Lori Schwacke, PhD – Consortium Director
Lori Schwacke currently serves as Chief Scientist for Conservation Medicine at the National Marine Mammal Foundation (NMMF), supporting NMMF efforts to improve the health and conservation of marine mammal populations worldwide. In the 16 years prior to coming to NMMF, Dr. Schwacke worked for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), where she led efforts to assess and quantify injuries to Gulf of Mexico dolphin populations following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. While at NOAA, she also led interdisciplinary research to understand the connections of human, animal, and environmental health under the NOAA Oceans and Human Health Initiative. Dr. Schwacke holds a PhD in Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Systems Science from the Medical University of South Carolina and a BS in Computer Science from Florida State University.
Cynthia Smith, DVM – Consortium Deputy Director
Cynthia Smith serves as the Executive Director for the National Marine Mammal Foundation (NMMF.org), a nonprofit organization based in San Diego, California. Smith is charged with furthering the NMMF’s mission to improve and protect life for marine mammals by integrating exceptional care with innovative science, national service, and public education. Over the course of her career, Smith’s research efforts have focused on enhancing marine mammal health and welfare, with an emphasis on advancing non-invasive imaging techniques for the rapid assessment of animal health. Following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Smith served as a lead veterinary scientist for NOAA’s Natural Resource Damage Assessment, specifically to help determine the adverse health effects on wild bottlenose dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico. Smith earned a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine with a Veterinary Thesis in Aquatic Biomedicine from Tufts University and then completed a National Research Council Post-Doctoral Associateship with the U.S. Navy’s Marine Mammal Program. She also completed Executive Education at Harvard University in nonprofit management and finance. Smith understands the importance of giving back locally and globally through scientific expertise and high-quality research to improve conservation and marine mammal protection efforts worldwide.
Consortium Management
Brenda Bauer
Logistics Coordinator
Ryan Takeshita, PhD
Research Coordinator
Celeste Parry
Outreach Coordinator
Eric Franks
Creative Coordinator
Steering Committee
Lori Schwacke, PhD
NMMF
Brian Balmer, PhD
NMMF
Maggie Broadwater, PhD
NOAA NCCOS
Ruth H. Carmichael, PhD
USA DISL
Kathleen Colegrove DVM, PhD, Dip ACVP
U Illinois
Lance Garrison, PhD
NOAA SEFSC
Keith Mullin, PhD
NOAA SEFSC
Sylvain De Guise, DVM, PhD
U Conn
Patricia Rosel, PhD
NOAA SEFSC
Teri Rowles, DVM, PhD
NOAA NMFS
Cynthia Smith, DVM
NMMF
Len Thomas, PhD
University of St. Andrews, CREEM
Randy Wells, PhD
CZS SDRP
Science Advisory Board
Chair: Ailsa Hall, PhD
University of St. Andrews, Sea Mammal Research Unit
Mike Ziccardi, DVM, PhD
UC Davis
Tracy Collier, PhD
Ocean Associates
Philip Dixon, PhD
Iowa St U
Frances Gulland, Vet. M.B., PhD.
The Marine Mammal Center
Nick Kellar, PhD
NOAA SWFSC
Key Collaborating Researchers
Carl Cloyed, PhD
DISL
Forrest Gomez, DVM
NMMF
Sharon Huston, DVM, Dip ACVIM
San Diego Veterinary Cardiology
Cormac Booth
SMRU Consulting
Mandy Tumlin
LA Dept of Wildlife and Fisheries
Milton Levin, PhD
U Conn
Guillermo Risatti, PhD
U Conn
Forrest Townsend, DVM
Auburn, Bayside Hospital for Animals
Eric Zolman
NMMF
Jeanine Morey
NMMF
Brian Quigley
NMMF
Todd Speakman
NMMF
Ross Martinson
NMMF
Tiago Marques
CREEM
Consortium Members
