About Us
Meet Our Board
We are community members, including scientists, educators, and activists; our mission is to work with local communities to restore and preserve thriving ecosystems across the Mariana Islands.
Jihan Younis, President
Jihan Younis is a Saipan native and environmentalist.
Steven Mana'oakamai Johnson, Vice-President
Steven Mana'oakamai Johnson, PhD is a Kanaka maoli (Native Hawaiian) from Saipan. He is currently a postdoctoral research scholar at Arizona State University where he is applying his skills as an interdisciplinary marine scientist to work with the State of Hawai'i, NGOs, and local communities to design climate-ready management plans. He currently lives in Tucson, AZ with his partner and boonie-dog, Horton. In his spare time he is running, playing music, or connecting with people through story.
Haldre Rogers, Secretary
Haldre Rogers is the Director of the Ecology of Bird Loss project, which has conducted research in the Mariana Islands since 2006. She is an Associate Professor at Iowa State University
Joni Quenga Kerr, Treasurer
Joni Quenga Kerr is a native CHamoru, born and raised on Guåhan. An Associate Professor at Guam Community College, she teaches introductory marine biology and chemistry. She obtained a BA in Chemistry from North Carolina State University and a MS in Biology as a student at the Marine Laboratory, University of Guam. As a founder and faculty advisor of the GCC Ecowarriors and Co-Chair of the Tåno Group of the Guam Nature Alliance, Joni has ample opportunities to play in both the ocean and on land, while encouraging stewardship and environmental awareness in students and the community.
Ann Marie Gawel, Board Member At-Large
Ann Marie Gawel was born and raised in Micronesia (Pohnpei and Guam), and has been involved in local conservation for over 15 years. She is currently Smith Conservation Postdoctoral Fellow conducting both ecological and sociological research in the Mariana Islands. Her conservation work includes being an endangered species biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and a biologist for the Brown Treesnake Research Group. She has degrees in biology from the University of Guam Marine Laboratory, where she founded the Green Army, and the University of Chicago. In her free time, she takes in as much of the natural wonder these islands have to offer through hiking, triathlons, snorkeling, and outrigger-canoe-paddling.
Tim Harvey-Samuel, Board Member At-Large
Tim Harvey-Samuel is CHamoru-British and is a post-doc researcher at Pirbright Institute developing biotechnological answers to conservation questions.