiple groups worldwide to monitor coral bleaching and collaborates with conservation scientists globally to improve the Allen Coral Atlas bleaching detection features and coordinate on-the-ground responses. Andrea is also an entrepreneur in Bacalar, México, alongside her partner and her three dogs, and she enjoys leading environmental events in her local community.
Job Titles:
- Mesoamerican Region Program Staff Member
- Principal Investigator
Antonella is a Honduran biologist born in the city of Tegucigalpa. While diving in the Bay Islands she became aware of the profound impact coral reefs have on the sustainability of coastal communities. This motivated her to earn her doctorate in marine socio-ecological systems from the University of Oviedo. She has a multidisciplinary research background that ranges from analyzing the management implications of larval dispersal to the use of perception research to assess the adaptive capacity of coastal communities. Through her studies and work experience with coastal communities in Europe and Latin America, she has become a firm believer in the need for bottom-up, holistic and adaptive conservation strategies. Currently, Antonella works on generating research to support science-based decision-making in fisheries and water quality in the Mesoamerican reef region.
Brian's ridge-to-reef conservation experience in the Pacific and Caribbean guides his efforts to protect clean water for reefs with CORAL and its partners in Hawai'i. In 2010, he earned his Master's degree from the University of Hawai'i, specializing in stream restoration and sediment transport. Since then, he co-developed coastal watershed management approaches with local communities and led aquatic conservation projects, research, and courses for The Nature Conservancy, IUCN, Asian Development Bank, and National Geographic. This work was based in Belize, Barbados, Micronesia, Fiji, the Galapagos, New Zealand, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. As part of his PhD in aquatic ecology from the University of California, Berkeley, he developed a climate adaptation framework with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). His methodology leveraged local knowledge to reduce stressors in streams and to protect endangered fish species in California. He also served as a science advisor to the EPA on river flow policies, aimed at safeguarding downstream aquatic life. Brian is a National Geographic Explorer, Fulbright Scholar, East-West Center Asia Pacific Leadership Program Fellow, United Nations Environment Programme grantee, California Sea Grant Fellow, and National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow. To energize his endeavors, Brian enjoys ridge hikes and surfing along reefs.
I have lots of heroes: anyone and everyone who does whatever they can to leave the
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Conservation Science Director
Dr. Helen E. Fox is a coral reef ecologist by training; she has more than 20 years of experience working at the boundary of science and conservation, including investigating links between marine protected area (MPA) management and governance, ecological impacts, and human well-being. Prior to joining CORAL, she led the Field Engagement team at the National Geographic Society (NGS) for the Allen Coral Atlas partnership, which takes high-resolution satellite imagery and advanced analytics to map and monitor the world's coral reefs in unprecedented detail. She was previously the Director of marine science at WWF-US, Senior Director of research and monitoring at Rare, Principal of Fox Conservation, LLC, and Senior Director for Changing Planet Grants at NGS. Helen received her doctorate in integrative biology from the University of California at Berkeley in 2002, investigating coral reef recovery and rehabilitation from blast fishing. She has received numerous grants and awards, authored more than 40 scientific publications, logged more than 1,000 dives, and once lived underwater for 10 days in the Aquarius habitat.
Job Titles:
- Accountant
- Mesoamerican Region Program Staff Member
Emilio's experience comes from the private sector. He is a Licensed Bookkeeper and Certified Public Accountant with a degree in Business Administration. He is an experienced accountant, tax advisor, auditor, and administrator having worked for different companies in the Honduran private sector. Emilio would like to offer his experience to CORAL and its team in the pursuit of their institutional goals, particularly since this is an organization passionately striving for the conservation of our coral reefs.
Job Titles:
- Senior Manager and Head of Sanitation, Hawai'I
Erica Perez is a University of Hawai'i at Hilo alum who graduated with degrees in marine science and conservation biology. She fell in love with the underwater world and became a scientific diver working with Hawai'i Division of Aquatic Resources on various marine projects. Erica has worked in Hawai'i for nearly 20 years supporting community-based management, education, and most recently helping to mitigate wastewater impacts caused by cesspools and outdated wastewater technology.
As Senior Program Manager for the Coral Reef Alliance's Hawai'i Island program, Erica has led the Clean Water for Reefs Puakō project for the past seven years, working to convert cesspools along the Puakō shore to better technology to improve human and coral reef health. To ensure all aspects of the transition are addressed and the best possible solutions are identified, she developed and facilitated the Clean Water for Reefs Puakō advisory committee, comprising experts from the industry, government, community, researchers, and nonprofit sector.
Erica currently sits on the State Cesspool Conversion Working Group, which aims to develop a plan to convert all cesspools across the state to better technology by 2050. She also is a core member on the County of Hawai'i Climate Action Committee to mitigate climate impacts through building resilience and community equity. As a member of the South Kohala Coastal Partnership's Clean Water initiative, she ensures actions that support clean and abundant groundwater for South Kohala's coastal ecosystem. Erica strives to empower local communities with the science and data needed to inform positive change. She developed Hawai'i Wai Ola, the first quality assured citizen science water quality monitoring program in Hawai'i County to help improve Hawai'i Island's coastal water quality through science and communication, to accelerate positive change.
Tell me and I will forget, Teach me and I will remember, Involve me and I will learn.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director of the Roatán Marine Park
Job Titles:
- Mesoamerican Region Program Staff Member
- Community Scientist
Job Titles:
- Member of the Development and Marketing Staff
- Development Operations Coordinator
- Development Operations Coordinator / Administration
A native of the Great Lakes state, Heather's passion for the outdoors and preserving our natural resources has been a lifelong endeavor. She has nearly ten years of experience working in nonprofit development and holds a masters degree in Nonprofit Administration from Grand Valley State University. At CORAL, Heather supports the critical fundraising work of the development team, ensuring financial resources are available to execute our programs and mission. She is a competitive equestrian, food junkie, and loves to spend time traveling with her husband and two rescued dogs.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
Heather Starck joins CORAL with over 20 years of executive non-profit conservation management experience. Most recently serving as the Vice President of Grassroots for the National Audubon Society, she brings expertise in strategic planning, fundraising, team management, finance, and partnerships.
Heather began her career with the National Audubon Society in 2000 when she managed the Everglades Education Center for Audubon of Florida where she led field study programs in Loxahatchee Wildlife Refuge, Everglades National Park, Biscayne Bay National Park and John Pennekamp State Park. In 2004, she moved to Columbus, Ohio to design and develop a new nature Center including completing a $14.5M capital campaign, brownfield remediation and new wetland complex.
In 2011, Heather was chosen as the new Executive Director for Audubon North Carolina. In this role, she managed all aspects of the North Carolina program including conservation, policy, finance, fundraising and communications. Under her leadership, Audubon North Carolina grew to focus on five strategic initiatives for the purpose of protecting birdlife across the state. Heather was selected to co-chair Audubon's most recent strategic planning process to help lead the organization into a new era of conservation and also sat on the National Audubon Society's 10-person Climate Cabinet.
In January 2018, Heather was promoted to Vice President for Grassroots - a vital new role focused on building and engaging Audubon's network for conservation action.
Heather led the growth, development, and engagement of Audubon's grassroots network of chapters, volunteers, activists, and youth leaders (including a college campus program).
Job Titles:
- Conservation Science Staff Member
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Jim was elected to CORAL's Board in 2009. Since 1972, he has been involved in the Silicon Valley high-tech industry and has held CFO, COO, president and other executive and board of directors positions in both public and private companies. His accomplishments include taking two companies from start-up through becoming public and growing two other global public companies from several hundred million dollars to several billion dollars in revenue. Jim retired in 2008 but is currently a member of the NewRelic board of directors and chairs their audit committee. He's also the Board Treasurer of the Santa Cruz Fly Fishermen, a board member for BlackSky, and a volunteer with the Coastal Watershed Council. He previously served as a board member for Blue Coat Systems, Inc., Imperva, and MobileIron. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling with his wife Ginger, scuba diving, motorcycling, and fishing. Jim has been an avid scuba and skin diver since 1962, and was NITROX certified; he is also an amateur photographer, both above and underwater. He is passionate about habitat preservation in general, and the marine environment and sustainable practices in particular. Jim received both BSME and MBA degrees from the University of Michigan and then earned his CPA in 1974.
Job Titles:
- Mesoamerican Region Program Staff Member
- Program Manager
Javier has been deeply involved in sustainable tourism and the planning and socialization of marine protected areas since 1994. He conducted workshops on sustainable business practices for tour operators who work within the Parque Nacional Costa Occidental de Isla Mujeres, Punta Cancún y Punta Nizuc, and led the consultation, planning, zonation and management program at Parque Nacional Arrecifes de Puerto Morelos. His role as a facilitator on stakeholder identification, conflict resolution, and fostering local alliances to support the new marine protected areas has been widely recognized by CONANP and the local community. Javier began working with CORAL as a volunteer in 2007, conducting workshops on sustainable tourism and actively promoting the ICRAN voluntary standards for marine recreation in the Mesoamerican Reef System. He joined the CORAL team as full-time staff in 2018 and helps promote and strengthen the Mesoamerican Cruise Destination Network.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Jeff retired as a trial lawyer at Keker, Van Nest & Peters but continues to take on environmental cases pro bono. He has been diving for over 50 years, since age 10. He helped certify over 200 of his classmates at Brown University (before the advent of pressure gauges and inflatable BCDs), then turned his attention to dive travel and underwater photography on reefs throughout the Caribbean and Coral Triangle. Jeff enjoys spending his leisure time with the amazing inhabitants of these far-flung places, both above and below the surface. Two decades past, Jeff started to notice that many of the coral reefs he had previously visited were beginning to decline. In contrast, he witnessed the continued vitality and diversity of the corals and marine life within two areas managed by CORAL and its partners-the Namena Marine Reserve in Fiji, and the Roatan Marine Park in Honduras. So in 2012, Jeff sought out CORAL to offer his support. During 2013-14, Jeff served on CORAL's International Council, where he helped launch the CORAL Conservation Prize. He joined the Board in 2015, chairing the Development Committee and serving on the Marketing and Program Committees. Jeff hopes to help CORAL champion the cause of its most deserving clients-the world's coral reefs.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Conservation Program Director
- Honduran Environmental Engineer
Jenny is a Honduran environmental engineer with a master's degree in sustainable development who was born in Tegucigalpa and moved to the Bay Islands to follow her love for coral reefs. She has over twenty years of experience monitoring coral reef health and working on community-based resource conservation initiatives. She is an expert in local governance and has started and supported the growth of many local organizations. Jenny lives on the island of Roatán.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Secretary of the Board of Directors
- Member at the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business
Judy was elected to CORAL's board in 2023 after several years' involvement as a member of the Advisory Council. An avid scuba diver and PADI instructor, she has volunteered with numerous marine nonprofits, including over 15 years on the dive team at the Downtown Aquarium in Denver.
Judy has over 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur, launching companies in the software and financial services industries. After selling her financial advisory firm to Mercer Advisors, she became its first Director of Corporate Responsibility. In this role, she established the firm's award-winning program for sustainable growth and development based on the UN SDGs, and led its effective ESG/Sustainable investing programs. She published numerous articles on ESG reporting requirements, governance and risk, and how the effective integration of these issues across an organization can enhance company performance. Currently she is involved in research on companies leading their industries in transitioning to more sustainable business practices. She has been profiled in the Wall Street Journal and has contributed to the WSJ, Kiplinger's, Money Magazine, and U.S. News & World Report.
Judy is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business and serves on numerous industry advisory boards. She received MBA and BA degrees in economics and geography from the University of Colorado/Boulder and an MS in Personal Financial Planning from the College of Financial Planning. She and her husband, Scott, have been married over forty years and have three adult children, all of whom enjoy scuba and skiing.
Job Titles:
- Mesoamerican Region Program Staff Member
- Principal Program Coordinator for the North Coast
Julio is a biologist who graduated from the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH). He has worked as a field technician and citizen science supervisor for fisheries research on the North Coast of Honduras. He began his career in environmental governance as an intern at the Coral Reef Alliance and as a volunteer at the environmental NGO, Fundación PROLANSATE. He later became an active member of PROLANSATE Foundation and AMATELA. Julio is also part of the Mesoamerican Reef (MAR) leadership program and the U.S. Alumni community through the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) at the invitation of the U.S. Department of State. Julio stands out in the field of environmental governance due to his ability to disseminate technical information to institutions and local communities, a strength that he attributes to his extensive trajectory as an environmental educator. He also has experience in the implementation of aquaponic projects with native fish species and in fisheries monitoring, an initiative that has been the basis for making effective decisions related to the protection, recovery, and sustainable use of fishing resources on the Northern Coast of Honduras. Julio firmly believes that the participation of local communities is essential to achieve effective conservation of coastal marine resources. He joined CORAL in 2017 and currently serves as Principal Program Coordinator for the North Coast of Honduras, based mainly in Tela Bay.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Marketing Director
- Member of the Development and Marketing Staff
Kate is a seasoned marketer and creative professional with over a decade of marketing experience and 15+ years in branding, design, and photography. Prior to joining CORAL, Kate sat on the leadership team at a global tech company, having built the marketing department from the ground up with a heavy focus on content creation and integrated marketing campaigns. Her lifelong dream of working in ocean conservation led her to develop pro-bono marketing strategies for environmental nonprofits outside of her 9-5. Kate is a lifelong learner, animal welfare activist, and sustainability advocate. She brings an ambitious spirit to CORAL and is excited to spend her time and energy saving the world's coral reefs.
Conservation and her love of nature run deep. Beyond work, Kate enjoys spending time outside, taking photos, hiking, camping, and exploring with her two dogs, Moose and Stormy. She prioritizes downtime with her cat, Neo, while editing photos, building websites, or planning her next island trip. Kate has been a certified scuba diver for over 20 years and prioritizes the ocean in her travels. Her role models include Jane Goodall, Dr. Sylvia Earle, and the late Steve Irwin.
Job Titles:
- Marketing Coordinator
- Member of the Development and Marketing Staff
Kathryn joins the CORAL team with a multifaceted background in digital marketing, offering 7 years of comprehensive experience that spans both creative design and strategic marketing. Several of those years were focused on directing marketing efforts for non-profit organizations dedicated to sustainable practices. This role is more than a job for her; it's the realization of a lifelong ambition to combine her marketing expertise with her deep-rooted passion for ocean conservation.
Living by the ocean isn't just a backdrop for Kathryn-it's her ethos. She dedicated two years to living aboard her sailboat, actively volunteering in ocean conservation initiatives. A scuba diver for over a decade, Kathryn finds inspiration in the words of Jacques Cousteau, "The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever."
Outside of the office, Kathryn can be found surfing, hiking, or rock climbing, often accompanied by her loyal dog, Fin-aptly named for his love of the ocean. She brings an ambitious spirit to CORAL and is fully committed to our mission of safeguarding and rejuvenating the world's coral reefs.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board of Directors
Kirby Ryan joined CORAL's board in 2018 after volunteering in several efforts with CORAL's program and strategy teams. Kirby is a Director of Strategy at Salesforce. Previously, he was the Chief Operating Officer of SWS Venture Capital, where he focused on empowering entrepreneurs in the consumer products and technology space to rapidly disrupt markets and industries. Before entering venture capital, Kirby spent seven years with Deloitte Consulting's Strategy and Operations practice, helping organizations develop long-term customer and operating strategies, improve efficiencies and performance, and launch new businesses. Kirby holds an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management, as well as a master's degree in international business and a bachelor's in marketing from the University of Florida. Kirby enjoys all water-based activities and has been a passionate snorkeler and diver since childhood.
Job Titles:
- Conservation Science Staff Member
- Senior Accountant General Ledger and Grants
As an Alameda, California native, Kristi has always found a sense of serenity and appreciation for the ocean and the wondrous world which exists beneath the surface. Vacations spent SCUBA diving and snorkeling in Hawaiʻi, the Philippines, Australia, and New Zealand deepened her love of the water and coral reefs. After graduating from California State University with a double major in business administration and finance, she began working in accounting and finance for various nonprofits; however, it wasn't until CORAL when Kristi's personal passions and professional values finally aligned. In her free time, she enjoys the beach and water sports, coach's youth soccer, plays on an adult soccer team, volunteers at various places, and spends much of her time among nature, enjoying one adventure at a time.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Lauretta is a geographer within the Sustainable Ocean Initiative at World Resources Institute (WRI), where she leads WRI's efforts on coral reefs. Lauretta focuses on spatial analysis of local and global threats to coral reefs, economic valuation of the goods and services that coastal ecosystems provide to people, and improving access to data for decision making relevant to coral reefs. Lauretta led the Reefs at Risk project series - a broad collaboration to model local and climate-related threats to the world's coral reefs. Lauretta also works on climate resilience - helping coastal areas prepare for future climate. Her work on economic valuation includes national and regional valuations of the tourism, fisheries and shoreline protection services provided by coral reefs and mangroves in the Caribbean. Lauretta grew up in a coastal city - Brooklyn, NY and has always been drawn to the sea. She has an M.A. in Geography from UC Santa Barbara and currently lives in Washington, DC. Lauretta began diving in 1998, doing her checkout dives on the Great Barrier Reef. Lauretta joined the CORAL Board in 2021.
Makayla has a passion for finding a ways to increase the sustainability of natural resources in Hawaii. She is engulfed in understanding the connectivity between ocean, land, and people. Makayla holds her bachelor's degree in Sustainable Science Management from the University of Hawaii College, where most of her studies focused on island-based sustainability issues and the management of resources. She has worked with several conservation entities from the top of the mountain, at Pu'u Kukui Watershed Preserve, to the bottom of the ocean as a marine environmental consultant. Her most recent position as Coordinator at Kipuka Olowalu Cultural Reserve has provided her with a background in culturally sensitive work. Makayla brings with her the belief with her that in Hawaii, the success of conservation efforts depends on the integration of indigenous knowledge. In her free time, Makayla is spending time with family or at the beach.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
- Development and Marketing Director
Mandy is a skilled fundraiser and leader with over 14 years of experience in government and nonprofit administration. At CORAL, Mandy works to support the mission through strategic relationship building and implementation of diverse funding strategies to position the organization to sustain and grow. She earned her master's degree in coastal and marine management from the University of Sydney in Australia and is thrilled to be in a role that aligns her work experiences with her passion for ocean conservation. Mandy is a certified SCUBA divemaster and lives in Michigan, taking advantage of the endless opportunities to connect with nature in the Great Lakes region.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Development and Marketing Staff
- Associate Director of Partnerships & Community Engagement
Manuel leads our Hawai‘i program with a biocultural and science-based approach to positively impact ecosystems and human well-being. He holds two master's degrees, one in agricultural and biosystems engineering from McGill University and another in environmental science and policy from Columbia University. Manuel has dedicated over two decades building community resilience through biodiversity conservation with organizations around the world, including Biodiversity Conservation Network, World Wildlife Fund (Tubbataha Reefs, UNESCO World Heritage Site), Fisheries Defense Fund (New York City), The Nature Conservancy, the Maui Nui Makai Network (Hawai'i), and the Locally-Managed Marine Area Network across seven countries in the Asia-Pacific region (Fiji, Philippines, Palau, Indonesia, Solomon Islands, Ponhpei, and Papua New Guinea). Manuel is lucky to have crewed on Hokuleʻa, Hawai'iʻs traditional voyaging canoe during her Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage and is a passionate student of humanity's inextricable relationship with the ocean.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Development and Marketing Staff
- Strategic Partnerships Coordinator
Born and raised in New Jersey, Maria moved to the Caribbean archipelago of Bocas del Toro, Panama, after graduating from the University of Richmond with a B.A. in International Development. Living on an island, she worked for a youth development nonprofit organization where she learned Spanish, the ins and outs of program building, and grant writing. Here, she has also learned how to SCUBA dive, as well as saw first-hand the challenges that climate change brings to coastal communities and the ecosystems they depend on for economy and enjoyment. At CORAL, Maria is responsible for supporting grant writing efforts and communicating with corporate partners. She is a PADI divemaster, an avid Kindle reader, a twin, and a lover of all breakfast foods (specifically cinnamon buns). She runs on coffee.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
María José González is a biologist from the Del Valle University of Guatemala with a Master's degree in Wildlife Management. She served as an advisor to the National Council for Protected Areas (CONAP) where she worked on several wildlife regulations, including the first Red Lists for vertebrates in Guatemala. After CONAP, she worked as Executive Director of the Fundación Interamericana de Investigación Tropical (FIIT), while also serving as a research fellow for the Wildlife Conservation Society Vertebrate Ecology Project in Tikal National Park, Guatemala. María José served as Executive Director of the Fundación para la Conservación de los Recursos Naturales y Ambiente en Guatemala (FCG) from 1996-2004. She participated in the design and establishment of the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Environmental Funds (RedLAC), and served on the RedLAC Executive Committee twice. Since 2005, María José has been the Executive Director of the Mesoamerican Reef Fund (MAR Fund). MAR Fund is a regional environmental fund established to support conservation, restoration and sustainable use of resources in the Mesoamerican Reef ecoregion, shared by Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras. She has contributed to the capitalization of its $30.5M endowment fund and to mobilizing over $28M for projects in the region. María José joined CORAL's Board of Directors in 2021.
Job Titles:
- Maui Nui Program Manager
- Maui Nui Program Research Coordinator
- Maui Nui Project Manager
Makayla has a passion for finding a ways to increase the sustainability of natural resources in Hawaii. She is engulfed in understanding the connectivity between ocean, land, and people. Makayla holds her bachelor's degree in Sustainable Science Management from the University of Hawaii College, where most of her studies focused on island-based sustainability issues and the management of resources. She has worked with several conservation entities from the top of the mountain, at Pu'u Kukui Watershed Preserve, to the bottom of the ocean as a marine environmental consultant. Her most recent position as Coordinator at Kipuka Olowalu Cultural Reserve has provided her with a background in culturally sensitive work. Makayla brings with her the belief with her that in Hawaii, the success of conservation efforts depends on the integration of indigenous knowledge. In her free time, Makayla is spending time with family or at the beach.
Brian's ridge-to-reef conservation experience in the Pacific and Caribbean guides his efforts to protect clean water for reefs with CORAL and its partners in Hawai'i. In 2010, he earned his Master's degree from the University of Hawai'i, specializing in stream restoration and sediment transport. Since then, he co-developed coastal watershed management approaches with local communities and led aquatic conservation projects, research, and courses for The Nature Conservancy, IUCN, Asian Development Bank, and National Geographic. This work was based in Belize, Barbados, Micronesia, Fiji, the Galapagos, New Zealand, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. As part of his PhD in aquatic ecology from the University of California, Berkeley, he developed a climate adaptation framework with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). His methodology leveraged local knowledge to reduce stressors in streams and to protect endangered fish species in California. He also served as a science advisor to the EPA on river flow policies, aimed at safeguarding downstream aquatic life. Brian is a National Geographic Explorer, Fulbright Scholar, East-West Center Asia Pacific Leadership Program Fellow, United Nations Environment Programme grantee, California Sea Grant Fellow, and National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow. To energize his endeavors, Brian enjoys ridge hikes and surfing along reefs.
I have lots of heroes: anyone and everyone who does whatever they can to leave the
Job Titles:
- Administrator
- Assistant
- Mesoamerican Region Program Staff Member
Mayra was bornand raised in Roatán, Bay Islands of Honduras. She has lived on the island her entire life.
Mayra has a degree in Business Administration and has worked for many companies where she acquired extensive experience in administration management. Joining CORAL has awakened that passion and curiosity to learn more about our reefs, as well as care for and protect them. She has seen many changes to her island home in recent years, especially in the realm of conservation and coral reefs.
"This job has educated me, and I like that. As an islander, I now feel the responsibility of giving advice to others on how we can collaborate so our children and descendants can enjoy the beauty of our reefs."
Job Titles:
- Mesoamerican Region Program Staff Member
- Research Assistant
Mayra is a Honduran biologist since very early in her career. Her main interest has been the monitoring and biological/ecological study of commercially important marine species in Honduras. The lack of information on this subject motivated her to get a master's degree in marine ecology at UCSC in Chile and she is currently a PhD student in marine biology at Universidad Austral de Chile. Her experience in recent years has been based on the implementation of various ecological tools, providing important information for the conservation and management of marine resources in the Honduran Caribbean. Currently, her line of research is focused on the effect of river discharges on the marine ecosystems of Honduras.
Job Titles:
- Vice Chair of the Board of Directors
Throughout a career in software development, Mike felt a calling to focus his efforts on the environment. After spending a year in Australia doubling the entries in his 15-year-old scuba dive log, he came to believe that coral reefs, in particular, need critical conservation attention. Since discovering CORAL in 2007, Mike has volunteered database and other technical expertise to the organization. Joining the board in 2013, where he serves on the Audit and Executive Committees, has reinvigorated Mike's commitment to winning the struggle to preserve the world's reefs. Mike holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from U.C. Berkeley.
Job Titles:
- Mesoamerican Region Program Staff Member
- Community Scientist
In her early life, Monica Urrutia moved from her home in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, to the Garifuna community of Tornabe in Tela. She is a computer technician and has extensive experience working in the tourism sector. As a mother of two, she is inspired to take part in environmental initiatives for the protection and recovery of coastal marine resources. Since 2022, she has been working with CORAL in Tela Bay as a Community Scientist and leading the native fish species aquaculture project.
Monica, being from a family of fishermen, has extensive knowledge of this activity and has developed a great ability to interact with local fishermen, including Garifuna communities. She monitors fishing in the Bay of Tela, which is of great importance to know the state of the resource and to generate strategies for the conservation of coral reefs and the sustainable use of the fishing resource. Monica is also responsible for the native fish farming project, an initiative of the Coral Reef Alliance that is considered a key long term project to establish sustainable economic alternatives for fishing communities.
Job Titles:
- Mesoamerican Region Program Staff Member
- Program Manager
Pamela was born and raised in the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa. She has loved being in nature since she was a child climbing mountains near her neighborhood. After becoming an environmental engineer at Catholic University of Honduras, she worked in remote communities in southern Honduras. She soon discovered her paradise-Utila, a beautiful little island that few people on the mainland knew about-and what started as a vacation soon became home. She moved to work with the private sector, and continued to SCUBA dive. Pamela worked for the Bay Islands Conservation Association, specializing in protected area management and sea turtle conservation, and when she learned coral reef monitoring in 2010 she couldn't wait to share it. A certified diver since 1998, she is a divemaster, coral reef monitor, and trainer. She enjoys community work, nonprofit organization strengthening, unifying community sectors to work together, and helping create an empowering and thriving community to protect coral reefs. She joined CORAL in July 2012.
From birth, man carries the weight of gravity on his shoulders. He is bolted to earth. But man has only to sink beneath the surface and he is free.
Job Titles:
- Mesoamerican Region Program Staff Member
- Program Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Treasurer of the Board of Directors
Rob was elected to CORAL's board in 2019. For over 20 years he worked in a number of nonprofit and for-profit organizations as a technology leader. Most recently he worked at Hudson River Trading, a quantitative trading firm in NYC where he helped the partners grow the company from a single employee to a global firm trading in almost every market around the world. Rob did his check out dives in Bonaire in 1998 while attending a conservation-focused dive conference. Meeting Brian Huse, CORAL's executive director at the time, and doing activities like reef cleaning, fish counting, and coral mapping helped solidify for him the connection between human activity and its impact on the delicate ecosystems that are integrated into our world's reefs. He's remained passionate about conserving reefs ever since. Rob's other main interests include cooking, playing guitar and synthesizers, and hanging out with his family.
Santos Banegas has been fishing off the coast of Puerto Castilla, Honduras, for the last 35 years. At the start of his fishing career, he remembers routinely catching 300 to 500 pounds of fish a day, which meant he could easily feed and support his family. Today, he's lucky if he catches 30 to 40… Continue Reading →
Job Titles:
- Maui Nui Program Research Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Shannon joined the CORAL Board in 2023, after serving as a member of the Coral Advisory Council. He developed a deep fascination with coral ecosystems during his first snorkeling experience on his honeymoon in Hawaii. As a father of three, he is passionately dedicated to preserving and restoring healthy ecosystems for future generations. Shannon has spent the past two decades building technology companies with a focus on enhancing and simplifying access to computing. He is the co-founder and President of Acorn Labs, a cloud computing company that offers free development sandboxes to anyone exploring cloud computing. Prior to founding Acorn, Shannon co-founded Rancher Labs, a software company that provides a free and open-source computing platform used by numerous institutions, non-profits and organizations to develop and run applications. He also served as a board member of the non-profit Cloud Native Computing Foundation for four years.
Job Titles:
- Mesoamerican Region Program Staff Member
- Finance and Operations Manager, Western Caribbean
Job Titles:
- Mesoamerican Region Program Staff Member
- Regional Program Director
Job Titles:
- Conservation Program Coordinator
Tela Bay, Honduras has some of the healthiest corals along the Mesoamerican Reef, boasting an abundance of critically endangered species, averaging a high rate of coral cover, and providing an important source of coral larvae for the region. It's why we work with local communities, scientists, and partners to protect Tela Bay and its natural… Continue Reading →
The Fisheries Management Plan for Tela Bay seeks to establish a tool for the integrated and sustainable development of fishing activity in Tela Bay. The management plan seeks to achieve three main objectives that integrate three key areas for the management of fisheries resources: ecological, social and economic.
This study evaluates the socioeconomic status of artisanal fishers in Tela Bay, Honduras, to understand the current systems of governance and decision-making and inform the applicability of fishing management tools.