Alizée zimmermann
Alizee@tcreef.org
Alizée, Executive Director of the Turks & Caicos Reef Fund (TCRF), is a Turks & Caicos Islander with a passion for teaching and connecting people with the natural world. With a background in the humanities, she puts community at the centre of TCRF’s work. A true water baby, Alizée could swim before could walk and has lived and worked around the world as a dive instructor, illustrator and language teacher. Fluent in English, French, and Spanish, she loves learning and picking up bits from the languages of the places she’s called home – even if only for a while.
Alizée is an AGRRA Benthic Trainer with a keen and observant eye. On May 23rd 2019 she first observed stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) changing the direction of her life overnight. She has since dedicated herself to helping TCI respond with rescue and intervention and much of our work today continues to address the disease’s impact on local and regional reefs.
In 2021, Alizée became TCRF’s first full-time employee and she has since grown the team through grant writing and building partnerships. In December 2025, she led a fundraising effort that secured a 1.1 million dollar property for TC Reef’s future research and education centre. Off the clock she enjoys exploring nature, drawing, reading, and dreaming up creative ways to get things done.
Eric Cardin
Captain Eric was initially a volunteer who decided to join the team in 2022. While captaining is his main duty, he wears a number of hats depending on what needs doing. He builds and installs all of the dive and snorkel boat moorings using heavy equipment underwater. He processes all of our photogrammetry data on a custom PC that he put together. He helped build the original Biobank, and has been there to perform upgrades and repairs over the years. He can fix a generator, and is generally handy. A handyman, if you will. If something needs doing that requires tools, Eric is the one to handle it.
While he does drive the boat, Eric also loves to get on SCUBA and help our underwater any way he can. He is keen on coral species ID, and has helped survey our changing reefs throughout the SCTLD outbreak. If there is an opportunity to dive, he will be there. He is a big fan of spotted eagle rays.
Fun fact: Eric's previous career was Brewmaster at the local brewery.
Gracie Perry-Garnette
Gracie is our Coral Aquarist at TCRF. She graduated from Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 2021 with a B.S. in General Biology and a minor in Chemistry.
Gracie completed an undergraduate senior thesis on Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease on the Reefs of North and Middle Caicos. She also has nearly 15 years of experience caring for saltwater systems through the hobbyist trade.
Gracie works on our Land-Based Coral Genetic BioBank, where she oversees the water chemistry and coral husbandry of the systems. She was selected to take part in the Florida Reef Track Rescue Project Coral Aquarist Program for 2026-2027 through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
When Gracie is not taking care of our corals, she is usually off exploring the many beaches and diverse landscapes the Turks and Caicos has to offer.
Dr. Michelle taylor
Michelle@tcreef.org
Dr. Michelle Taylor is the Scientific Research Director (aka Team Science Captain) at the Turks and Caicos Reef Fund (TCRF). She is an avid diver who has recently traded in the cold, dark waters of Scotland for the beautiful blues of the Caribbean.
Michelle completed her B.Sc. in Marine, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology at St. George’s University in Grenada, W.I., her M.Sc. in Marine Biology at Bangor University, Wales, U.K., and her Ph.D. in Marine Biology at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, U.K. She has worked with TCRF throughout her Ph.D. and conducted all of her fieldwork out here. Her thesis focused on the biodiversity found within coral rubble around the archipelago. A recent Darwin Plus Local grant has expanded this research to investigate the connectivity between marine habitats and trying to understand why certain organisms are found in specific places using stereo-video technology.
Michelle’s favourite reef fish is the porcupinefish...cause they always look like they are smiling!
Please reach out if you are interested in collaborating with us on some super cool science!
Sakilé Garland
Sakilé Garland, our Conservation Lab Technician, is a biotechnologist turned accidental marine scientist. Holding a BSc in Biotechnology with a minor in Criminology from the University of the West Indies, she originally envisioned a career in forensic pathology. However, life had other plans, and she somehow traded the morgue for the ocean.
What began as a volunteer opportunity with the Turks and Caicos Reef Fund, soon evolved into a chance to contribute to something much bigger. With her experience in fisheries research, water quality analysis, and biotechnology, she now contributes to coral conservation through the Living Coral Biobank, coral spawning monitoring, and DNA sequencing. She hopes to advance research into coral genetics and diseases such as Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD).
Her favourite marine creature is the green sea turtle, she prefers night dives, considers sharks the puppies of the ocean, and remains convinced that barracudas are the underwater equivalent of the boogeyman.
Above all, Sakilé is passionate about representation in science and inspiring local youth to explore careers in conservation. She believes protecting our reefs requires more than marine biologists; it takes engineers, innovators, technologists, and people willing to lend their expertise to a common cause.
After all, you don’t need to know how to swim to build a boat. Although, given the circumstances, learning probably wouldn’t hurt.
STACY
Stacy is the Office Manager of the Turks and Caicos Reef Fund, bringing years of experience in customer service, finance, and conservation.
She has a passion for nature, art, travel, and community volunteer work. Stacy is committed to environmental sustainability and supporting the organization’s goal to preserve the marine environment of the Turks and Caicos Islands.