Coral Reef Learning Exchange
UWCK leaders will join top coral reef experts in the UAE for a groundbreaking learning exchange. This international collaboration advances reef restoration, conservation, and sustainability efforts to protect vital marine ecosystems.
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UWCK-UAE Coral Reef Learning Exchange
From February 3-8, 2025, a delegation from United Way of Collier and the Keys (UWCK) will participate in a Coral Reef Learning Exchange in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The exchange will bring together UWCK leaders and marine experts to collaborate on reef restoration, conservation, and sustainability efforts. This program strengthens global partnerships, building on a five-year UWCK-UAE partnership that has already made significant strides in revitalizing Florida’s reefs.
The Delegation
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Tiffani Mensch
Tiffani Mensch
With nearly two decades of dedicated service as a nonprofit professional, Tiffani Mensch is driven by a deep commitment to building strong communities where every family and individual has the opportunity to thrive. In June 2023, she became President and CEO of the United Way of Collier and the Keys and currently resides in Naples, Florida. Previously, Mensch led a $25 million collaborative grant initiative at United Way of Greater Knoxville, helping hundreds of families achieve economic self-sufficiency. She was also a founding staff member of the Alliance for BeUer Nonprofits, where she advanced nonprofit sustainability across East Tennessee. A graduate of the University of Tennessee’s
Consortium for Social Enterprise Effectiveness, Mensch also holds an MA from the Rhode Island School of Design and a BFA from Rochester Institute of Technology.
Leah Stockton
Leah Stockton
Leah Stockton is the Keys Area President for the United Way of Collier and the Keys, a role she took on following the 2020 merger with United Way of the Florida Keys, where she previously served as President/CEO. She began her leadership with United Way in 2017, shortly after Hurricane Irma, overseeing relief efforts and raising over $1.7 million for recovery in Monroe County. Mrs. Stockton has expanded United Way’s impact, including leading the region’s COVID-19 and Hurricane Ian response efforts. Over the last five years, she has also led United Way’s partnership with the United Arab Emirates, overseeing coral restoration funding and spearheading marine science education and community engagement initiatives. Prior to her work with United Way, Mrs. Stockton held leadership roles in the non-profit and hospitality industries.
Jessica Dockery
Jessica Dockery
Jessica Dockery is a seasoned marine biologist with over 20 years of experience in marine conservation, specializing in marine science education. As the Reef Revitalization Project Liaison for United Way of Collier and the Keys, Jessica coordinates large-scale restoration projects and collaborates with organizations like NOAA, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, and Keys based restoration practitioners. With a strong educational foundation in marine biology, Jessica has led roles at institutions such as MarineLab, where she served as Director of Education. She also holds a USCG Captain’s License and PADI SCUBA Instructor certification, enhancing their field expertise. Currently pursuing a business management degree, Jessica aims to leverage this learning exchange with the UAE to further advance coral
restoration initiatives.
Jim Brittsan
Jim Brittsan
Jim Brittsan is the founder of Sustainable Ocean and Reefs (SOAR), an organization dedicated to restoring coral reef ecosystems. He launched Florida’s first in-water nursery designed to rear and restock reef-grazing species, focusing on the critical role of herbivorous invertebrates in maintaining reef health. With nearly 10 years of hands-on experience in coral restoration, Jim has developed expertise in both sexual and asexual coral reproduction techniques. His current work prioritizes the integration of reef grazers into restoration strategies, addressing key ecological challenges. Through innovative solutions and collaborative efforts, Jim’s mission is to protect and restore the delicate balance of marine ecosystems while advancing the science and practice of coral reef restoration.
Alika Garcia
Alika Garcia
Alika is a Native Hawaiian and multi-generational subsistence fisherman. He attended the University of Hawaiʻi, Mānoa where he studied marine biology and aquaculture. Alika has served as a Firefighter/EMT with the Honolulu Fire Department for over 16 years. He has over 15 years in Hawaiian commercial fishing and has led teams of SCUBA divers and boaters on various missions. Alika is passionate about marine conservation, specifically by combining the knowledge and experience of local fishermen with modern scientific practices. He believes this approach, guided by traditional Hawaiian values, will be the most effective in solving our marine resource problems. Alika is the Executive Director and Cofounder of Kuleana Coral Restoration, and leads the Dive and Boat Operations Teams
Riley Garvey
Riley Garvey
Riley Garvey is NOAA’s Coral Reef Management Fellow in American Samoa and has been working in the field of coral restoration for 3 years. Riley found his passion for the field while working at I.CARE, a nonprofit in the Florida Keys that restores coral reefs using an army of trained recreational divers. After working as an intern and then as I.CARE’s Monitoring Coordinator, Riley accepted the position of Coral Fellow in American Samoa. In his Fellowship, Riley is working with the local government of American Samoa to jumpstart coral restoration projects in the territory and is assisting with several coral monitoring schemes to track the health of local reefs.
Caitlin Lustic
Caitlin Lustic
Caitlin Lustic has been with The Nature Conservancy’s Florida Chapter for 15 years with a focus on marine and coastal issues in Southeast Florida. She managed a coral restoration project in Dry Tortugas National Park for 10 years, led the Florida Reef Resilience Program, and most recently worked with Florida’s Reef Managers to develop a statewide coral reef restoration strategy. For the past three years, Caitlin has split her time with TNC’s Reef Resilience Network, helping to bring the science and practice of restoration to reef managers globally. She served as co-chair of the Coral Restoration Consortium’s Field-based Propagation Working Group for many years and still collaborates closely with the CRC on the RRN’s coral restoration-related content.
Keri O’Neil
Keri O’Neil
Keri O’Neil is the Director and Senior Scientist for the Coral Conservation Program at The Florida Aquarium. She has over 25 years of experience in coral husbandry, and her work focuses on coral sexual reproduction, managed breeding, health, and optimizing the survival and growth of juvenile corals in ex-situ coral nurseries. She began her career as an aquarist at the National Aquarium and completed her graduate studies at Nova Southeastern University. Keri started at The Florida Aquarium in 2016 and has worked to develop a large managed breeding program for coral species native to Florida. Her team has spawned 14 species of coral in aquarium conditions.
Gabrielle Rosenbacher
Gabrielle Rosenbacher
Gabrielle Rosenbacher is the Education Program Manager at Reef Renewal USA, based in the Florida Keys. With over five years of experience, she oversees the Education Program, managing interns and volunteers, coordinating partnerships, writing and executing grants and leading outreach and training efforts. While still actively involved in restoration activities, Gabrielle combines her expertise in education, stewardship, and coral restoration to inspire environmental conservation and engage the community.
Bailey Thomasson
Bailey Thomasson
Bailey Thomasson is the USVI Reef Restoration Coordinator for Coral Restoration Foundation. Born in North Carolina, she spent her childhood on the water and was lucky enough to become a scuba diver at ten years old – something she attributes her career to. She began her coral restoration career with Coral Restoration Foundation as an intern in 2019 and has been with CRF ever since. She specializes in restoration startups – first moving from CRF’s headquarters in Key Largo, FL to open a new office in Key West, FL, and most recently to St. Croix, USVI to start CRF’s first satellite program. She loves the process of seeing a restoration program start from the ground up – to strategic planning, staffing, and seeing the first nursery structure installed. She hopes to continue building restoration capacity in the USVI’s and contribute to both social and ecological growth there.
About the Learning Exchange
Strengthening International Collaboration
The delegation will visit Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and other key sites, engaging in high-level discussions, hands-on reef restoration activities, and cultural exchanges. The program is designed to enhance global conservation efforts by sharing best practices in reef restoration, sustainability, and marine science education.
A Partnership Built on Impact
This exchange builds on a five-year UWCK-UAE partnership focused on revitalizing the Florida Keys through reef restoration and beyond. The UAE’s $3.5 million contribution to UWCK to fund reef restoration and education was the first major private-sector gift to Mission: Iconic Reefs, a project restoring seven reefs in the Florida Keys. This donation was part of the UAE’s $10 million commitment to Florida’s recovery after Hurricane Irma.