Joel Goldfarb - Chair

Joel has been a PADI certified diver since 1979 and first visited TCI in the early 1990’s.  He has been a fan ever since his first visit. He is a retired gastroenterologist and hepatologist and currently has interests in several NYC area restaurants. He is also an amateur aquarist with a coral reef tank that has been so successful that fragments of his corals are thriving in many tanks in the NYC area. He has been a consistent supporter of environmental causes around the world. He has been associated with the TCRF for at least a decade, joining the board of directors and now serving as chair of the board. His goal is to ensure that the important projects undertaken by TCRF can be maintained into the future by refining the mission statement and creating a solid and specific five-year plan. Under his leadership, TC Reef has purchased a property that will serve as the research and educational home for TC Reef, including a mooring site. He is also building a strong board of directors that will enable TC Reef’s mission to continue well into the future.

Kathleen McNary - Deputy Chair

Kathleen McNary BSc, ALM, PhD has been actively involved with TCRF since its inception. As the former Director of TCI’s Department of Environment and Maritime Affairs (now DECR), she worked with our co-founders, Don Stark and David Stone to establish the first memorandum of understanding between the TCI government and TCRF. Since retiring from government, she has served as TCRF’s Scientific Research Director and most recently, as TCRF’s Deputy Chair. Kathleen’s professional background spans more than 30 years, during which time, she has conceived, designed, and implemented more than 100 conservation research projects. She holds a Bachelor of Science (Magna cum Laude) in Environmental Studies from Florida International University, a Master of Liberal Arts in Sustainability and Environmental Management from Harvard University, and a PhD in Transformative Studies from the California Institute of Integral Studies. An underlying conviction that ecological and social sciences are integrated and inseparable guides her, and she is, therefore, dedicated to advancing the causes of social justice across human and more-than-human worlds for more equitable and sustainable futures.

Kathy Barisciano - treasurer

Kathy Barisciano is a Certified Public Accountant with an MBA in Finance.  Kathy has over 30 years of experience in Finance, Tax and Audit.  Now mostly retired, she enjoys volunteering for several 501c3 organizations, helping with their bookkeeping, tax and finance needs.  Kathy has also served as Treasurer and Board member for several non-profit organizations. Turks and Caicos holds a special place in Kathy’s heart as she has been visiting here for many years and is pleased to support the sustainability of the reef by dedicating her time.  Kathy calls New Jersey her home and enjoys golfing, biking, travel and spending time with her family, especially her four grandchildren.

Robin Rosen

TCRF Board Member, Vice Chair of the TCRF, Robin comes to the TCRF board with a blend of scientific curiosity and many years of scuba diving experience. Her time in retirement is spent caring for family, working with animal spay/neuter, gardening, watersports, and pickleball.

Kyle Smith

Kyle Smith is a developer, entrepreneur and community builder who has spent his career building in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Born in Grand Turk, he was educated at the British West Indies Collegiate, where he served as Head Boy, and went on to earn a BEng in General Engineering from the University of Leicester and an MSc in Construction Economics and Management from University College London.

He began his career as a Project Coordinator during the islands' development boom, helping deliver more than 50 million dollars in real estate. He then spent two years in Malawi, managing operations on a rural farm and opening markets for smallholder farmers. Since returning home, he has spent some 15 years in development in Providenciales, where he knows what it takes to take a project from land to approvals to completion.

His leadership in the community began early. Kyle is a founder of the Rotaract Club of Providenciales, where he served as Community Service Director, Treasurer and Vice President, and represented the club on the district board. He is also the founder of the Young Corporate Alliance, which supports local entrepreneurs through mentorship and its Speaker Series. He is a past President of the Providenciales Chamber of Commerce, where he worked to build partnerships so the business community has a strong, relevant voice, and he has also served on the board of the Centre for Entrepreneurial Development.

Today, Kyle is a Director of the Windward Group, one of the country's established development and construction groups. Through Windward, he helped launch the Core Construction Apprenticeship Programme, a partnership with the Government and the Community College that gives young Turks and Caicos Islanders a real pathway into the building trades. His view is simple: your hands are your wealth, and a skilled Belonger workforce is the best investment this country can make in itself.

Kyle is also Chairman of the Progressive National Party's ED7 Executive Council, covering the largest voting constituency in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Bruce Barron

Born in South Caicos, he spent nine years at school in England before working as a heavy machinery operator. He later lived in Florida for nine years, where he trained as a single-engine pilot and worked as a diesel mechanic. On returning to the Turks & Caicos Islands, he joined Caicos Marina & Shipyard, progressing from mechanic to roles managing parts, administration and fuel. His preference for hands-on work outdoors eventually led him to captain vessels for Panoply Sportfishing and Luxury Charters.

Today, he runs his own vessel management company, drawing on his mechanical and maritime experience to ensure owners return to boats that are fully prepared and ready to enjoy. His love for his island home and its waters brought him to TCRF, where he hopes to help protect the marine environment that has shaped so much of his life.

Heidi Hertler

Heidi Hertler, Ph.D., is the Center Director at The School for Field Studies Center form Marine Resources Studies on South Caicos, TCI.  Dr. Hertler has led the SFS TCI Center since 2011, advancing research, education and community partnerships dedicated to protecting South Caicos's extraordinary marine environment.  Through immersive field research and community engagement, Dr. Hertler inspires students and local partners to turn scientific understanding of mangrove, seagrass, coral reefs and other coastal resources into meaningful conservation action.  Her leadership continue to strengthen SFS's impact on South Caicos while helping prepare the next generation of environmental leaders. 

Grant & Stephanie Schultz

After many years of vacationing in the TCI, Grant and Stephanie have owned a home here since 2019 and spend most of their time in these beautiful islands. They are invested in the islands and have a great affinity for the ocean. Grant’s background includes a Bachelor’s in Natural Resource Conservation and a Master’s in Business. He has over 40 years of experience in multiple business operations including start-ups and Mergers and Acquisitions. As a Dive Master, he regularly scuba dives both recreationally and to assist with TCRF underwater projects. Stephanie has a love for history and aptitude for marketing. Her degrees in both History and Business preceded a long volunteer career in the United States that including founding a not-for-profit organization that was touted as a prime example of a successful public-private partnership. Stephanie enjoys snorkeling and baking sourdough. Both Stephanie and Grant are happy to contribute their time and efforts to preserving and protecting the TCI environment.

advisory board

Elizabeth Weinshel

Liz has been a PADI certified diver since 1979 and first visited TCI in the early 1990’s.  She has been a fan ever since her first visit. She is a semi-retired gastroenterologist currently serving as Director of Faculty Development for the Gastroenterology Division at NYU Langone School of Medicine. She has served on several boards, leadership councils and executive committees for non-profits in the NY metro area. She is also an amateur aquarist with a coral reef tank that has been so successful that fragments of her corals are thriving in many tanks in the NYC area. She has been a consistent supporter of environmental causes around the world. Her goal is to serve as administrative assistant for Joel Goldfarb (updating the bylaws, 5 year plan) and advisor to TCRF to ensure that the important projects undertaken by TCRF can be maintained well into the future by refining the mission statement and creating a solid and specific five year plan.

Ed FORBES

Ed Forbes is a successful entrepreneur, former Director of Corporate Investigations, freelance journalist, and passionate advocate for environmental conservation in the Turks and Caicos Islands. After moving to the United States at age 17, he studied criminal justice and built a distinguished career in corporate investigations and loss prevention, developing innovative programs and forging partnerships with local law enforcement and federal agencies.

Today, Ed is the Owner and CEO of Exclusive Escapes Tours Ltd. in Grand Turk, where he has spent more than a decade in the watersports and tourism industry. His work has fostered a deep appreciation for the islands’ marine ecosystems and the importance of protecting the natural resources that sustain local communities and tourism.

As a freelance journalist, Ed writes on environmental and social issues, advocating for transparency, accountability, and responsible governance. Through his commentary, he seeks to hold government accountable while encouraging constructive dialogue and sustainable solutions for the benefit of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

As an advisory board member of the Turks and Caicos Reef Fund (TCRF), Ed is committed to advancing reef restoration, environmental education, and marine conservation, helping to protect the islands’ invaluable natural heritage for future generations.

Oshin Whyte

Oshin Whyte is an Environmental Scientist and marine conservationist from the Turks and Caicos Islands, committed to protecting the islands’ natural and cultural heritage while supporting sustainable development. She holds a BSc (Hons) in Environmental Sciences from Oxford Brookes University and a Master’s by Research from the University of Kent. Her postgraduate research explored the Coastal Cultural Values of the Turks and Caicos Islands, helping to integrate community perspectives into marine spatial planning.

 A PADI Divemaster with over 1,000 logged dives, Oshin has contributed to marine conservation initiatives, including sea turtle nesting surveys on East Caicos. She previously served as Environmental Policy Lead at the Governor’s Office, where she helped secure USD $1.1 million through the Blue Belt Programme for marine conservation in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Oshin is now the Principal Consultant of GAIA Environmental, a woman-led and Turks and Caicos Islander-owned consultancy providing environmental services that support sustainable development, renewable energy, and biodiversity conservation. Outside of her professional work, she is an avid reader and occasional contributor to Times of the Islands Magazine, writing about environmental issues, sustainability and life in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Abby Hoffman

Acting as both a TCRF Advisory Board Member and Secretary of the TCRF Abby loves the water and pays attention to all things conservation in the TCI. She volunteers in numerous arenas including hospice and food security. Her interest in the activities of the TCRF are centered on sustainability, sea animal welfare and reef preservation.

David Bowen

David A. Bowen is a Turks and Caicos cultural leader, dancer, musician, storyteller, yoga educator, and youth mentor. His career took him from the Bahamas in the 1970s to scholarship training at the Joffrey Ballet and Alvin Ailey School in New York, followed by ten years in Japan teaching dance, creating choreography, and performing as a musician.

He served as Entertainment Manager at Beaches Turks & Caicos and Beaches Grande Sport in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, before joining the Turks and Caicos Tourist Board as Cultural Officer and later becoming Director of Culture.

Founder of TUCA, David developed Cultural Edutainment, the national costume, and, in collaboration with TCHTA, the concept of Maskanoo. He created RTC Kids Club, using radio to share TCI storytelling, folk songs, local dialect, poetry, history, and primary-school talent. He continues to showcase Rip-Saw music and mentor young people in preserving and celebrating their heritage.

As creator of the Pancha Yoga Method, he promotes health and wellness through mindful movement, breath, and inner awareness.