Team
Board Members
Cécile Gaspar
Cécile is a founder member of te mana o te moana, and the President, since its creation. A veterinarian, she completed a PhD in marine ecology and is also a senior lecturer for the EPHE (Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes). Deeply involved with the protection of the marine environment and its fauna, Cécile shares her time between the association, and her activities as scientific veterinary manager for the Moorea Dolphin Center. She also takes part in many international conferences on marine environment.
Cécile Gaspar’s CV (in French)
Richard Bailey
Richard is the Treasurer secretary of te mana o te moana. He is also the owner of the InterContinental hotels of French Polynesia, and of the ship Paul Gauguin, cruising in the South Pacific.
Richard Bailey’s Biography (in French)
Yann Panheleux
Yann is the Treasurer of te mana o te moana. He is also the animal director of the Moorea Dolphin Center.
Board of Directors
Download the Members’ List – Board of Directors
Patrons
Jean-Michel Cousteau – since October 2008
To show his support to te mana o te moana, Jean-Michel Cousteau accepted to become the association’s Patron on October 2008.
Te mana o te moana has been collaborating with Ocean Futures Society, nonprofit association founded by Jean-Michel Cousteau, since 2006. The two associations joined forces to implement the Sustainable Reefs program in French Polynesia in 2007/2008. The educational “Sustainable reefs” toolkit was distributed and presentations were given to 4 200 students and 170 educators in French Polynesia.
Thanks to this fruitful long-term partnership, other educational projects will be developed by the two associations in the nearest future.
Ocean Futures Society founded by Jean Michel Cousteau
Jean Francois Clervoy and Richard Linnehan – since June 2009
Jean-Francois Clervoy is an Astronaut of the European Space Agency (ESA) since 1992. He was invited in French Polynesia to celebrate both the year of the Astronomy and the World Ocean Day in 2009. He was accompanied by Richard Linnehan, astronaut from the NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) since 1992 too, who has already collaborated with Te mana o te moana a few years ago for a huge educational projet “Manareva”. The World Ocean Day was the opportunity for te mana o te moana to welcome 2 new patrons in order to preserve our Biodiversity “from the sea to the space”.
Jean-François Clervoy: «J’admire une équipe qui se dévoue à la cause la plus noble dans notre existence : la défense du milieu naturel et la sensibilisation des humains à cette cause. Je pouvais attester que la Terre était très belle vue de l’espace mais je peux dire maintenant que sur place, il y a des gens au cœur aussi grand et généreux que leur environnement naturel est beau. Je prends comme un honneur d’être parrain de votre association et m’efforcerai de défendre vos valeurs à la hauteur de vos efforts».
Richard Linnehan: “Te mana o te moana, Spirit of the Ocean – A fantastic organization that is forward-thinking in its approach to informing and educating the children of Tahiti and Moorea, as well as adults, while recognizing the importance of cultural history and how it must meld with science and technology to insure that the beautiful ecosystem of French Polynesia survives and flourishes…”
Jean François Clervoy’s Biography
Rauata Temauri – patron since May 2012
Famous Tahitian dancer, she evoluates into the Hei Tahiti group since 5 years. Aged from 22 years old, she’s actually professor of sales at the Samuel Raapoto secondary school and became Miss Tahiti 2011. Engaged in the conservation of her “fenua” (land), she would like to be involved into Education and Conservation actions. On May 11th, she joined the te mana o te moana’s team at the sea turtle clinic on Moorea, beside two prestigious astronauts, Charles Duke and Jean François Clervoy to release Costa Luna, a green turtle which stayed 6 years at the clinic, the most longer of all the sea turtles that where welcomed at the clinic! Rauata is since that day, a new patron of the foundation and will continue for a long time her engagement to the conservation of the polynesian nature.
Team 
Vie Jourdan
For 8 years as an Educator, then education officer, Vie has been in charge of delivering educational programs for the Moorea Dolphin Center. She ‘s now the Coordinator of the Foundation – also in charge of all Educational activities, in charge of the creation of various tools with te mana o te moana foundation, in which she’s also the coordinator.
Matthieu Petit
Matthieu worked on the underwater trail during his Master Degree training period. He has now joined te mana o te moana’s team to develop new conservation and research projects on coral reefs and marine turtles.
Matthieu Petit’s CV (in French)
Magali Soria
New animator, Magali delivers educational programs of the association, and is in charge of te mana o te moana’s participation to all environmental events.
Manutea Tevero
Manutea Tevero has joined the foundation on May 2012, thanks to the local agreement for the integration through an activity (CEPIA), set up by the French Services for the employment, for the professional training and insertion (SEFI). Manutea is in charge of the clinic and also participates to the administrative tasks.
Trainees
Each year, te mana o te moana welcomes trainees from universities (biology, environment, marketing, infography, etc…). During their internship, they can be in charge of developing educational activities, research or conservation programs, or can help with the daily management of the Sea Turtles’ Clinic.
Currently…
Florent Bignon, has gathered the foundation for 9 months in order to participate to the nesting season of sea turtles. Originally from Mayenne, he’s since he’s young a fervent admirator of reptiles. he’s also in charge of the Facebook page for the foundation.
Marc Besson came from the North of France; he’s studying biosciences and joined Te mana o te moana for 7 months, working on the sea turtles nesting campaign.
Camille Giraud arrived a the beginning of 2013. Recently graduated from Berkeley University, she participates to a conservation project based on fish tagging for 5 months.
Helpful contributors
We are very grateful to these persons, who manage to give some of their time to help with various activities of te mana o te moana: Torea Colas, Danielle Blanc-Piperaud, and, for their photographies: Thomas Vignot, Alexis Rosenfeld, Pierre Lesage, Rodolphe Holler, Cyril Tricot, Isabelle Dupré, Renaud Fayada…
And our Active Volunters…….
Céline Desjardins.. who has joined the foundation ince February in order to help at the Sea turtle Clinic.
A special highlight on Noël Pahio
Noël worked at the Turtles’ Clinic for one year in 2012 . He was in charge of the daily feeding and medical care of the turtles. this project was conducted thanks to the “Ambassador of the Environment” initiative financially supported by Tahiti Legends and Voyages de Légende.
This post is also available in: French
