Tripp Funderburk is the Manager of the Reef Renewal Curacao (RRC). He is responsible for nursery construction and maintenance; coral outplanting and monitoring; and teaching visiting and volunteer divers about coral restoration

Before managing RRC, Tripp managed the Bay Islands Reef Restoration and Roatan Marine Park coral nursery programs in Roatan, Honduras. Tripp also served as Director of Policy for Coral Restoration Foundation (CRF), and Director of International Operations at the Coral Restoration Foundation International (CRFI) in Key Largo, Florida.

Before working in coral restoration, Tripp worked in public policy in Washington, DC, for more than 20 years, including eight years as a legislative assistant on both the House Appropriations and the House Administration Committees. Tripp also worked in the private sector in government relations for The Washington Group and The Livingston Group where he represented Fortune 500 companies, trade associations, non-profit organizations, conservation groups, Indian tribes, and foreign governments.

Mr. Funderburk received his M.B.A. from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and his undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Virginia.

Jeroen is from the Netherlands and joined the Reef Renewal Foundation Curaçao as Restoration and Research Technician in February 2025, where he sets up projects, supervises students, and coordinates ecology-based restoration efforts. He holds an MSc in Biological Sciences from the University of Amsterdam and a BSc in Applied Biology, along with wide-ranging field and research experience gained at leading marine research institutions, and beyond, including hands-on work in sexual coral restoration.

Jeroen is a co-author of peer-reviewed research in behavioural ecology, with several further publications in preparation, and a Dive Master with over 1,000 logged dives in physically demanding environments. He brings particular strength in reef monitoring and survey methods, from photogrammetry and 3D reef mosaics to machine-learning-based reef health analysis. We are thrilled to add someone with such a strong combination of field experience, technical skill, and scientific training to support the rigor and reach of our restoration work.

Born in Willemstad and a native speaker of Papiamentu, Dutch, and English, Chris brings both a deep local connection and international scientific experience to the team. He joined the Reef Renewal Foundation Curaçao as Research & Restoration Coordinator in March 2026, and holds an MSc Freshwater and Marine Biology (Cum Laude) from the University of Amsterdam, along with hands-on experience from leading coral research institutions across the Caribbean and the wider region.

Chris is a first author of published research on coral settler survival in Restoration Ecology, with co-authorship on two further papers, and an experienced scientific diver with several hundred logged dives, equally at home underwater and in the lab. We are thrilled to add someone with such a strong combination of scientific training and practical restoration experience to deepen the scientific rigor of our work and our ties to the wider coral research community.

Ken Nedimyer is the founder of Reef Renewal and the founder and former president of the Coral Restoration Foundation.  Ken has designed and set up coral nursery and reef restoration programs in over 12 different countries, has a degree in Marine Biology and has a life time of experience diving on coral reefs.  Ken played an important role in establishing the nursery and restoration program on Bonaire, and continues to work with the program managers at Reef Renewal Bonaire to share lessons learned in Bonaire and around the world.