Mission Statement

Terra Marine Research & Education, (TMRE), was incorporated in 1986 to conduct research and education in the marine sciences and related fields. TMRE seeks funding and provides logistical support for groups and individuals engaged in projects designed to further our understanding of marine, island, and coastal ecosystems, as well as projects designed to minimize impact and enhance responsible utilization of natural resources. Visit the Registry of Charitable Trusts or Guidestar, for more information on TMRE.

Kirk Connally: President and Executive Director
Master Mariner, Senior Ocean Engineer at L-3 Communications Maripro. One of the founders of TMRE. Also, Island Packers Company in 1968. Over 35 years experience as master of a variety of vessels worldwide from tall ships to factory trawlers,  and 12 years experience as an ocean engineer installing underwater systems for the scientific, military, and communications industries. Captain and organizer on most of the TMRE research voyages, and project leader and fund raiser for many of TMREs other endeavors.
e-mail: kirk@tmre.org

Robin S. Gauss, P.E.: Secretary/Treasurer
Professional Engineer (State of California). Commercial diver with Australian and US certifications. US Merchant Mariner. US Army veteran. Florida Atlantic University BS Ocean engineering 1973.  Pisces class submersible pilot. Developed and built hardware for the movies Titanic and Abyss. Built and placed equipment at the North Pole and numerous other Arctic locations. Engineering and diving operations on undersea projects on a worldwide basis for 38-years. Owner operator of La Cumbre Canyon Ranch, Santa Barbara. Master organic farmer (avocados, California Certified Organic Farmers organization).  Helio Courier pilot for Aeromedicos.org. Amateur radio operator N6WAO.
e-mail: robin@tmre.org

Tuck Donnelly, Director:
Founder and Executive Director of SeaShare since 1993, providing over 20 million pounds of seafood for distribution to hunger relief organizations. Tuck has designed and implemented fisheries projects intended to provide alternative resource and management options. He has been an advisor to the National Marine Fisheries Service Prohibited Species Bycatch Program in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska; International Pacific Halibut Commission; and North Pacific Fishery Management Council. Tuck has been an operations manager for large trawlers in the Bering Sea, Chief Mate on research vessels, and owner/operator of an 85 ft schooner offering educational voyages to the California Channel Islands.
e-mail: tuck@tmre.org

Joe Gnagey, Director:
Environmental Technologist, Edmonds, Washington.  B.Sc. Fishery Science, Oregon State University.  Cofounder and Development Manager, Mariculture Systems Inc (sargo.net), Lynnwood, Washington.  Formerly Vice President and Director of Northwest Food Strategies, a TMRE affiliate, U.S. Coast Guard service on two icebreakers with biological research assists in Antarctica (National Science Foundation, University of Idaho & Minnesota) and the Chukchi Sea and Arctic Ocean (Smithsonian- WEBSEC, University of
Alaska, and Sun Oil Corp.), and vessel operations manager in the west coast and Alaskan fishing industry.

Jay Carroll, Director:
Senior marine biologist at Tenera Corporation, an environmental services company in California. MS University of the Pacific. Jay has over thirty years of professional experience on large-scale environmental monitoring programs for Pacific Coast utilities, and state and federal agency projects; project manager and field supervisor for marine biological surveys, water quality monitoring, data analysis, and reporting; over 3,500 hours of underwater sampling and observations; designs and supervises field studies in support of CWA 316(a), 316(b), and NPDES regulatory requirements. Jay is a technical editor on environmental reports, and a reviewer for scientific journal publications and grant applications.
e-mail: jay@tmre.org

Henry Chaney, PhD, Director
Chief curator of invertebrate zoology, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
e-mail: chaney@tmre.org