The Team
Janis Steele, PhD, Co-Director
Janis holds a BA in Human Ecology, and a Master's & PhD in Cultural Anthropology. Her research 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 Master's & PhD in Cultural Anthropology. Her research 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. 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, a Master's & 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 climate change 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. 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, a Master's & 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 climate change 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.
Ronneth John, Senior Project Coordinator
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, Project Coordinator & RV Llyr First Mate
Connor is studying Public Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in the BA-MSPH program in the International Health Department. He is helped hone Island Reach's ridge to reef activities around building food security in Vanuatu and has advanced IR's messaging through his passion for documentary film making. Connor serves as RV Llyr's First Mate and oversees the team's safety in his capacity as a Licensed Emergency Medical Technician.
Connor is studying Public Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in the BA-MSPH program in the International Health Department. He is helped hone Island Reach's ridge to reef activities around building food security in Vanuatu and has advanced IR's messaging through his passion for documentary film making. Connor serves as RV Llyr's First Mate and oversees the team's safety in his capacity as a Licensed Emergency Medical Technician.
Sam Suendermann, Project Coordinator
Sam 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. Sam 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. Sam joined IR in 2017 as a Fellow and has now come aboard with us as a project coordinator.
Sam 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. Sam 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. Sam joined IR in 2017 as a Fellow and has now come aboard with us as a project coordinator.
Alfonse Yemen, Island Reach Torba Province Regional Coordinator,
Lalnetak, Vanua Lava
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
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.
Gavin Steele-McCutchen, Able Seaman & Open Water Diver
Gavin is Island Reach's Youth Ambassador, engaging wiht young people across the archipelago around conservation actions. Gavin is also a capable sailor and SCUBA diver; he leads the team in removing Crown of Thorns starfish from the reef using a hook in each hand and is shown here learning about turtle tagging.
Gavin is Island Reach's Youth Ambassador, engaging wiht young people across the archipelago around conservation actions. Gavin is also a capable sailor and SCUBA diver; he leads the team in removing Crown of Thorns starfish from the reef using a hook in each hand and is shown here learning about turtle tagging.
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.
Advisors and Board Members
Donald James, Director, 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, Marine Biologist, Social Scientist, 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, now as Country Director and Technical Advisor to the Vanuatu component of the SPC-GIZ Coping with Climate Change in the Pacific Islands Region Project. His extensive work with the Nguna-Pele Marine & Land Protected Area Network in Vanuatu has shaped his current research interests. These include innovative solutions and strategies for dealing with change in indigenous societies, including climate change.
Port Vila, Vanuatu
Christopher has been living and working in Melanesia since 2002, originally as a US Peace Corps volunteer, now as Country Director and Technical Advisor to the Vanuatu component of the SPC-GIZ Coping with Climate Change in the Pacific Islands Region Project. His extensive work with the Nguna-Pele Marine & Land Protected Area Network in Vanuatu has shaped his current research interests. These include innovative solutions and strategies for dealing with change in indigenous societies, including climate change.
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, head of a research initiative on “Coupled Human and Natural Systems” (CHANS) at the Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer Range Future, 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. This currently includes field work in near shore tropical ecosystems in the Atlantic, Caribbean and west Pacific, and tropical great Lakes in East Africa and southeast Asia. Les received his B.S. and Ph.D. Degrees in evolutionary ecology from Johns Hopkins and worked full-time with the New England Aquarium from 1983-1994, serving in turn as Curator of Education, Curator of Exhibit Research and Development, and Chief Scientist. 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 and was selected to receive the Parker-Gentry Award in Conservation Biology for 2011 from the Chicago Field Museum.
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, head of a research initiative on “Coupled Human and Natural Systems” (CHANS) at the Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer Range Future, 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. This currently includes field work in near shore tropical ecosystems in the Atlantic, Caribbean and west Pacific, and tropical great Lakes in East Africa and southeast Asia. Les received his B.S. and Ph.D. Degrees in evolutionary ecology from Johns Hopkins and worked full-time with the New England Aquarium from 1983-1994, serving in turn as Curator of Education, Curator of Exhibit Research and Development, and Chief Scientist. 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 and was selected to receive the Parker-Gentry Award in Conservation Biology for 2011 from the Chicago Field Museum.
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Rowan Steele-McCutchen, Board Member, Rescue Diver, Advisor
Rowan is pursuing a degree in environmental studies at Dawson College in Montreal, Canada and is currently researching impacts of shifting environmental baselines. |
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.
Ben Scheelk, The Ocean Foundation, Senior Program Manager,
Washington, DC
Ben leads the The Ocean Foundation Fiscal Sponsorship Fund (FSF) and Friends of Fund (FoF) programs.
Washington, DC
Ben leads the The Ocean Foundation Fiscal Sponsorship Fund (FSF) and Friends of Fund (FoF) programs.
Regional partners and facilitators
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 |
Glen Alo, Northern Aquaculture Officer
Department of Fisheries Luganville, Santo |
Jimmy Willie, Fisheries Extension Officer,
Torba Province |
Pastor Lulu, Tilapia Farmer,
Vanua-tai Monitor Sarete, Espiritu Santo |
Chief Philomen Tomtom, Homo Bay, Pentecost,
President of the Homo Bay Conservation Area Committee |
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 newly constituted Tanna Usiusi Environment Network |
Anita Namuri, Anelghowat, Aneitium
Vanua-tai monitor, Shell crafter |