CORAL CURRENT l WINTER 2017 CORAL REEF ALLIANCE CORAL TEAM CORAL’s Bright Future BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kristine Billeter, Board Chair Program (cont.) C. Elizabeth Wagner, Secretary Alicia Srinivas, One of the most important As we expand, we believe in evaluating our progress to Dan Dunn, Treasurer Associate Program Manager assets we have in our make sure we are getting to effective solutions for coral Michael Bennett Danielle Swenson, work is the people who reefs. We have already proven that local conservation Jeffrey Chanin Engagement Manager can bring together the actions can lead to meaningful results for the reef and Paula Hayes John Vonokula, passion, ideas and the people who depend on it. At the same time, we Phillippe Hartl Program Coordinator dedication to save coral are convening some of the best thinkers in coral reef Matt Humphreys Development and Marketing reefs. That’s why I am conservation to help design large, scalable programs Vani Keil Kelsey Drivinski, particularly excited to that will help coral reefs adapt to environmental change. welcome the Coral Reef William Kerr Development Operations Coordinator We are also looking to other emerging conservation Jim Lussier James Lloyd, Alliance’s new Board Chair, techniques, such as coral restoration, and piloting Bob Richmond Communications Manager Kris Billeter, who has proven that she is a champion programs in Bali, Indonesia to help understand how James Tolonen Natalie Scarlata, for coral reefs and ready to apply her remarkable these methods might be best utilized and scaled to Grants Manager skills and talents to save them. make a positive impact on reef ecosystems. CORAL STAFF Daron Willison, I first met Kris about five years ago when she Our next challenge is to put these pieces together quickly Senior Leadership Associate Development Manager reached out to learn more about CORAL’s work. enough so that communities all around the world can Dr. Michael Webster, Administration My initial impressions were of someone with an effectively protect their reefs and that these local actions Executive Director Anne Shelley, extraordinary blend of passion for coral reefs, help create a global solution for coral reefs. To achieve Dr. Madhavi Colton, Accountant the ability to develop strong partnerships and an this goal, we will need Kris’ inspiring leadership from Program Director Claudia West, understanding of how to build organizations that our Board of Directors and a continued push for finding Dory Gannes, Human Resources Coordinator Development Director are successful in achieving their goals. Over the evidence-based approaches to coral conservation. International Council Members years, those first impressions have proven accurate, Tara Holmes, Sincerely, Tony Birdsey, Linda Cain, Steve Cohen, Marketing and Communications Director as she has become a trusted advisor to CORAL, Mark Epstein, Sarah Freiermuth, Christine Reyes, serving on our International Council and subsequently Cindy Glancy, Alex Kreston, Jill Kreston, Finance and Administration Director our Board of Directors. In her new role as Board Bradley Mart, Donna Miller, Julian Osinski, Chair, I am confident that she will help lead CORAL Program Tom Schroeder, Ruth Shapiro, as we continue to expand the scope of our work to Wesley Crile, Steve Weinstock, Jeff Yonover more and more coral reefs. Dr. Michael Webster Technical Operations Manager Sarah Eminhizer, MAIN OFFICE Associate Program Director Coral Reef Alliance Jos Hill, 1330 Broadway, Suite 1602 Associate Program Director Oakland, CA 94612 Jenny Myton, 1.888.CORAL.REEF Associate Program Director [email protected] Veronica Niken, www.coral.org Program Coordinator Pamela Ortega, Follow Us Program Coordinator Erica Perez, @CoralReefAlliance Program Manager @coral_org Alisi Rabukawaqa, Program Coordinator @coral_org I Made Jaya Ratha, Program Coordinator @Coral-Reef-Alliance Dr. Antonella Rivera, Program Manager Cover Photo by Jeff Yonover | Photo by Craig Holmes Printed in the USA by a Certified Green Business on 55% Recycled / 30% PCW / FSC Certified / Acid Free paper Photo by Jeff Chanin CORAL CURRENT WINTER 2017 l 3 Meet Kris Billeter The Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL) is delighted to announce that the Board of Directors recently elected Kris Billeter as its new Board Chair. Kris has been involved with CORAL since 2012, first as a donor and then in 2013 when she joined the International Council. Her passion for the ocean and expertise in organizational development had an immediate impact helping launch the annual CORAL Conservation Prize, which recognizes an outstanding leader in the field of worldwide coral conservation. In 2015, Kris joined the Board and accepted the role of Chair on the Development Committee. During her Based on your experiences, how have coral them and their reefs the most. I’m also excited about tenure, she helped shape a new era of growth for CORAL and its approach to donor management. Kris’ reefs changed over the last 10 or 20 years? the partnerships we are building with other ocean and decades of management consulting experience and organizational growth knowledge will help CORAL reef conservation groups and scientists around the strategically deepen and expand its mission to unite communities and save coral reefs. Coral reefs have changed dramatically in my world; the only way we can truly turn things around experience. It’s hard to imagine that they have and create a global impact is to scale our work Read on to learn more about this amazing leader and devoted environmentalist. declined so much in 20 years. When I started diving, effectively and to engage with partnerships. I couldn’t imagine the reefs being damaged as much as they have been from overfishing, bleaching, coastal Do you feel hopeful about the future for When did you start diving and how How did you get inspired to get into development, chemical run off in the water – all the coral reefs and why? did it feel the first time you got coral reef conservation? things we know now that have a big impact on the reefs. I’m hopeful about the work we are doing at I am hopeful and am continually surprised at how underwater and saw coral reefs? About 14 years ago, I was teaching diving in Thailand CORAL and know we have a lot to do, but not lots of corals have the capacity to adapt to exceptional I started diving 31 years ago. I did my and at the end of my time there, I decided to go time, to change things for the better. conditions. I was in Mozambique a few years ago certification in Monterey, CA and it was not on a liveaboard to Myanmar. It was an incredible and went snorkeling to a little island in the Bazaruto what I hoped – cold, bad visibility, lots of sand experience. Pristine, colorful, magnificent reefs and What is most exciting to you about the work Archepelago called Paradise Island. I jumped in the and murky water with a piece of kelp floating I was in heaven on every dive. But on nearly every that CORAL is doing? water and looked at my dive computer and noticed by every so often. I saw my first coral reef ascent, I’d be finishing my dive and hear a huge that the water temperature was somewhere around about a month later when I took my first dive blast coming from somewhere. I quickly realized There is a lot about CORAL’s work that excites me. 93 to 94 degrees. I swam over to this shallow reef only trip to then undiscovered Cayman Islands. It that dynamite fishing was occurring nearby which The Adaptive Reefscapes approach gives communities to find out that it was one of the most beautiful shallow was incredible. Beautiful varieties of coral and likely meant a nearby reef, similar to the one I’d a lot of ways in which to manage priorities and bring reefs I’d ever seen. Highly diverse varieties of corals the marine life was amazing – groupers as big just experienced, was being destroyed. As the trip all of our reefs back, keep them healthy or help and loads of fish. I was stunned. And this isn’t a place as Volkswagens. progressed, I became increasingly frustrated and other reefs to regenerate. I’m very excited about anyone is doing research or really even paying much angry and realized that I needed to help preserve the prospect of expanding that science and seeing attention. It just is doing its thing and doing its best to these incredible reefs around the world. communities use that information in ways that help adapt to changing conditions. Why do you think people should give to CORAL? If you care about climate change, which most of us do, then you cannot leave out the coral reefs of the world. In spite of all the damage that is accelerating, I believe in CORAL’s optimistic approach and that we can help corals adapt to these dramatic changes. I know the staff at CORAL believe we can make a difference but not without your support. CORAL is a good place to donate because we invest your dollars in our scientific work and conservation programs. We also actively work to maintain lean administrative costs meaning that means your dollars can go far. Enclosed with this edition of CORAL Current is a donation envelope. Please join us and protect the reefs and reliant communities for future generations. 4 l CORAL CURRENT WINTER 2017 CORAL CURRENT WINTER 2017 l 5 Approaches to Coral Reef Conservation By Dr. Madhavi Colton Unfortunately, deployment of these materials is haphazard, and sometimes, when they aren’t properly affixed to the seafloor, these structures become dislodged in storms and turn into wrecking balls, damaging natural reefs. At the request of these communities, CORAL is launching a new project that involves in-water testing of three common restoration materials.