Whale Trust's Board of Directors 2011-2012
Allen N. Jones, Chairman
Allen retired from a 27-year career at Merrill Lynch where he held several senior executive positions. At the time of his retirement Allen was Senior Vice President of the firm, served on the Private Client Division Executive Committee and was Director of Private Client Marketing Group. During his career he also held positions as President and CEO of Merrill Lynch Life Insurance Co. and Director Individual Financial Services among other positions. In addition to his financial expertise, Allen brings the Board of Whale Trust a long and diverse history of involvement with philanthropic organizations including being Chairman, Indian River (FL) Medical Center Foundation, member of the Indian River Medical Center Board of Trustees and Chairman of its Investment Committee. At various times, he also has been Chairman, Forum for Investment Advice, Chairman-elect, Houston American Heart Association, and on the Board of Trustees of the Princeton Medical Center (NJ). Allen currently is a part-time resident of Maui and Vero Beach, Florida.
Richard "Pat" Cochran, Vice-President
Pat Cochran is currently the Director of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Maui Memorial Medical Center, in Wailuku, Maui. Previously, he held a similar position at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, Maine. In addition to his work as a cardiac surgeon, Dr. Cochran has taught medicine at three universities: University of Wisconsin, University of Washington, and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. He is a member of numerous professional organizations and holds fellowship status with the American Association of Thoracic Surgeons, the American College of Chest Physicians, American College of Cardiology, the American College of Surgeons, and he serves on several association committees. He has been involved in a wide range of medical research projects funded by regional and national peer reviewed sources (National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, American Heart Association), and has written extensively on a variety of topics relating to cardiac disease, surgery, physiology and pharmacology. He has been involved with supporting marine mammal research and Whale Trust activities since 2000.
Karyn Cochran, Secretary
Dr. Karyn Cochran is currently the president of Superior Surgical Solutions, an independent biomedical research consulting firm, based in Wailuku, Maui. She also serves on the faculty of the University of Maine as a Professor of Mechanical Engineering. She was previously the Director of Research for Central Maine Medical Center, and has held academic positions in cardiothoracic surgery and bioengineering at the University of Wisconsin, and University of Washington. Dr. Cochran currently serves on National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), and American Heart Association (AHA) research grant review boards; is an associate editor for two cardiovascular professional journals; and is a member of the board of directors for a national biomedical association, and an international heart valve society. She has received research funding from the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, American Heart Association, Whitaker Foundation, and other institutional or industry sponsors for her work studying cardiovascular mechanics, tissue remodeling, and surgical intervention. She has been involved with supporting marine mammal research and Whale Trust activities since 2000.
Ann Coopersmith, Treasurer
Ann "Frannie" Coopersmith is an Associate Professor of Biology at University of Hawai`i Maui College. In addition to classroom teaching, she works in many different aspects of marine education including curriculum development, in-service teacher training, textbook and newsletter editing, and is a board member of the National Marine Educators Association. She received an MA in Education from Stanford University and an MA in Biology from San Francisco State University.
Meagan Jones, Co-founder and Executive Director
Dr. Meagan Jones is co-founder and Executive Director of Whale Trust, as well as the Ocean Studies Educational Specialist for the Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii. Meagan moved to Maui twenty years ago after finishing her Master’s thesis on the cognitive capabilities and communication systems of bottlenose dolphins. Since then, she has committed her professional life to linking marine science with public education and conservation programs, especially around marine mammals. After receiving a national award for her work in marine education in 1997, Meagan returned her primary focus to studying the natural behavior and communication systems of humpback whales. Meagan completed her Ph.D. in environmental studies in 2010 and is currently investigating the reproductive strategies of female humpbacks on the Hawaiian breeding grounds.
Charles "Flip" Nicklin, Minden Pictures, Board Member
Flip Nicklin is a world-renowned underwater photographer. He has spent his 30-year career specializing in the photography of marine mammals, especially whales and dolphins. Through 20 National Geographic articles from 1982 to the present, he has worked closely with top whale researchers from around the world. From this work Flip brings a unique, global perspective on the study of whales to Whale Trust. Flip has assisted on studies of humpback whales in Hawaii since the 1980s, and lives in Maui for a portion of each year.
Garry Weber, Board Member
Garry is the CEO and Chairman of the Board of Weber Financial Inc., a full service investment firm located in Dallas, Texas. Dedicated to public service, Garry was elected to serve as a Dallas County Judge and served on the Dallas County Council from 1969-1976. He is the recipient of the 1998 Southern Methodist University (SMU) Distinguished Alumni Award and served on the Board of Trustees for a 12-year term. Currently, he serves on the SMU Cox School of Business Executive Board and the SMU Investment Committee, where he co-led a fundraising effort that raised $542 million. An avid outdoor and wildlife enthusiast, Garry is a current member of the Council of advisors for Research, Exploration and Conservation for the National Geographic Society, a member of The Explorers Club, and has participated and supported the work of Whale Trust since its inception.
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