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.
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
Carly Frazee
Carly is a Habitat Restoration intern with SPAWN. She has her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and several years of market-farming experience. Her passion lies in food justice and environmental stewardship.
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.
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!
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.
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.
Dr. Rick Lanman
Dr. Rick Lanman is a physician and scientist who has published over 130 peer-reviewed scientific publications in ecology and medicine.
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.