ABOUT US
CORAL RESTORATION FOUNDATION™ IS THE LARGEST REEF RESTORATION ORGANIZATION IN THE WORLD
Headquartered in Key Largo Florida, we were founded in response to the wide-spread loss of the dominant coral species on Florida's Coral Reef.
We have been working to turn the tide for this critical ecosystem since 2007.
FLORIDA'S CORAL REEF
Running from north of Miami down to Key West in the south, right on Florida’s doorstep, lies Florida's Coral Reef.
It is the third largest barrier reef in the world and the only barrier coral reef in the continental United States.
Florida's Coral Reef was once dominated by two species of reef-building coral, staghorn (Acropora cervicornis) and elkhorn (Acropora palmata).
REEF IN CRISIS
Florida's Coral Reef now hosts just two percent of the populations of the once-dominant staghorn and elkhorn coral that it had in the 1970s.
These became some of the first corals to be included on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species, and are both now listed as “Critically Endangered” – one step away from a listing of “Extinct in the Wild”.
OUR RESPONSE
We have developed a method for “farming” and “outplanting” colonies of staghorn and elkhorn.
By hanging finger-sized fragments of these corals to grow on Coral Trees™, we can produce colonies that are large enough to be outplanted in just six to nine months.
To date, we have now restored more than 17,500 square meters of Florida's Coral Reef.
We are a small, dynamic team with a fierce passion for marine conservation.
Our specialized backgrounds and diverse experiences all contribute to a professional environment of cooperation, determination, and innovation.
Scott Winters
CEO
Scott is a serial entrepreneur of 15 years following a career as an academic scientist. His ventures have ranged from entertainment, through consumer goods to healthcare. Highlights of his career include the development of the world’s most technologically advanced pediatric cancer center. He has served on the board of directors for multiple entrepreneurial ventures as well as international non-profits. Throughout his career he has published 2 books, over 50 technical articles and popular papers, and amassed over 750 hours of public speaking.
Scott received his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in two simultaneous programs (Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity and BioInformatics and Computational Biology), received his M.B.A. from the Wharton School of Business, and is Phi Beta Kappa. Scott’s passion for ocean conservation brought him to the Florida Keys to inspire others to help save our ocean.
R. Scott Winters, CEO
Coral Restoration Foundation™
David A. Splitt, Chairman
Retired Sr. Vice President and Sr. Corp Counsel for Xerox Corp
Patti Kirk Gross, Vice Chairman
PADI Dive Instructor
David Wing, Treasurer
Retired Chief Accounting Officer United Airlines
James Boilini, Director
Owner of Boilini Eye Care and Doc’s Diner
Stephen Frink, Director
Stephen Frink Photographic; Publisher of Alert Diver
Charles Lynch Jr., Director
Principal & Advisor, Bernstein Private Wealth Management
Sascha Simon, Director
Founder, President, and Chief Science Officer of Sfara
Corydon Gilchrist, Director
Owner/President KCG Holdings I LLC
Nick Davies, Director
Operating Partner, Agman and CEO, Aurenity
Patti Gross, CHAIRMAN
Islamorada, FL
-
Board of Directors, Coral Restoration Foundation™
-
AAUS Scientific Diver Instructor
-
Master Scuba Instructor
-
IDC Staff Instructor/DAN Instructor
Jonathan Bergeron, DSO
Tavernier, FL
-
COO, Coral Restoration Foundation™
-
Scientific Diver, Master Instructor
-
DAN Instructor
Roxane Boonstra, MS
Key Largo, FL
-
Dive Training Administrator, Coral Restoration Foundation™
-
Scuba Instructor
-
Scientific Diver and Scientific Diver Trainer
Dr. Joseph Dituri, Ph.D.
Tampa, FL
-
CDR Navy Saturation Diver (ret)
-
Scientific Diver/Technical Diving Instructor
-
Hyperbaric Clinical Researcher and VP of IANTD
Dr. Phanor Montoya-Maya, PhD
Key Largo, FL
-
Restoration Program Manager, Coral Restoration Foundation™
-
Scuba Instructor for PADI, NAUI, SSI
-
Global Scientific Diver, scientific researcher
James Murray
Cathartin, VA
-
Master Scuba Diver / Scuba Instructor Trainer
-
DSO / Scientific Diver – AAUS/USGS
-
Owner - Coral Edge Adventures
David Splitt
Melbourne, FL
-
Chairman, Board of Directors, Coral Restoration Foundation™
-
Divemaster
-
Retired Senior Legal Counsel/Risk Manager
Paul Washington
Washington, DC
-
Regional DSO for NABS
-
Scientific Diver / Master Scuba Instructor
-
Member National Association of Black SCUBA
Kramer Wimberly
Fort Pierce, FL
-
DWP Board Member and Lead Instructor
-
Master Scuba Diver Trainer
-
Emergency First Responder Instructor
-
Underwater Archeology Surveyor
-
Scientific Diver with DWP/NABS
-
DWP-CARES Founder
Billy Wise
Key Largo, FL
-
Scuba Instructor/PADI Course Director
-
General Manager Rainbow Reef Dive Center
NON-VOTING MEMBER: Diving Physician Consultant
Dr. Doug Ebersole, MD
Lakeland, FL
-
Interventional Cardiologist, Director of the Structural Heart Program at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center
-
Consultant with Dan Alert Network (DAN)
-
Recreational Instructor, Technical, CCR Trimix
-
Instructor and Cave Instructor
