OUR TEAM
Meet our passionate team of experts.
Leadership Team
Rick Warner
Sustainable Environmental and Economic Development Leadership
Rick has considerable experience leading and managing global teams of diverse
people, initiating new corporate ventures, raising venture capital to build new
businesses, and garnering and deploying government funding to enable the use of new
technology, all to achieve mutually agreed-upon objectives and key results.
Rick is a Year 2000 ComputerWorld Smithsonian Laureate and is a 2008 Lawrence
Tech Innovator of the Year nominee. This prestigious honor was awarded to him and
two of his Action Engine company colleagues for their efforts in developing a consumer-
oriented mobile services platform.
Before Action Engine and setting the standard for his work there, Rick trained and
worked to bring to market new services with firms such as Boeing, British Telecom,
BMW, Ciba, General Motors, Hexcel, HNTB, McDonnell Douglas, Mitsubishi Heavy
Industries, Paccar, Palm, Vestas. He also has extensive experience within the capital
markets, working with Angels, VCs, Debt structure, strategic investor structures, and
M&A processes to speed up and scale up sound objectives.
Rick, whose Great uncle was Joshua Slocum (the first man to sail solo around the
World), holds four Sailing World records; like many sailors, he knows the value of our
natural assets. Also, his namesake was the three-term governor of Michigan, who
fostered conservation and economic growth. These role models shaped his way of life
and career in value-driven business development.
Competing and delivering Areté (a foiling trimaran) has given him firsthand experience
and the ability to share what the great bodies of water on the Blue Marble enable for all.
Katarina Fjording
Operations and Implementation
Katarina’s career has been focused on engineering, major industrial operations, complex program management, sustainability, and community outreach.
She is a mechanical engineer and executive with over 35 years of cross-functional global experience, encompassing product development, tooling development, industrial operations, manufacturing, supply chain, program management, sustainability, construction, education, customer experience, board work, fundraising, and non-profit work.
Katarina was previously employed with Ford Motor Company and Volvo Cars and has also worked for French and German automotive companies as a Tier 1 supplier.
With Volvo Cars she held several senior positions. As Vice President of Manufacturing Asia she oversaw logistics, and the build-up, launch and operations of three different production facilities as well as operational responsibility for a further manufacturing site.
As Vice President Purchasing & Manufacturing America, she led the establishment of Volvo Cars’ first industrial footprint in America, a greenfield mega project, including overseeing the build of the LEED certified production facility in SC, and the supply chain.
Paulo Nobrega Lopes
Business Development
Paulo Initially focused his professional career in two multinational corporations, Citibank and Novartis.
After a short period in the administration of a top media company, he started his career in communication, sports and marketing. Sustainability was subsequently added to his portfolio of responsibilities. Prior to joining Coastal 8 Paulo launched The Seaquester Project, an initiative to utilize seabourn algae to sequester carbon .
Paulo graduated in International Relations at Lusíada University, and is a former top-level Showjumper who represented Portugal on the European tour.
Paulo retains his love of horses and is still actively involved in the equine world.
Ted Lavoie
Financial Management and Governance
Ted contributes over thirty years of seasoned executive experience leading both public and private companies as CEO, COO, and CFO.
Deeply client and profit-oriented, he has deployed his financial and operational leadership skills to spearhead many complex business operations and shepherd various private equity transactions and public IPOs from preparation to execution.
His visionary ability to construct viable growth and exit strategies has consistently and significantly advanced returns for founders, investors, and stakeholders.
Ted’s broad functional C-Suite experience includes core executive financial and operational responsibilities; reporting and analysis; milestone and project accounting; developing strategic operational frameworks, quantifiable OKRs and KPIs that have notably enhanced margin, cash flows, revenues, and market share. He has led annual audits, shared services, supply chain, IT, IP generation and monetization, and HR/compensation plans. Particularly throughout the valuation and negotiation processes, Ted’s demonstrated aptitude for M&A transactions will undoubtedly prove to be a meaningful and immediate value add for Coastal 8 LLC.
Ted brings over 20 years of effective Board leadership in Governance, Risk, Compensation, Executive & Strategy Committees, with 12 years as an Audit Committee Chair. He possesses extensive experience in SOX compliance, including the resolution of complex Rule 144 issues – IPO, M&A and Audit Company upgrade from regional to national firms. Ted currently and formerly sits on the Boards of Pacific Diversified Capital (NYSE), Wahlco Environmental Inc. (NYSE), Tech Target Inc., Local.com Inc. (NASDAQ), Medical Staffing Direct, Inc., Coastal 8 LLC
Philanthropic efforts include service as Director, Finance Committee Chair, and Treasurer on the Board of The Salvation Army, Golden State Division, he also assists homeless Vets in Marin County and has helped 4 to secure housing and benefits,.
Ted has a Master of Business Administration Finance and Management Systems, and Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration/Finance,
He resides in Marin County, California and enjoys cycling, golf, Aikido, and spending time with Angus, his rescued Terrier.
Trevaun Solomon
General Management & SaaS Services
Trevaun has an extensive portfolio of start-up experience. He serves educational and financial interests in the Caribbean by starting and operating the Caribbean's first online regional private school, and is a passionate activist for entrepreneurial development in the Caribbean.
Trevaun is the 2019 UNOPS Hackathon winner, and the 2020 winner of the Eastern Caribbean Start-up Investment competition hosted by Daymond John - the Shark Tank judge.
Having won other start-up pitch competitions hosted by organizations such as the Caribbean Development Bank, USAID, and the US Embassy in Barbados. Known for his ability to turn theoretical plans into well-oiled operational machines, Trevaun consistently delivers efficiency and innovation to the companies he aligns with.
Aracio Rameriz
Venture Investment
Throughout his 25+ year professional career, Aracio has been extensively involved
with early-stage companies. As an attorney with Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & amp; Rosti, he advised start-up companies with financing, commercial, corporate governance and intellectual property issues. In financings alone, he directed projects exceeding $100M.
From the practice of law, Aracio transitioned into entrepreneurial ventures,
organizing, securing financing, operating and selling two companies, including one of
the first venture-funded transaction-based Internet sites, Do It Sports. Aracio has
also served on the management team, board of directors and acted as a business
consultant to numerous early-stage companies.
In addition, Aracio has been engaged as a management consultant by several
Fortune 50 companies, including AT&T, Intel and Ford Motor Company.
Engagements included new product development strategy, customer segmentation
and restructuring, financial process re-engineering and private marketplace strategy
projects. These projects saved/earned clients millions of dollars.
For the past dozen years Aracio has worked as a management consultant for the
state of Michigan. His focus has been working with early-stage technology
companies particularly in the clean/climate tech and manufacturing verticals.
Aracio received his business education at the University of Michigan Business
School. He earned his Juris Doctorate from Stanford Law School and his BA with
highest honors from the University of Michigan.
Paul Stocking
Investor Relations
Paul Stocking enjoyed a 35-year career as a global finance professional both as an investment banker and capital market specialist at JP Morgan and as an award-winning analyst and portfolio manager at the Columbia Fund family of Ameriprise Financial.
As an investment banker at JPMorgan, he provided merger & acquisition advisory services to financial institution clients in the US, Europe and in developing markets in Latin America and Asia. He helped arrange and fund billions of dollars of bank loans, and both privately-placed and publicly-traded US debt and equity for global clients. At Columbia, Paul and his team grew client assets from $2bn to over $21bn creating and managing 7 separate strategies across 6 distinct product categories including mid-cap and large-cap value, equity income and global equity income.
During his career in asset management, Paul was named “The Best of the Buyside” by Institutional Investor for his work as an equity analyst focused on financial stocks. Nine times over his career at Columbia, mutual funds managed by Paul and his team received the prestigious Lipper Award for the best risk-adjusted long-term performance in five separate investment-style categories.
Paul received a BBA in Finance/Accounting from the University of Michigan School of Business and an MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago.
Jeff Roof
Systems Integration
Jeff is an experienced project director adept at leading teams, developing plans, and delivering mission critical projects with a 26-year track record of success in financial administration, strategic planning, and performance optimization.
He has a track record in the field of highly technical life science, healthcare, commercial office, advanced tech, and higher education capital projects.
He has a career project volume of over A$1.6 billion. Consistently delivering projects with gross profit margins exceeding 6%Amongst his accomplishments, he successfully bid, negotiated, planned, purchased, and directed construction of a new A$ 335 million cell gene cGMP manufacturing campus for a A$30 billion pharmaceutical company, achieving over 8 % gross margin profit on this project.
He started CRB Builders Maryland office and grew revenue from $0 to A$55+M.
Dave Proctor
Content and Messaging
Like many of his British peers, Dave’s interest in marine conservation dates back to the documentaries of Jacques Cousteau,
After an eclectic career both in public service and enterprise, Dave had life-changing cancer treatment. He, therefore, took early retirement and whilst recuperating at his new home in Spain, he discovered his writing ‘voice’
He has won several awards for his writing and his fictional works have been performed professionally on stage and radio. He is an advocate for the Plain English Campaign and brings a fresh insight to the team.
His ‘green’ philosophies can be seen in his lifestyle. He relies on Solar power at home. The food he consumes comes from local cooperative stores, his sailing boat is fifty years old and he drives a car that he describes as a fuel sipper.
Paul Bohn
Legal
Paul graduated from the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources in 1985 and then received a further degree in Law from the University of Oregon Law School in 1988.
He had dedicated much of his career to working for veterans and after practising law with several firms , he co-founded Legal help for Veterans PLLC, with partner James Fausone.
During his career, Paul has won many awards, including DBusiness Magazine’s Top Lawyer. He also has served on various local boards and chambers of commerce helping the people of his native Michigan.
Paul has now retired from law, although he still continues his work assisting veterans.
Paul’s interest in conservation and the environment can be traced back to his formative years and indeed his first degree course. He has retained this love of nature.
Paul retains an active outdoors life and like several other members of the team is a keen sailor.
Advisory Team
Alex Amengual
Island Art
Dr. Mark Hammond
Natural Products Development
(AKI) Ahamed Allagholi
Coral Reef Restoration and Banking
Dr. Antares Ramos-Alvarez
Policy, Natural Resources Management, Blue Economy, Spatial Planning, and Marine Protected Areas
Antares is a geographer and marine environmental conservation strategist with over 20 years of experience in the environmental conservation field. A Puerto Rico native, she has worked with NGOs as well as local and federal governments in Mexico, Hawaii, and the Caribbean. Antares has a BA in Psychology from Yale University, an MSc in Geography focused on biodiversity, conservation and management of natural resources, and a DPhil in Zoology (marine ecology) from the University of Oxford.
Her work has focused on climate change adaptation, resilience, coral reef conservation, nature-based solutions, community integration, disaster preparedness and recovery, and marine and coastal management strategies. She has led multi-sectoral teams on land, watershed and coral reef management and conservation efforts, from both federal and nonprofit roles. Antares is successful in making connections between unlikely partners, resulting in innovative collaboration. Her experience includes the management of $3M federal government awards.
In 2019, Antares founded her consultancy, Antares Conservation Tactics (ACT), focusing on developing innovative climate adaptation strategies for Caribbean islands as well as serving as a bridge between the scientific community and decision-makers, including the public. In 2021, she co-founded Sail for Reefs, Inc., a nonprofit that aims to provide a bridge between water-based sports and the conservation of marine resources, mainly coral reefs, through education, interaction with the ocean and habitat restoration work.
Elaise Darwaton
Island Resilience and Energy
Rhoda Green
USA and Barbados History of the Future
Having been a Court Reporter for 28 years in Charleston County, South Carolina, it was a chance reading of a book, ‘the Barbados Carolina Connection’ co- authored by Dr. Henry Fraser and Mr. Warren Alleyne that made Rhoda realize the role Barbados played in the settlement of the Carolinas.
As a result, she became active in the Charleston community to highlight Barbados and Carolina’s shared history and became associated with several historical groups and organizations interested in history, heritage, and culture.
Rhoda served as President of the now-defunct Carolina Caribbean Association for many years and received many awards and acknowledgments for work in the community. Barbados acknowledged her contributions in keeping the Barbados Carolina connection before the Carolina public by awarding her the Silver Crown of Merit in November 2000. In March 2008, Barbados commissioned Rhoda as its Honorary Consul to South Carolina.
She founded and served as CEO, of the Barbados and the Carolinas Legacy Foundation“to highlight, research, archive, facilitate and promote opportunities for Barbados/Carolina collaboration.”
Rhoda served as a past president for The Friends of Charles Towne Landing, where British settlers from Barbados first landed and established the Carolina colony in 1670.
She also served on the International African American Museum (IAAM) board and is active on its Programing Committee.
She is currently serving as a Board Member of the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor (SCNHC)
Rhoda is also a bit of a TV superstar, having been involved with documentaries, which have been shown to National and International audiences
