The end of September marked a particularly special time at CORAL headquarters in California: CORAL field staff from all of our project sites traveled to San Francisco for one all-too-short week of collaboration, preparation, training, and camaraderie. The week has has provided us all with invaluable connections and insights that will help to move our work forward in our project sites and at the main office. We look forward to meeting again!

Here is a brief recap of the week in photos:

Fiji field staff fly to San Francisco
CORAL's field staff flew into San Francisco from around the world. A big thanks to Air Pacific and Don Cresswell for donating the flights for the Fiji Team! 

Photo courtesy Heidi Williams


CORAL's entire Conservation Programs team got to know each other on a trip to
Alcatraz Island before heading into the office.

CORAL Programs staff at Alcatraz

Back row (left to right): Sirilo "Didi" Dulunaqio (Fiji), Liz Foote (Hawaii), Rick MacPherson (Conservation Programs Director), Jennifer Baing (PNG), Heidi WIlliams (Fiji), Jenny Myton (Honduras), Moala Tokata'a (Fiji), Valentine Rosado (Belize)
Front row (left to right): Kara Osada-D'Avella (Hawaii), Naneng Setiasih (Indonesia), Ian Drysdale (Honduras), Kenneth Johnson (Mexico), Candace Leong (Programs Associate)

Photo © Alcatraz Cruises

 Kenneth's presentation on Mexico

On Monday, all field staff gave presentations about the progress, challenges, and strategies in their sites.

Photo by Candace Leong
 
 
Field and office staff spent a day together at the California Academy of Sciences...
 
Programs staff at Cal Academy
Cal Academy tour Cal Academy reef tankStaff presentation

...where we were treated to a behind-the-scenes tour of the Steinhart Aquarium and got to experience the coral reef, climate change, and rainforest exhibits. Rick gave a presentation about CORAL for Academy staff, and the afternoon was filled with presentations to bring the field staff up to speed on what goes on at CORAL headquarters.

Photos by Sarah Freiermuth, Candace Leong, and Liz Foote

Rick gives a presentation

 

The rest of the week was full of strategizing, collaboration, and good food!

Photos by Candace Leong

 Field staff dinnerField staff working
 
Farewell to field staff
 The time to say good-bye came all too soon, but our work will be bolstered
by the friendships we formed.

 

 Find more photos on CORAL's Facebook page!