The Nature Foundation St Maarten has four permanent staff members. Our board members jointly oversee the activities of our organization. The local team is strengthened by (often remote) skilled researchers, enthusiastic interns and a large community of volunteers.
Nature Foundation Staff
Our staff members all live on St. Maarten and share a passion for nature conservation. Combined, the Nature Foundation staff has a wide range of qualifications, ranging from boat handling and maintenance to dive qualifications as well as backgrounds in ecology, park law and police powers.
- Director Melanie Meijer zu Schlochtern
Marine biologist and ecologist, commercial diving - Office Manager Marisa Dyer-Brandy
Human resource management, financial administration - Chief Ranger Etienne Lake
Technician, law enforcement expert - Educational Outreach Officer Leslie Hickerson
Commercial diving and sustainable tourism - Ray-Angel Simon-Lynch Ranger Intern
Nature Foundation Board
The Nature Foundation St Maarten has a permanent Board of seven Directors, who oversee the organization’s activities and direct overall policy and strategy.
Elected Board members have additional responsibilities in accordance with respective positions. Board meetings are called monthly, with minutes being circulated to the Board. Meetings between the manager and Board representatives take place as necessary.
- Board Chairman
Jan Beaujon, Financial sector and council of advice - Regular Member
Frank Boekhout, Education and biologist - Board Secretary
Rikke Bachmann- Speetjens, Marine biologist - Board Treasurer
Paul Ellinger, Marine industry - Regular Member
Marie-Louise Carty-Vialenc, Media sector - Regular Member
Jesse Peterson, Yachting industry - Regular Member
Beverly Mae Nisbeth, Education Biology and Environmental Sciences
Volunteers
Many local volunteers contribute to the Nature Foundation by assisting with clean ups, outreach and educational events, sea turtle nesting monitoring, coral transplanting, website maintenance, fundraising, and various research projects. Whether in our office, in the field or in front of your computer, there’s a way for you to volunteer!
Internships
Interns working with the Nature Foundation have a variety of important responsibilities, and depending on the season, you may do any or all of the following:
- Sea turtle monitoring,
- Reduce and Reuse Project
- Seagrass monitoring or
- participate in various ongoing research projects.
If you are interested to become a Nature Foundation intern you can contact us now.