Donna Chandra
Donna’s innate respect and reverence for nature was instilled in her by her family, shaped by adventures in the Sierra Nevadas including planting hundreds of trees, summers swimming and fishing in Almaden’s creeks, and sailing on the San Francisco Bay with her grandfather. These early experiences instilled in her a profound respect for the natural […]
Martin Romain
Martin Romain is a seasoned project manager and marine scientist with over a decade of experience, particularly in the Pacific region. His work in the Marshall Islands spans multiple leadership and advisory roles, including serving as Chief Technical Advisor for the Ridge to Reef Program, where he integrated environmental, socio-economic, and cultural data into resource […]
Nygma Federico
Nygma Moses serves as the Media Specialist for OneReef’s Micronesia Team in Palau. In this role, he manages media equipment, oversees social media engagement, and documents fieldwork through photography and videography. Growing up in the 2000s with a Palauan father and a Filipino mother, Nygma experienced a blend of cultures but gravitated toward western practices […]
Jeff Leppo
Jeff is a retired attorney with 40 years of counseling, permitting and trial court experience at the intersection between law and science. His law practice focused on ensuring businesses and trade associations understood and successfully navigated complex environmental regulatory regimes, particularly involving endangered species, marine mammals, climate change, natural resources and Arctic issues. Jeff is […]
Dr. Stuart Sandin
Dr. Stuart Sandin is a community ecologist who has worked broadly in the fields of wildlife study, management, and conservation across the insular tropics. Dr. Sandin is a professor of marine ecology at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), UC San Diego, where he is the Oliver Chair in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation and serves as […]
Dr. Michael Webster
Michael Mehta Webster is a Professor of Practice in the Department of Environmental Studies. He earned a Ph.D. in Zoology at Oregon State University, and a B.S. in Zoology from the University of Wisconsin. Webster is an expert in ecology, biodiversity conservation, natural resource management, and philanthropy. His research focuses on how to promote the […]
Dr. Greg Asner
Greg Asner is Director of the Center for Global Discovery and Conservation Science, an Arizona State University research unit based in Hilo, Hawaiʻi. Following service as a U.S. Navy Diver, he studied at the University of Hawaiʻi and worked at The Nature Conservancy of Hawaiʻi. Asner received his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University […]
Dr. Alan Friedlander
Over the past 40 years Dr. Alan Friedlander has spent > 12,000 hours underwater—from coral reefs to the poles and to depths of thousands of meters. Alan is Senior Marine Scientist for the National Geographic Society’s Pristine Seas program, and a researcher at the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology at the University of Hawai‘i. He […]
Ann Cannella
With nearly a decade in international development, Ann brings financial expertise and a strong commitment to global impact. Guided by a deep love for the ocean, she is driven to protect its ecosystems. Ann is a Certified Public Accountant and has held senior finance roles in nonprofits and corporations, gaining valuable insights in financial analytics, […]
Natasha Gorong
Natasha serves as the OneReef Yap Partnership Coordinator. Her passion for the environment began at an early age, when she observed both of her parents working in conservation with communities in Yap and throughout Micronesia. Her father, in particular, taught her the value of environmental stewardship and how it is inextricably linked to the culture […]
Nicole Yamase
Dr. Nicole Yamase is from the islands of Pohnpei and Chuuk in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). Although she is from the FSM, she spent parts of her childhood in the Republic of Palau and Saipan in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands as well. Nicole has a B.A. in Biology and a […]
Patty Azzarello
Patty Azzarello is an executive, best-selling author, speaker and CEO/Business Advisor. She has more than 25+ years of experience working in high tech and business. She has held leadership roles in General Management, Marketing, Software Product Development and Sales. She has been successful in running and transforming large and small businesses, and has significant international […]
Patterson K. Shed
Raised in Pohnpei in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Patterson brings to OneReef a passionate conservation and community resource management career spanning more than fifteen years in leadership and management. Previously he served as a Regional Coordinator for the USAID Climate Ready Project coordinating support to three Pacific countries (Palau, FSM, and RMI). Patterson […]
Colin Hyatt
Colin Hyatt is currently fulfilling both the Impact coordinator and Executive Administrator roles for the OneReef US office. Having graduated as a student athlete with a BS in Earth Systems, focusing on oceans and climate, from Stanford University, Colin understands the importance of protecting our marine environments. Colin has spent time performing coral research in […]
Dr. Bernie Tershy
Dr. Tershy is an Adjunct Professor and a Research Biologist in the Institute of Marine Sciences at the University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC). He also directs the Coastal Conservation Action Lab at UCSC.
Dr. Igor Korneitchouk
As a philanthropist, Dr. Igor Korneitchouk, a retired music professor, has been involved in efforts to rid the oceans of plastic refuse, spearheading and helping to sponsor the Plastics Awareness Global Initiative, a symposium of scientists gathered from around the world to address this problem.
Dr. Lida Teneva
Dr. Lida Teneva is a marine conservationist and ecologist who has investigated climate change impacts on key ocean ecosystems, worked with indigenous communities on sustainable fisheries, and built ocean exploration programs.
John Dawson
Mr. Dawson is a retired entrepreneur who has helped to create several successful startup companies. He has spent the past 20 years serving as a board member and donor for various leading-edge nonprofits.
Ngirur Daysha Adelbai
Ngirur is responsible for financial oversight of OneReef’s Micronesia office, overseeing the preparation and planning of budgets. She maintains records and receipts for all transactions, monitors all bank deposits and payments, and assists with financial audits. Ngirur graduated from Palau Community College in 2019 with an AS degree in Environmental/Marine Science and she enjoys sharing […]
Clivia Masami
Clivia is responsible for connecting with our Partner Communities in Palau, helping to coordinate and execute their activities and projects, and participating in workshops, online webinars, and training. With an educational background in Tourism and Hospitality, her non-profit work experience, including office administration and operations, began in 2015. As a young Palauan steward, Clivia shares […]
Madelsar Ngiraingas
Madelsar manages and strengthens community partnerships with diverse stakeholders who similarly value the importance of coral reefs and their role for island communities. She was born and raised in the Republic of Palau and has extensive experience in community-based non-profit organizations that primarily focus on gender issues, women’s empowerment, youth development, environmental conservation, and tourism. […]
Christopher LaFranchi
Chris LaFranchi founded OneReef on the principle that mobilizing indigenous communities with a direct relationship with the Pacific Ocean and drawing upon their ancestral stewardship is the most equitable, cost-effective, and scalable method to adapt to climate change. Prior to founding OneReef, Chris lived in Africa and Indonesia and performed field work in at least […]
