MEMBERSHIP LIST
The Flower Garden Banks Sanctuary Advisory Council (Council) consists of eight
voting members, representing key constituent groups, and three non-voting members,
representing key government agencies with responsibilities that require coordination
with sanctuary staff.
Charter members of the Council were selected through a competitive application process in the fall of 2005. A committee of three non-sanctuary employees reviewed all applications and recommended the top three candidates for each seat. The sanctuary manager selected one representative and one alternate for each seat. Standard background checks were then conducted on each of the selected individuals. For future vacancies, the Sanctuary Advisory Council members will conduct the initial review process and recommend candidates to the sanctuary manager.
Current Voting Members
Council Chairperson: Frank Wasson
Council Vice Chairperson: Irby Basco
Conservation: Page Williams
Alternate: Dana Larson
Diving - Recreational: Frank Burek
Alternate: Lori Gernhardt
Diving - Operations: Frank Wasson
Alternate: Art Melvin
Education: Kristina Hardwick
Alternate: Dale Loughmiller
Fishing - Commercial: Mike Jennings
Alternate: Joe Hendrix
Fishing - Recreational: Irby Basco
Alternate: John Stout
Oil & Gas Production: Clint Moore
Alternate: Rebecca Nadel
Research: Ian MacDonald
Alternate: John Embesi
Current Non-Voting Members
Minerals Management Service, U.S. Department of the Interior: James Sinclair
NOAA Fisheries Service, U.S. Department of Commerce: Rusty Swafford
United States Coast Guard: LCDR Beth Keister
MEMBER BIOGRAPHIES AND CONTACT INFORMATION
 Member: Irby Basco
Seat: Recreational Fishing
Term: 10/05 – 10/08
President, Basco Construction Inc.
Nederland, TX
409-722-4434
irbybasco@aol.com
Irby has been in the construction business for many years. In addition, he is an avid offshore fisherman, Coast Guard captain, life member of IGFA, IGFA record holder, member of the Texas Parks & Wildlife artificial reef committee, past president of Salt Water League of Anglers, Member of the Sabine Neches Conservation Club, state director of the Coastal Conservation Club, recipient of the Elwood K. Harry award, Tournament Directors of Texas, and former 9 year member of the Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council. Mr. Basco has two reefs named in his honor, one off the coast of Texas and one off the coast of Alabama.
 Member: Frank Burek
Seat: Recreational Diving
Term: 12/07 – 12/10
Montgomery, TX
jfburek@consolidated.net
Frank is a professional marine and wildlife photographer. He has 27 years experience in the oil industry. Scuba certified in 1980, he presently has over 2,000 dives in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and Western Pacific. He has had over 400 dives at the FGBNMS. He is an active member of the Houston Underwater Photographic Society, Houston Underwater Club and Texas Gulf Coast Council of Dive Clubs. Awards held jointly with his wife include NOAA 2000 “Environmental Hero Award” and FGBNMS 2005 “Volunteer of the Year Award.” He is the Co-author/publisher/photographer of Marine Life Guide computer based programs for: The Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, The Bay Islands of Honduras, and Indonesia.
 Alternate: John Embesi
Seat: Research
Term: 10/05 – 10/08
Reef Research Specialist
Texas Parks & Wildlife Department – Artificial Reef Program
Dickinson, TX
281-534-0113
john.embesi@tpwd.state.tx.us
John currently serves as an artificial reef specialist and diving safety officer for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. His research experience includes various marine biology and molecular biology studies. He is a graduate of Texas A&M University at Galveston. He is also a former NOAA biologist, working diver and dive guide in the Gulf of Mexico, and a PADI instructor.
 Alternate: Lori Gernhardt
Seat: Recreational Diving
Term: 12/07-12/10
Manger of General Operations
Gulf Coast Waste Displosal Authority
Houston, TX
281-226-1130
lroussel@gcwda.com
Lori is a 1984 graduate of the University of Southwestern Louisiana with a B.S. in Aquatic and Fisheries Biology. Before joining Gulf Coast Waste Disposal Authority (GCA) in 1993, she was involved in the management of three biomonitoring laboratories. She currently serves as the Manager of General Operations for GCA where she is responsible for GCA’s environmental, safety and engineering divisions, the municipal wastewater program, central laboratory, and Human Resources. Lori recently served as the Chair of the Galveston Bay Council, the governing body for the Galveston Bay Estuary Program and is active on several local environmental committees and initiatives in the Houston/Galveston area. She has extensive recreational diving experience and was certified NAUI in 1978. Most of her vacation time is spent underwater.
 Member: Kristina Hardwick
Seat: Education
Term: 12/07 – 12/10
Houston-Galveston Area Council
Houston, TX
713-993-4583
khardwick@h-gac.com
For over twenty years Kristina has worked in science education at universities, museums, public school systems, and for the military. She holds a Masters Degree in Natural Sciences from Louisiana State University and a Bachelor of Science in Biology with minors in education and mathematics from Centenary College. Kristina is an Advanced Diver and Aquanaut.
 Alternate: Joe Hendrix
Seat: Commercial Fishing
Term: 12/07 – 12/10
President, Seafish Mariculture
Houston, TX
281-597-1620
jhendrix1706@aol.com
No information available.
Member: Mike Jennings
Seat: Commercial Fishing
Term: 3/07-3/09
Angleton, TX
979-864-9439
captainmikejennings@yahoo.com
Captain Mike Jennings is a lifetime resident of the Texas Gulf coast area. He has owned and operated Cowboy Charters, a charter fishing business, for over seven years and has nearly 25 total years of experience in the fishing business. Capt. Jennings has served as a member of various fishing and conservation organizations, including CCA.
Representative: LCDR Beth Keister
Agency: United States Coast Guard
Slidell, LA
504-589-3997
ekeister@d8.uscg.mil
No information available.
 Alternate: Dana Larson
Seat: Conservation
Term: 12/05 – 12/08
Conroe, TX
rigs2reefs@aol.com
No information available.
 Alternate: Dale Loughmiller
Seat: Education
Term: 12/07 – 12/10
Region VIII
Education Service Center
Mount Pleasant, TX
903-575-2670
daleloughmiller@mac.com
Dale Loughmiller lives in Paris, Texas and started his education career as a high school science teacher. With Masters Degrees in both Physics and Educational Computing, Dale has worked for the last seven years as an education consultant for the Region VIII Education Service Center in Mount Pleasant, Texas. As a recreational diver, Dale visited the Flower Gardens for the first time in the summer of 2003 and has been ‘hooked’ ever since, participating in numerous education programs promoting the FGBNMS.
 Member: Ian MacDonald
Seat: Research
Term: 10/05 – 10/08
Professor of Environmental Science
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
Corpus Christi, TX
361-825-2234
ian.macdonald@tamucc.edu
Ian is a professor of environmental science at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. The major focus of his research is ecology of natural hydrocarbon seeps using imaging, remote sensing, and GIS tools. He is a lifelong Scuba diver and has conducted research at the Flower Garden Banks since 1987.
 Alternate: Art Melvin
Seat: Diving Operations
Term: 10/05 – 10/08
Houston, TX
art@scubainc.com
No information available.
 Member: Clint Moore
Seat: Oil and Gas Production
Term: 12/07 – 12/10
Vice President, Corp. Development
ION Geophysical Corporation
Spring, TX
clint@clintmoore.com
Clint is a Texas-licensed Professional Geoscientist, having worked for almost 30 years as a staff geoscientist, supervisor, and manager in petroleum exploration and business development in the offshore Gulf of Mexico at three companies, Murphy Exploration (2006-07), Anadarko Petroleum (1987-2003) and Diamond Shamrock-Maxus (1978-1987). He is currently President of a newly-formed independent company, DiamondStar Exploration & Production LLC, founded in 2007, which is focused on offshore Gulf of Mexico petroleum exploration & business development. Clint has extensive experience in the geosciences of the offshore Gulf of Mexico, with a comprehensive background in salt tectonics, complex depositional systems, sedimentary & stratigraphic processes, and subsalt petroleum exploration & development. He was lead staff geoscientist, and then geologic supervisor, of Anadarko's subsalt exploration team from 1988-1997, and has published several leading geoscientific articles on Gulf of Mexico geology. Clint previously held public office as one of the first elected-Directors of the North Harris County Regional Water Authority (2000-02), responsible for the future drinking water needs of nearly half a million citizens in north Harris County, where he championed research in aquifer systems and groundwater management. In the 2004 primary elections, Clint was a candidate for US Congress in Texas District 2, now represented by US Congressman Ted Poe, and was subsequently appointed by Texas Governor Rick Perry as a representative from Texas on the Energy, Research, & Technology Committee of the Interstate Oil & Gas Compact Commission. Clint is a PADI & NITROX-certified scuba diver and an accomplished underwater videographer & photographer, having photographed thousands of underwater still images & video. He has made nearly 100 dives across the offshore banks of the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, primarily at East & West Flower Gardens, Stetson, Sonnier, Geyer, and Bright Banks, as well as on many petroleum production platforms. As a scientist first by training, he is particularly interested in the important research being conducted in the sanctuary, especially on marine mammals, and in the conservation of its diverse marine life and fisheries. During his first two year term on the FGBNMS Advisory Council, Clint was selected by his fellow council members as Chairman of the Boundary Expansion Subcommittee, whose unanimous recommendation to the Advisory Council was similarly adopted on December 6, 2007.
 Alternate: Rebecca Nadel
Seat: Oil and Gas Production
Term: 12/07-12/10
Shell
Houston, TX
281-544-3237
rebecca.nadel@shell.com
Rebecca is the Sustainable Development and Social Performance Manager for Shell Exploration and Production Company. She and her colleagues are responsible for integrating "people and planet," two pillars of the triple bottom line, into the company's long-term strategy and annual operating plans. Prior to joining Shell, Rebecca earned her MBA and Master of Science in Natural Resource Management from the University of Michigan through the Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise. She also holds a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from Duke University and a Master of Engineering in Underwater Acoustics from Penn State. Formerly, Rebecca worked as an acoustical engineer for a military defense contractor on various sonar projects. Subsequently she worked at the Ocean Studies Board of the National Academies, as well as the National Park Service. Rebecca has been a certified Scuba diver since she was 15 and is a PADI Master Diver.
 Representative: James Sinclair
Agency: Minerals Management Service
Project Officer, MMS Environmental Studies at the FGBNMS
New Orleans, LA
504-736-2789
james.sinclair@mms.gov
James has a B.S. in Marine Biology from Texas A&M University at Galveston and an M.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of New Orleans. His past work includes the culture of cephalopods, aerobic and anaerobic filtration, analysis of benthic community structure, propagation and restoration of submersed aquatic vegetation, and artificial reef development. He is a member of the Minerals Management Service Scientific Dive Team. His current work focuses on protection of sensitive habitats in the Gulf of Mexico including coral reefs, topographic features, the pinnacle trend, and live bottoms.
 Alternate: John Stout
Seat: Recreational Fishing
Term: 10/05 – 10/08
Captain, Possession Limit Fishing Team
Seabrook, TX
713-252-0535
jstout@marinerconsult.com
John is an avid offshore fisherman who spends 30-40 days a year fishing and diving in and around the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. He is captain and owner of the Post sportfisherman “Possession Limit” which is docked in Galveston. Capt. Stout also serves on the Highly Migratory Species advisory panel for the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council, as a delegate trustee to the Galveston Bay Foundation, and a member of the executive committee of the Saltwater Conservation Association.
 Representative: Rusty Swafford
Agency: NOAA Fisheries
Team Leader, Galveston Facility
Habitat Conservation Division
NMFS Southeast Region
Galveston, TX
409-766-3699
rusty.swafford@noaa.gov
Rusty is currently the Gulf of Mexico Branch Supervisor for NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office Habitat Conservation Division. He has over 20 years experience working for NOAA Fisheries and a well-rounded experience in coastal habitat conservation, restoration and enhancement issues.
 Member: Frank Wasson
Seat: Diving Operations
10/05 – 10/08
President, Gulf Diving, LLC.
Freeport, TX
281-300-4748
spree@spreeexpeditions.com
Frank is the president of Gulf Diving, LLC, the largest user group of the Flower Garden Banks. Gulf Diving is a member of the Diving Equipment and Manufacturers Association (DEMA) while Frank is a member of the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI). Frank has lived in Texas since July 1998 and moved here specifically to work in the sanctuary. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science.
Page first dove the Flower Garden and Stetson Banks in 1985, and lobbied with fellow divers for the sanctuary status. Her conservation activities and interests are often focused on the marine environment, and have led to holding offices in the Houston Underwater Club, the Gulf Coast Council of Diving Clubs, Galveston Bay Foundation, Houston Audubon Society, Audubon Council of Texas, the Lone Star Chapter of Sierra Club and the Houston Regional Group of Lone Star Sierra. She is presently on the executive committees of Lone Star Sierra and Gulf Restoration Network, and an outgoing director, as well as environmental chair and a lifetime member, of Houston Underwater Club.
|
