Frank cummings - President
Frank Cummings began his efforts with The CORE Foundation in 2012 as the Education and Outreach Coordinator for the island of St. John, eventually Frank was asked to shoulder the responsibility of becoming the Education and Outreach Director for the Foundation as a whole. To this day Frank finds the educational aspect of teaching CORE Responders to become effective Marine Stewards one of the highlights of his efforts with the lionfish management program. In 2017, for his work with the lionfish invasion mitigation Frank was awarded Environmental Champion Award from the Environmental Protection Agency. During his role as Education and Outreach Director Frank trained hundreds of people to be CORE Lionfish Responders. CORE Responders remove lionfish daily from the surrounding waters of the U. S. Virgin Islands. Frank has been instrumental in raising funds, identifying lionfish aggregating "hot spots" and organizing removal efforts. In 2018 Frank was voted in by the CORE Board of Directors to become the current President. You can contact Frank about the next CORE Responder training at: cell # 340-643- 5089 or email: [email protected]
Jeremy PrudHomme - Treasurer
Born and raised on the Island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, Jeremy has had a love of the ocean from a very young age. He immigrated to Virginia in 2001 where he completed high school and earned a degree in Business Management from the University of Virginia.
Jeremy discovered St John while on vacation in 2011 and immediately fell in love, moving there for the first time that same year. After many years in the maritime and hospitality industries, in 2019 he took over as General Manager of Low Key Watersports.
Jeremy first learned about C.O.R.E. when Frank Cummings called to ask if Low Key would be able to take some C.O.R.E. responders out to treat Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease. Since that call in 2020, Low Key Watersports and Jeremy have continued to support C.O.R.E’s efforts, including fundraising for C.O.R.E. programs, volunteering staff and boats as resources and donating supplies. Jeremy was voted onto the board of C.O.R.E. in February of 2024 and is excited to continue supporting the organization and all of the vital work it does.
Jeremy discovered St John while on vacation in 2011 and immediately fell in love, moving there for the first time that same year. After many years in the maritime and hospitality industries, in 2019 he took over as General Manager of Low Key Watersports.
Jeremy first learned about C.O.R.E. when Frank Cummings called to ask if Low Key would be able to take some C.O.R.E. responders out to treat Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease. Since that call in 2020, Low Key Watersports and Jeremy have continued to support C.O.R.E’s efforts, including fundraising for C.O.R.E. programs, volunteering staff and boats as resources and donating supplies. Jeremy was voted onto the board of C.O.R.E. in February of 2024 and is excited to continue supporting the organization and all of the vital work it does.
Rebecca Gibbel - Science Officer
Rebecca Gibbel is pleased to be CORE's Science Officer, advising on the many marine projects that CORE is conducting. She is a marine biologist who holds a MSc degree from the University of the Virgin Islands' marine sciences program. Gibbel has worked in coral restoration programs with UVI's Reef Response, Coral World Ocean and Reef Initiative (CWORI), and the Coral Genetic Rescue and Propagation Ark. She previously was the head veterinarian and owner of a large Manhattan animal hospital. She lives on St. John with her husband Mark, who is CORE nursery diver and lionfish responder.
Michael Funk - VICE President
Mike Funk came to St. Croix in 2012 as a faculty member of the Barry University Physician Assistant Program and quickly got involved with the dive community, getting certified as a PADI Dive Master. He first joined the CORE Foundation as a Lionfish Removal Diver in 2013 and was elected Education and Outreach Director in 2018. In 2020 he was then elected Treasurer. Mike assumed the St. Croix lionfish dive coordinator position, helping Wess Tester with coordination responsibilities to build out a robust network of active lionfish removal divers. This program has proved to be tremendously successful in mobilizing the community and removing large quantities of invasive lionfish from the reef ecosystem around St. Croix. Mike was also involved with the CORE Stony Coral Tissue Loss Response Team from the earliest days; surveying coral reefs around the island and providing treatment from its inception. This program required close collaboration and communication with various Territory agencies. The quantity and quality of data gathered, the large number of corals surveyed and treated, and the expansion of SCTLD awareness throughout the territory are key victories from this program.
Sam Darling - Secretary
Sam was voted in to the C.O.R.E. Board of Directors in October 2024 as the new Secretary. Sam operates out of St. Thomas as the Manager of Red Hook Dive Center where she became introduced to C.O.R.E. through their lionfish extermination efforts and overall marine awareness initiatives. The Board is excited to now have representatives from across all three US Virgin Islands of STX, STJ, and STT going into 2025!
Sam has been a SCUBA diver since the age of 18 and is an avid outdoor and water woman and guide. She cut her teeth with the Student Conservation Society and National Park Service and then moved into the non-profit sector. Sam owned her own hospitality and event business for seven years before transitioning to running a back-country lodge in Alaska and then making her way down to the Caribbean in 2022.
Sam was instrumental in organizing the first STT Lionfish Derby in 2024 along with fellow board member Matthew Sims and they are already getting started on the 2025 derbies! She is excited to be a part of the team and bring more marine awareness and environmental/restorations programs and opportunities to the island community and guests visiting.
Sam has been a SCUBA diver since the age of 18 and is an avid outdoor and water woman and guide. She cut her teeth with the Student Conservation Society and National Park Service and then moved into the non-profit sector. Sam owned her own hospitality and event business for seven years before transitioning to running a back-country lodge in Alaska and then making her way down to the Caribbean in 2022.
Sam was instrumental in organizing the first STT Lionfish Derby in 2024 along with fellow board member Matthew Sims and they are already getting started on the 2025 derbies! She is excited to be a part of the team and bring more marine awareness and environmental/restorations programs and opportunities to the island community and guests visiting.
Matthew Sims - Education and Outreach
Matthew was voted in to the CORE Board of Directors in early January 2022 as the new Education and Outreach Director. Taking over the position from Michael Funk during his transition to Treasurer, Matthew stepped in as the youngest member of the team to head up the revamp of CORE's communication strategy, outreach programming, and developing new ways to engage our community of dedicated responders.
Matthew operates out of STX, and has been an avid scuba diver since 2019 when he was certified in St. Croix. He began his journey with CORE as a volunteer diver in the Stony Coral Tissue Loss Response program, helping identify, count, and treat corals on a weekly basis. Matthew is also active in other communities on St. Croix, including Disc Golf, Ultimate Frisbee, Beach Volleyball, Yoga/AcroYoga, Golf, Cycling, Kiteboarding and Triathlons.
Matthew operates out of STX, and has been an avid scuba diver since 2019 when he was certified in St. Croix. He began his journey with CORE as a volunteer diver in the Stony Coral Tissue Loss Response program, helping identify, count, and treat corals on a weekly basis. Matthew is also active in other communities on St. Croix, including Disc Golf, Ultimate Frisbee, Beach Volleyball, Yoga/AcroYoga, Golf, Cycling, Kiteboarding and Triathlons.
Gregory Hansen - Chief Adviser
Greg has been with CORE since before it's inception. CORE founder Joseph Gulli and Greg were childhood friends that never strayed apart. When Joe expressed the need for Invasive Species Management in the U.S.V.I. and abroad, Greg was there to help. Greg's assistance within the foundation has been welcome and essential to its stability.
No stranger to natural resource management, Greg is a vital addition to the executive board offering over 35 years of experience with a strong guiding hand.
No stranger to natural resource management, Greg is a vital addition to the executive board offering over 35 years of experience with a strong guiding hand.