Board of Trustees
In response to the deterioration of coastal resources in the Philippines, the Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation was formed by a group of concerned and talented individuals to address some critical marine conservation needs of the country.

Alan White
President
A world renown scientist and a pioneer of coastal resource management in the Philippines. He is currently the Chief of Party of the Sustainable Ecosystems Advanced (SEA) Project in Jakarta, Indonesia, supported by USAID. He received his Masters in Management from the School for International Training in Vermont and his doctorate in Geography from the University of Hawaii, U.S.A. He specializes in research and coastal resource management.

Evelyn Deguit
Secretary
She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work at Silliman University in Dumaguete City, and completed her Masters of Science in Social Work in the Asian Social Institute in Malate Manila, Philippines. She specializes in community development management.

May Elizabeth Ybañez
Treasurer
She is the Executive Director of the prestigious and multi-awarded Cebu Chamber of Commerce & Industry Inc (CCCI). She is a trustee of the Coastal Conservation Education Foundation and former President of the Cebu Biodiversity Conservation Foundation and the St. Theresa’s Alumnae Board. She has hands-on experience in organizing and mobilizing the various TVET Clusters of various industries i.e. tourism, construction and food manufacturing in partnership with the AFOS Foundation for Entrepreneurial Development.

Patrick Christie
Coastal Resource Management Advisor
Dr. Patrick Christie is a professor at the School of Marine Affairs in the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A. Dr. Christie received his Masters in Conservation Biology and his Doctorate in Natural Resources and Environment in the University of Michigan, U.S.A. Dr. Christie’s current research projects consider the human dimensions of marine protected area networks, tribal perspectives on the state of Puget Sound, and the feasibility of marine ecosystem-based management in tropical contexts. He was recently selected as a Pew Fellow in Marine Conservation. He has led various comparative, socio-ecological research projects in the Philippines and Indonesia on the practice of marine resource management.

Alan Roland Thomas
Institutional Development Advisor
Alan Thomas is the Director off UNICO Conservation Foundation and currently the C.E.O. of BlueQ- digitizing qualification for organizations and individuals. He mentors and consults with software businesses to help them navigate the strategic, operational and financial challenges they face as they grow. He has over 30 years of experience in the software industry leading businesses in the US and Australia including public, private and not for profit board positions

Marlito Nolledo Guidote
Marketing Adviser
Marlito’s involvements have included being a Coastal Law Enforcement Specialist of the Coastal Resource Management Project (USAID) in 2005, Policy and Enforcement Advisor under the Fisheries Improved for Sustainable Harvest Project (USAID) in 2010 and presently, being the Deputy Chief of Party for the Fisheries Improved for Sustainable Harvest Project (USAID). He is a consultant focusing on governance, law enforcement and communication.

Rina Maria Rosales
Research, Economic & Business Adviser
Senior Resource Economics Specialist, (USAID), Bachelor of Science in Business Economics Dean’s List, Candidate for Masters Degree in Economics. She was a mentor at the Conservation International-Phil. and adviser of the Worldwide Fund. Her expertise lies in environmental economics, protected area management and rural/ agricultural development.

Evangeline Eban-White
Member
She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce with a major in Banking and Finance at Saint Paul College of Manila, Philippines. She also has units in Business Administration and Accounting at the Rhode Island State Business School, U.S.A. She has been managing the Saving Philippine Reefs Research Expeditions annually since 1992 through the support of Earthwatch Expeditions and expedition volunteers.
Dear CCE Foundation Partners, Collaborators and Friends,
We are proud to announce the employment of a new Executive Director for the CCE Foundation. Mr. Auburn Patrick Samson started in his new post at the Foundation on June 17, 2019. Mr. Samson brings a wealth of experience to CCE Foundation from his years of involvement with various economic development initiatives that integrate community and local government development programs as well as his interest in non-government organizations, their management and fund raising. He is also very concerned about the status of Philippine coastal resources and the condition of the human communities that depend on their coastal areas for livelihood. We are very pleased to have Mr. Samson join our organization. He is taking over this post from Ms. Moonyeen Alava.
We enjoin all to welcome Mr. Samson or ‘Rikki’ in his new job and encourage you
to meet and discuss with him our business affairs of mutual interest now or in
the future. Our office address remains the same as noted herein and his email
is executive_director@localhost
or auburnsamson@gmail.com

President, CCEF
Years of work by CCEF with partners and local champions for coastal conservation and protection allow us to have “small” wins in areas we work in. Wins that positively impact the lives of both humans and marine species. Wins that continue to give us inspiration.
However, the challenges faced by our coasts remain the same, in fact I believe that it is safe to say that it has even become worse. We see more plastics now in our ocean, coasts and mangroves destroyed over “development”, illegal fishing methods still exists, just to name a few. On an even larger scale, the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2018 Summary for Policymakers reports that“ coral reefs are projected to decline further by 70-90% at 1.5.” This rise in temperature could have great impact to communities whose lives are so dependent on the bounty of our oceans.
The mandate now, as we move forward, is to have more “small” wins so that taken as a whole, these “small wins” will have wider and greater impact. Hence, we at CCEF will continue to partner with more community champions and develop programs and projects that will ensure sustainable coasts. We will try to have more institutional partners, especially businesses who are conscious of their Corporate Social Responsibilities. Continue to engage local government units and government agencies to push further their commitment towards having sustainable coasts, environment-friendly development programs and policies.
The challenges are vast and complex, but we are undaunted for we know that we are fighting a good fight. To be more spiritual, we believe that as responsible stewards of this beautiful gift HE has for humanity, HE will be there fighting with us. For in PSALM 95 it says, “the sea is HIS, for HE made it, and HIS hands formed the land.”
