Board of Directors
Todd Steiner
Todd Steiner is an ecologist and the Board Member of Turtle Island Restoration Network, an ocean advocacy and research NGO with offices in California and Texas.
G.P. Schmahl
G.P. Schmahl is the retired Superintendent of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS), one of 15 marine sanctuaries administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that protects some of the nation's premiere marine environments.
Gail Yamamoto Seymour
Gail Yamamoto Seymour is an environmental scientist with a long and outstanding career in natural resource conservation for the State of California, most recently as California Department of Fish and Wildlife Senior Environmental Supervisor for Watershed Restoration and the Fisheries Restoration Grant Program in the nine county San Francisco Bay Area. In 2018 she retired from State government service.
Carole Allen
Carole Allen is the founder and director of Help Endangered Animals - Ridley Turtles (HEART).
Deb Castellana
Deb Castellana is the Director of Strategic Partnerships for the Sylvia Earle Alliance / Mission Blue, where she is responsible for strategic planning and forming new alliance relationships to generate cooperative programs and projects to increase ocean conservation.
Teri Shore
Environmentalist Teri Shore has championed winning campaigns to protect the natural world for more than two decades.
Staff
Ken Bouley
Ken Bouley is a former software architect and executive. He has a degree in business and a passion for environmental advocacy. Ken is the Executive Director for Turtle Island Restoration Network, overseeing our various programs.
Joanie Steinhaus
Joanie Steinhaus is the Ocean Program Director for TIRN, and she has extensive experience in the education of youth and adults about stewardship and conservation of our natural resources. She works both locally and state-wide, to advance conservation policies and sustainability issues with elected officials, community groups, homeowner associations and the general public.
Audrey Fusco
Audrey is a restoration ecologist and manages the SPAWN Restoration Nursery. She focuses on restoring riparian habitat and utilizing native plants to enhance habitat for wildlife.
Laurel Irvine
Laurel Irvine is a Los Angeles native and life-long ocean advocate. Although her career started in film production and entertainment public relations, Laurel spent the last 6 years raising the profile and campaign successes of fellow grassroots organization, Shark Allies. She believes that the climate crisis needs all hands (and skillsets) on deck, it is up to each of us to protect what we love.
Eleni Gast
Eleni Gast is TIRN’s Development Manager. Throughout her career, Eleni has specialized in writing compelling grant proposals and reports, developing strategies for tracking and reaching fundraising goals, managing large portfolios of donors, and researching new funding opportunities.
Rena Guillory
Meet Rena, a Galveston native with degrees in Mass Communications, French, and English. With skills in hospitality, PR, and education, she expertly oversees donor gifts, ensuring seamless operations in our Galveston office.
Elizabeth Purcell
Elizabeth, hailing from a South Jersey barrier island, cherishes the ocean and outdoors. A graduate in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, she now pursues a Master's in Marine Policy at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Her downtime? Exploring nature's wonders through hiking.
Ayano Hayes
Ayano strives to protect and restore the natural environment through action, education, and connection.
Nyna Hong
Nyna Hong graduated from California State University, Chico in Environmental Science. Nyna interned was a Habitat Restoration Intern from March-December 2023. Nyna enjoys traveling, surfing, and hopes to aid in restoring and preserving damaged habitats.
Brittany McWhorter
Brittany McWhorter, a former TIRN Gulf intern, holds a Master’s in Marine Biology from Texas A&M University at Galveston. Passionate about the Gulf Coast, she has experience in outreach, education, and marine research, and is dedicated to reducing human impact through cleanups and community engagement. Brittany actively leads beach cleanups, participates in community events, and leads programs for adults and youth to raise awareness about human impacts on marine ecosystems and wildlife. She thrives on connecting people to the ocean and inspiring stewardship through hands-on experiences.
Todd Steiner
Todd Steiner is an ecologist and the Founder and Special Projects Director of Turtle Island Restoration Network, an ocean advocacy and research NGO with offices in California and Texas.
Interns
Isabella Rose
Isabella graduated from University of California, Santa Cruz in Marine Biology. She is passionate about wildlife and environmental conservation and hopes to make changes that contribute to a healthier world. Her experience includes marine mammal rescue/rehabilitation as well as outdoor education. She enjoys being outside and exploring nature.
Eric Holz
Eric Holz is a recent graduate from Penn State University with a BS in Energy and Sustainability Policy. He is a passionate advocate for conservation, environmental and social justice, and animal rights. He enjoys practicing yoga, hiking, cooking vegan meals, and spending time in the ocean!
Brinna Houlahan
My name is Brinna Houlahan. I am currently a Masters student in Marine Biology at Texas A&M Galveston. I graduated with my Bachelors in Marine Biology from TAMUG in December 2023. I’ve always had a passion for sea turtles for as long as I can remember. I’ve created an educational booklet over all sea turtle species that I am hoping to eventually publish. My goal after I graduate is to work directly with sea turtles and to work on conservation methods for sea turtles and marine mammals.
Rachel Vickery
Rachel is a current Masters student at The University of Houston. She recently graduated from Texas Tech University with a Bachelors in Fine Arts. Rachel devotes her time to volunteering and is passionate about habitat conservation. In her free time, she enjoys baking, hiking, and beachcombing.
Samantha Pastrano
Samantha will be entering her third year as a Marine Science major at the University of Texas at Austin this fall. She is passionate about marine life and conservation and has wanted to become a marine biologist from a young age. She enjoys reading and playing soccer in her free time.
Abigale Hughes
My name is Abigale Hughes. I am currently getting my bachelor's in biology at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches. I have a passion for marine life and conservation and I hope to spend my time after graduation researching marine species. I love to cook, read, and spend time with my family!
Lizzi McEligot
Lizzi McEligot is a marine field scientist with degrees in Aquatic biology and Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She currently serves as one of the interns for the Cocos-Galapagos swimway project with Turtle Island Restoration Network. She's passionate about taking an interdisciplinary approach to conservation work and uses a combination of data collection, research, photography, and outreach to advocate for marine conservation both locally and abroad.
Ana Beatriz Fernandes
Ana Beatriz Fernandes is a whale enthusiast and an ocean conservationist. She is a recent graduate of Grinnell College with a BA in Biology focused on Environmental Studies. This fall, she will continue her education at University College Cork and will start working towards her MSc in Marine Biology. In the future, Ana hopes to continue to help bridge the communication gap between scientists and the public as well as to conduct research that can inform meaningful marine conservation policies.
Madelin Eliot
Madelin Eliot graduated from the University of Central Florida with a BS in Biology. She is passionate about animal behavior, genetics, and how organisms interact with their ecosystems. When she isn’t working, you can find her rock climbing, hiking, drawing, and spending time with her dog.
Claire Mortenson
Claire Mortenson is a passionate scuba diver, freediver, and advocate for environmental protection and human rights, with a background in International Studies and Coastal Environmental Science from Flagler College. Her hands-on conservation experience spans from turtle monitoring with the National Park Service to genetic research on illegal shark finning in Costa Rica. After earning an M.A. in International Law and Human Rights from the UN University for Peace, Claire returned to marine conservation as an intern with the Turtle Island Restoration Network, where she blends her scientific, legal, and advocacy expertise.
Matheo González
Matheo González is a Biology student at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, currently in his sixth semester. He has a particular interest in the field of marine biology, with an emphasis on the study of the behavior and characteristics of species such as whales and sharks. His goal is to contribute to the development of new conservation methodologies based on scientific research, applicable not only to these groups but also to other marine organisms such as turtles, corals, and algae. Matheo aspires to integrate scientific knowledge with concrete marine protection actions, promoting sustainable solutions for the conservation of ocean biodiversity. In the future, he plans to pursue a PhD or MSc, the specific focus of which has yet to be defined but aligned with his passion for marine research and conservation.
Samara Ghazi
Samara is a versatile professional with a background in software engineering, product management, and digital marketing. In 2025, she shifted her focus to nonprofit, mission-driven work, applying her technical and creative skills to support environmental and social justice initiatives. She’s actively building a wide-ranging skillset to support nonprofits of all sizes, with a focus on adaptability, equity, and long-term impact.
Alexis Evripidou
Alexis Evripidou grew up on the island of Cyprus where she spent her summers swimming in the Mediterranean Sea, which helped develop her love and appreciation of the sea, and fueled her desire to work to protect it. She got her Bachelors in Biology from the University of Sussex in the UK, and completed her masters in Sustainability. She currently lives in California and works hands-on with local wildlife as a wildlife rehabilitator.
Eva Louise Gibbs-Zehnder
Eva Gibbs-Zehnder is a recent graduate from UC Berkeley with a Bachelors in Sustainable Environmental Design and minors in Forestry and Natural Resource Management and Landscape Architecture. With an extensive background in habitat restoration, community outreach, and environmental policy, Eva brings an interdisciplinary approach to her role as an Advocacy Intern.
Elena Hsieh
Elena Hsieh is a recent graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned a dual degree in English and Conservation & Resource Studies, along with a minor in Politics, Philosophy, and Law. Her academic work centers on environmental justice and biodiversity conservation, and she aims to pursue a career in environmental policy to advance equitable and science-informed solutions to ecological challenges. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, photography, and spending time with her tortoise and two cats.
Evan Luo
Evan is an undergraduate at The University of California, Berkeley studying business, computer science, and environmental economics, among a plethora of other disparate interests. He’s passionate about the economic and policy side to environmental justice and uses media, research, and outreach to advocate for those that cannot stand up for themselves. He enjoys fencing, reading historical novels, traveling to national parks and sanctuaries, and watching nature documentaries.
Shara Teter
Shara is a senior marine biologist with a passion for ocean advocacy. She holds a Master's degree from Nova Southeastern University and over 20 years of experience in the environmental field. Her research background includes utilizing Geographical Information Systems to study the movement patterns of keystone species in order to establish migration corridors & marine sanctuaries. She is also a seasoned scientific diver. As an advocate, Shara is committed to the protection, restoration, and conservation of the planet's ecosystems and wildlife. Her work is based on a foundation of interconnectedness and grounded optimism.
Science and Policy Advisory Board
César Peñaherrera, Ph.D
César Peñaherrera is an Ecuadorian Marine Biologist specialized in Quantitative Marine Science (QMS) and currently serves as the Academic Director at Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador – Manabí.
Myra Finkelstein, Ph.D
Myra Finkelstein an Adjunct Professor in the Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology Department at University of California Santa Cruz. Her research focuses on human impacts on marine ecosystems.
Kevin Weng, Ph.D
Kevin Weng is an Associate Professor at College of William & Mary Virginia Institute of Marine Science where he studies the impact of fisheries on sharks and other marine species.
William Loftus, Ph.D
William Loftus is the President of Aquatic Research & Communication, LLC, which involves different institutions and agencies to restore fish communities via sampling techniques and communication of scientific issues
George Shillinger, Ph.D
George Shillinger is the Executive Director of Upwell. He has worked in environmental conservation since 1986.
Elpis Joan Chávez
Elpis Joan Chávez is a wildlife biologist whose work focuses on shark ecology. She has worked as a research coordinator and scientific consultant for organizations from Mexico, Costa Rica, and USA, including Turtle Island Restoration Network.
Mark Stabb, Ph.D
Mark Stabb is a professional engineer, small business owner, environmental conservationist and long time scuba divemaster.
Mariano Castro
Mariano Castro is a Costa Rican lawyer with an LLM in public international law and an MPhil in Conservation Leadership. He has extensive experience providing policy and technical advice in conservation and sustainable development projects
Dr. Alex Hearn
Dr. Alex Hearn is Turtle Island’s Ecuador Representative. He is a Professor of Biology at Universidad San Francisco de Quito and the Galapagos Science Center since 2015. Previously he worked as Turtle Island as Director of Conservation Science in early 2013. He has over 20 years experience working in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.
Ken Brower
Ken Brower is an American writer and environmentalist. His published works include articles with the National Geographic Society, The Atlantic Monthly, Smithsonian, Audubon, etc., as well as several books about natural history.
Jim Coda
Jim Coda is a retired attorney who spends much of his time photographing wildlife, especially in the ranching area of Point Reyes National Seashore.
Don Neubacher
Don Neubacher completed a 36-year career in the National Park Service that included appointments as Superintendent at Point Reyes National Seashore and Yosemite, as well as assignments at Glacier Bay National Park, Denver Service Center, and Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
Brock Cahill
Brock is the founder of SeaChange Agency and an underwater cinematographer. He has a decade-long history of collaboration with TIRN, including leading undercover investigations of CA driftnets, organizing protests against longline over-fishing, exposing impacts of the BP oil spill, and research expeditions to Cocos Island. He was also featured in the documentary Sharkwater Extinction – playing a pivotal role in ensuring the completion of the film.
Dr. Rick Lanman
Dr. Rick Lanman is a physician and scientist who has published over 130 peer-reviewed scientific publications in ecology and medicine.