Advisory Board
SEE Turtles is guided by a dedicated group of turtle conservationists, responsible tour operators, and ecotourism experts.
Barbara D. Andrews: Paralegal and Aquarium Registrar , California Academy of Sciences
Barbara is the Paralegal and Aquarium Registrar for the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, California, and has been affiliated with the Academy since 1994. She is Board Chair of Pro Peninsula and is a dedicated advocate for the preservation of sea turtles and the environment of the Baja California peninsula.
Dr. Lisa M. Campbell: Rachel Carson Assistant Professor, Marine Affairs and Policy, Nicholas School of Environment and Earth Sciences, Duke University
Lisa’s research focuses on policies and projects designed to reconcile sea turtle conservation with socio-economic development, primarily in rural areas of developing countries. Lisa is an appointed member of both the Marine Turtle Specialist Group and the Sustainable Use Specialist Group of the IUCN, an elected board member for the International Sea Turtle Society, and a co-editor of the Marine Turtle Newsletter. Lisa received her undergraduate degree from McMaster University (1990), a joint MA in Geography and Environmental Studies from the University of Toronto (1993), and a PhD in Geography from Cambridge University (1998).
James Dion: Associate Director, Center for Sustainable Destinations, National Geographic
The mission of the Center for Sustainable Destinations is to increase knowledge about sustainable tourism and destination stewardship, especially by employing the geotourism approach. Prior to joining National Geographic in 2005, he directed international ecotourism programs for conservation NGO’s in Mexico, Central America, and Asia. He founded and developed locally run sustainable, tourism businesses in Europe and North, Central, and South America.
Marydele Donnelly: Director of International Policy, Sea Turtle Conservancy
Marydele Donnelly has worked for more than 20 years to resolve difficult sea turtle conservation issues. She has successfully promoted national and international policies to safeguard sea turtles, including fisheries regulations, the Inter American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles and the US Marine Turtle Conservation Act. Prior to joining CCC, Marydele directed the Ocean Conservancy’s sea turtle conservation program and served as the Program Officer for the global IUCN Marine Turtle Specialist Group from 1994-2001. Marydele holds BS and MS degrees in Zoology from the University of Maryland.
Carlos Drews: Regional Marine Programme and Species Coordinator, WWF Central America
Carlos heads WWF´s action plan for the conservation of marine turtles in Latin America. His work includes meanwhile cetaceans, fisheries, and marine habitats. Carlos has a Ph.D. in Zoology from Cambridge University and has carried out research into wildlife behavioral ecology in Africa and Latin America. Before joining WWF, he was on the academic staff at the International Institute for Wildlife Conservation and Management, based at the National University of Costa Rica. His recent publications address the link between biodiversity and society, as well as the economics of marine turtle consumption and conservation.
Neil Osborne: Freelance Photographer, NEO Photography
Neil Osborne blends his backgrounds in the biological sciences (B.Sc.) and visual communication (M.A.) with the intent to share images and stories about conservation efforts while advocating the preservation of biodiversity and environmental habitats. Prior to becoming a freelance photographer, Neil spent two years based in Santa Cruz, California, while assisting Frans Lanting, a world-renowned photographer. Previously, Neil worked in Toronto, Ontario, Canada as a biologist with the Ministry of Natural Resources and in Costa Rica for the Caribbean Conservation Corporation, where he was involved in monitoring sea turtles. Neil is the principal photographer and a media consultant for SEE Turtles.
Zach Rabinor: President, Journey Mexico
Zach is the founder and president of Journey Mexico, a specialty tour operator that offers authentic cultural, wilderness, adventure and luxury travel experiences to inquisitive travelers throughout the Mexican Republic. Prior to Journey Mexico, Zach taught, guided, and worked in ecotourism and conservation throughout Mexico, Central, and South America. Zach holds an MPIA in International Affairs from the University of California San Diego and a BA from Cornell University. Zach was an invited speaker at the UN / WTO regional conference on ecotourism in 2001, and the Adventure Travel Trade Association World Summit in 2007, and is a published author in the Journal of Environment and Development.
Trevor Spradlin: Marine Mammal Biologist, NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources
Trevor’s research has focused on the behavior, life history and acoustic communication of marine mammals, including evaluating the impacts of human interactions with dolphins in the wild and at public display facilities. At NOAA Fisheries, Trevor works on a suite of marine mammal conservation issues under the Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act, including developing safe and responsible marine wildlife viewing practices for marine mammals in the wild. He received his BA in Biology with a specialization in Marine Science and is currently pursuing a masters degree in Marine Mammal Science.
Sebastian Troëng: Senior Director, Regional Marine Strategies, Conservation International
Sebastian’s responsibilities include supporting regional marine programs in Brazil, Gulf of California, Madagascar, Melanesia and Pacific Islands, and Seascapes in the Eastern Tropical Pacific and the Coral Triangle. He holds a Bachelors degree in biology, a Masters degree in marine environmental protection from the UK and a doctoral degree in animal zoology from University of Lund, Sweden. Before joining CI, Sebastian worked for other environmental NGOs; most recently he was Scientific Director for Caribbean Conservation Corporation, coordinating the longest ongoing sea turtle research and conservation program in the world in Tortuguero, Costa Rica. He has published extensively on sea turtle migrations, conservation and the economic revenue of non-extractive use of sea turtles.