Janis Steele, PhD, Co-Director
Janis holds a BA in Human Ecology, and a MA & PhD in Cultural Anthropology. Her interests over the years have included the politics of representation in Indigenous cinema, cross-cultural mediation and cultural identity, agroecology, and women's issues. She has worked as a documentary filmmaker and adjunct college professor, created and run a forest farm, and co-founded Island Reach to engage the crisis of collapsing biocultural diversity. The project reflects her passion for focusing on the connections and interdependence between people and their natural environments.
Janis holds a BA in Human Ecology, and a MA & PhD in Cultural Anthropology. Her interests over the years have included the politics of representation in Indigenous cinema, cross-cultural mediation and cultural identity, agroecology, and women's issues. She has worked as a documentary filmmaker and adjunct college professor, created and run a forest farm, and co-founded Island Reach to engage the crisis of collapsing biocultural diversity. The project reflects her passion for focusing on the connections and interdependence between people and their natural environments.
Brooks McCutchen, PhD, Co-Director
Brook left high school in 9th grade to work on artisanal farms in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts. He later earned a BA in Human Ecology from College of the Atlantic -- where he first SCUBA dived in the cold Maine winters hunting scallops -- and subsequently, an MA & PhD in Psychology, with a focus on cross-cultural and community clinical practice. He had a robust clinical career for 15 years while also building Berkshire Sweet Gold Maple Farm. In the last decade, he has been increasingly activist, responding to the calls to action of the climate crisis and the collapse of biological and cultural diversity. For him, Island Reach & Berkshire Sweet Gold Maple Farm embody the challenges and pleasures of a hands-on effort to integrate global and local responses to the demands of our times.
Brook left high school in 9th grade to work on artisanal farms in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts. He later earned a BA in Human Ecology from College of the Atlantic -- where he first SCUBA dived in the cold Maine winters hunting scallops -- and subsequently, an MA & PhD in Psychology, with a focus on cross-cultural and community clinical practice. He had a robust clinical career for 15 years while also building Berkshire Sweet Gold Maple Farm. In the last decade, he has been increasingly activist, responding to the calls to action of the climate crisis and the collapse of biological and cultural diversity. For him, Island Reach & Berkshire Sweet Gold Maple Farm embody the challenges and pleasures of a hands-on effort to integrate global and local responses to the demands of our times.
John Ronneth, Vanuatu In-Country Manager
Ronneth is a seasoned conservation activist, having served as a Vanua-tai monitor since the network's inception over 20 years ago. He has also been a member of the Nguna-Pele Marine & Land Protected Area Network for 13 years, and served as network Chairman for four of those years. His knowledge of Vanuatu’s diverse islands and peoples is extensive and he brings senior leadership and organizational skills to the many projects he takes on. His expertise includes helping communities build environmental networks and drafting Community Conservation Area management plans. He has traveled throughout the Pacific region to train on conservation leadership, including receiving certification through the 2016 Pacific Island Community Co-Management course through the University of the South Pacific. He is fearless at sea, and is an expert spear fisherman who holds a deep passion for coral reefs.
Ronneth is a seasoned conservation activist, having served as a Vanua-tai monitor since the network's inception over 20 years ago. He has also been a member of the Nguna-Pele Marine & Land Protected Area Network for 13 years, and served as network Chairman for four of those years. His knowledge of Vanuatu’s diverse islands and peoples is extensive and he brings senior leadership and organizational skills to the many projects he takes on. His expertise includes helping communities build environmental networks and drafting Community Conservation Area management plans. He has traveled throughout the Pacific region to train on conservation leadership, including receiving certification through the 2016 Pacific Island Community Co-Management course through the University of the South Pacific. He is fearless at sea, and is an expert spear fisherman who holds a deep passion for coral reefs.
Connor Steele-McCutchen, MSPH, board member
Over the years, Connor has helped hone Island Reach's ridge to reef activities in Vanuatu, working closely with communities on building local resilience and advancing IR's messaging through his passion for documentary storytelling. His experience and commitments led him to pursue a BA and MA in International Public Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Currently, he is based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, working with the nonprofit United Purpose on food sovereignty projects, with a focus on women and refugees.
Over the years, Connor has helped hone Island Reach's ridge to reef activities in Vanuatu, working closely with communities on building local resilience and advancing IR's messaging through his passion for documentary storytelling. His experience and commitments led him to pursue a BA and MA in International Public Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Currently, he is based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, working with the nonprofit United Purpose on food sovereignty projects, with a focus on women and refugees.
Alfonse Yemen, Island Reach Torba Province facilitator,
Lalnetak, Vanua Lava, Vanuatu
Alphonse is a Chief and Chairman of the Vanua Lava Environment Network. He is also a a Vanua-tai monitor, as well as being a community volunteer Fisheries Authorized Officer for the Dept. of Fisheries. Alphonse helps coordinate Island Reach activities across Torba Province.
Lalnetak, Vanua Lava, Vanuatu
Alphonse is a Chief and Chairman of the Vanua Lava Environment Network. He is also a a Vanua-tai monitor, as well as being a community volunteer Fisheries Authorized Officer for the Dept. of Fisheries. Alphonse helps coordinate Island Reach activities across Torba Province.
Rowan Steele-McCutchen, board member
Rowan is currently pursuing a degree in environmental studies and anthropology at the University of Victoria in Canada. In addition to his activities with IR, Rowan served as a global volunteer in Nepal with AIESEC in 2017.
Rowan is currently pursuing a degree in environmental studies and anthropology at the University of Victoria in Canada. In addition to his activities with IR, Rowan served as a global volunteer in Nepal with AIESEC in 2017.
Gavin Steele-McCutchen, activist
Gavin engages with young people around conservation actions and expresses his love for the natural world through his passions for surfing and SCUBA diving.
Gavin engages with young people around conservation actions and expresses his love for the natural world through his passions for surfing and SCUBA diving.
Advisors & associates
Donald James, Coordinator, Wan Smolbag Vanua-tai Environmental Resource Monitors Network
Port Vila, Vanuatu
Donald has decades of experience as a senior Vanua-tai Turtle Monitor. As the Program Coordinator, he travels Vanuatu extensively surveying and teaching seminars and holds unique knowledge of the country's geography, ecology, and village diversity. Donald is a leader with a friendly, generous style who maintains strong connections across the islands as his teams work to track and understand changing turtle populations and broader impacts on coral reefs and coastal communities. As the Vanua-tai expand their conservation and climate change adaptation activities, Donald has welcomed Island Reach as a partner.
Port Vila, Vanuatu
Donald has decades of experience as a senior Vanua-tai Turtle Monitor. As the Program Coordinator, he travels Vanuatu extensively surveying and teaching seminars and holds unique knowledge of the country's geography, ecology, and village diversity. Donald is a leader with a friendly, generous style who maintains strong connections across the islands as his teams work to track and understand changing turtle populations and broader impacts on coral reefs and coastal communities. As the Vanua-tai expand their conservation and climate change adaptation activities, Donald has welcomed Island Reach as a partner.
Christopher Bartlett, Ph.D., Climate Change Adaptation Expert, Indigenous Culturist, and Policy Scholar
Port Vila, Vanuatu
Christopher has been living and working in Melanesia since 2002, originally as a US Peace Corps volunteer, then as Country Director and Technical Advisor to the Vanuatu component of the SPC-GIZ Coping with Climate Change in the Pacific Islands Region Project, and now as a consultant to the Australia Pacific Climate Partnership.
Port Vila, Vanuatu
Christopher has been living and working in Melanesia since 2002, originally as a US Peace Corps volunteer, then as Country Director and Technical Advisor to the Vanuatu component of the SPC-GIZ Coping with Climate Change in the Pacific Islands Region Project, and now as a consultant to the Australia Pacific Climate Partnership.
Willie Kenneth, Secretary, Nguna-Pele Marine and Land Protected Area Network
Worasiviu, Pele Island,
Willie worked as a field coordinator for Island Reach for two years before moving on to attend the Australian Pacific Technical College to earn a Qualification in Community Development. Willie now helps Island Reach liaise with the Nguna Pele Marine and Land Protected Area Network, with whom IR has a Memorandum of Understanding.
Worasiviu, Pele Island,
Willie worked as a field coordinator for Island Reach for two years before moving on to attend the Australian Pacific Technical College to earn a Qualification in Community Development. Willie now helps Island Reach liaise with the Nguna Pele Marine and Land Protected Area Network, with whom IR has a Memorandum of Understanding.
Dr. Les Kaufman
Professor of Biology, Boston University Marine Program and
Marine Conservation Fellow
Betty and Gordon Moore Center for Science and Oceans
Conservation International
Les is a professor in Boston University’s Marine Program and a Marine Conservation Fellow with Conservation International, in its Betty and Gordon Moore Center for Science and Oceans. Les's research is focused on coral reef recovery, and also in helping to build the cross-disciplinary, CHANS science needed to guide global sustainability and climate change adaptation. Les also writes popular books, magazine articles and television, including multiple stints as either author or subject with NOVA and National Geographic. He was awarded the first marine Pew Fellowship in 1990.
Professor of Biology, Boston University Marine Program and
Marine Conservation Fellow
Betty and Gordon Moore Center for Science and Oceans
Conservation International
Les is a professor in Boston University’s Marine Program and a Marine Conservation Fellow with Conservation International, in its Betty and Gordon Moore Center for Science and Oceans. Les's research is focused on coral reef recovery, and also in helping to build the cross-disciplinary, CHANS science needed to guide global sustainability and climate change adaptation. Les also writes popular books, magazine articles and television, including multiple stints as either author or subject with NOVA and National Geographic. He was awarded the first marine Pew Fellowship in 1990.
Dr. Austin Bowden-Kerby, Director of Corals for Conservation, PhD Marine Biology. Austin's passion is to address coral reef decline by developing sustainable, community-appropriate enterprises designed to shift the burden away from over-used and depleted fisheries resources. He developed coral gardening methods that are easily adopted by communities, at low expense, and that focus on protecting super corals (highly adaptive corals) that may have a better chance of surviving warming seas.
Sam Suendermann,
Associate
Sam joined IR as a Fellow and in 2017, helping with community outreach and video development. Sam continues her association with IR through occcasional volunteer work with us in Vanuatu, as her schedule permits. She is now enrolled in graduate school pursuing a degree in environmental law. She has a BA in International Community Development and joined Island Reach after a year in Vanuatu with the AVID program (Australian Volunteers in International Development) as the Women's Surf Development Officer for the Vanuatu Surfing Association, where she focused on increasing women and girls' participation and leadership in the sport as a means to promote education and advocacy around social and environmental issues.
Associate
Sam joined IR as a Fellow and in 2017, helping with community outreach and video development. Sam continues her association with IR through occcasional volunteer work with us in Vanuatu, as her schedule permits. She is now enrolled in graduate school pursuing a degree in environmental law. She has a BA in International Community Development and joined Island Reach after a year in Vanuatu with the AVID program (Australian Volunteers in International Development) as the Women's Surf Development Officer for the Vanuatu Surfing Association, where she focused on increasing women and girls' participation and leadership in the sport as a means to promote education and advocacy around social and environmental issues.
Peter Whitelaw, Secretary of The Vanuatu Scuba Operators' Association
Owner, Sailaway Cruises
Peter is a resident expert in Vanuatu with efforts to manage the Crown of Thorns starfish plague impacting the country's coral reefs. He has helped coordinate the Association's activities around COT management and collaborated with the Vanuatu Department of Fisheries. The special COT injection gun kits Island Reach uses were developed in collaboration with Peter. Peter has lived in Vanuatu for 30 years and has extensive experience with and knowledge about sailing and diving around the archipelago.
Owner, Sailaway Cruises
Peter is a resident expert in Vanuatu with efforts to manage the Crown of Thorns starfish plague impacting the country's coral reefs. He has helped coordinate the Association's activities around COT management and collaborated with the Vanuatu Department of Fisheries. The special COT injection gun kits Island Reach uses were developed in collaboration with Peter. Peter has lived in Vanuatu for 30 years and has extensive experience with and knowledge about sailing and diving around the archipelago.
Risu Kalotiti, 2017 intern
Risu joined Island Reach as an intern, developing her skills in community development, food security, and coral gardening. She is helping coordinate the Torba Provincial meeting of women Vanua-tai monitors in October 2017, and with the training she has received during Island Reach workshops on coral restoration techniques with Dr. Austin Bowden-Kerby, Risu is now helping develop a coral garden site in Pango on the island of Efate.
Risu joined Island Reach as an intern, developing her skills in community development, food security, and coral gardening. She is helping coordinate the Torba Provincial meeting of women Vanua-tai monitors in October 2017, and with the training she has received during Island Reach workshops on coral restoration techniques with Dr. Austin Bowden-Kerby, Risu is now helping develop a coral garden site in Pango on the island of Efate.
Vanuatu regional culture brokers and IR partners
Daniel Neneth, Mota Lava
Torba Provincial Agricultural Extension Officer on Mota Lava |
Sophie Frank, Valuwa, Mota Lava
Vanua-tai Monitor, and chairperson of the Mota Lava Women's Network |
Joe Woleg,
Ngerenigmen, Mota Lava Vanua-tai monitor |
Leisavi Joel, Sunae, Moso Island.
Communications Officer, Women's Vanua-tai Network |
Salome Kalo, Chairwoman,
Vanua-tai Women's Network, TVET Trainer on food security Pilura, Pele |
Joseph Socsoc, Chairman,
Nanamor Lehur Marine & Land Environment Network; Vanua-tai Monitor Lamap, Malekula |
Chief Raubong,
Chairman of Senewen Environment Committee Vanua-tai monitor Lawa, Southwest Bay, Malekula |
Kali Jacobas,
Champion Boxer, Vanua-tai, and member of the Senewen Environment Network Lembenwen, Southwest Bay, Mota Lava |
Ricky Simeon, Gaua
Secretary of Lake Letas Management Committee Owner and operator of Siriecotours, manager, Losalava Marine Park |
Samantha Rova, Namasari, Gaua Vanua-tai monitor |
Jocelyn Usua, Port Resolution, Tanna
Vanua-tai monitor and Chairwoman of the Tanna Usiusi Environment Network |
Anita Namuri, Anelghowat, Aneitium
Vanua-tai monitor, Shell crafter |
