About Us
Protecting the Gulf's Vibrant Heart
We want the Sanctuary, its programs, and visitor experiences to be expansive and widely accessible. Without Friends group support, the Sanctuary’s reach and impact would be limited. Our goal is to connect as many people as possible to Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.
Our Promise
We help the Sanctuary seize key opportunities and meet urgencies with innovative
funding, advocacy, and vibrant community support.
We promise to make the online, on-land, on-water, and underwater experiences of Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary extraordinary.
Meet The Board
Shane Cantrell
President
Capt. Shane Cantrell has over 20 years of fishing experience. He is owner and operator of Galveston Sea Ventures, a deep sea and offshore fishing charter business, located in Galveston, Texas. He received his B.S. in Marine Fisheries from TAMU-Galveston and then worked as a fishery observer on commercial fishing vessels in the Gulf. Capt. Cantrell is actively involved in the fishery management process with the Gulf Council serving on the steering committee of the Marine Resource Education Program and on the Data Collection Advisory Panel. Additionally, he is the treasurer of the Charter Fisherman’s Association.
Kristen Maples
Vice President
Kristin Maples is co-owner of Texas Scuba Adventures, a dive shop in Galveston, Texas. She is also a local diver, working biologist, and dive instructor. Through the dive shop, Kristin oversees dive operations that facilitate community connection and bridge informal science communication to local and visiting divers. She is passionate about leading international scuba trips for recreational divers, and hosting "Try Scuba" events so the next generation can experience scuba and build confidence with their in-water skills.
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Sandra Metoyer
Treasurer
Sandra Metoyer, Ph.D., is a geographer, educator, and scientist dedicated to connecting people, communities, and the natural world. She serves as Interim Executive Director of the Friends of Flower Garden Banks and is a member of the Advisory Council for the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. With a Ph.D. in Geography and many years of experience in research, education, and community engagement, Sandra has led collaborative initiatives that bring together scientists, educators, nonprofits, government agencies, and communities to address complex socio-environmental challenges. Her work focuses on creating meaningful connections between people and place through science, storytelling, and shared stewardship. Passionate about inspiring the next generation of environmental stewards, Sandra believes that conservation begins with connection.
Sepp Haukebo
Secretary
Sepp Haukebo is a program manager at the Environmental Defense Fund where he focuses on researching and implementing solutions that balance access and sustainability of our ocean’s most important resources. He earned his B.S. in Marine Biology from Texas A&M University at Galveston, where he researched distribution of juvenile grouper abundance across FGBNMS. He also has an M.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences from Texas A&M main campus, where he investigated underwater cave ecology and nutrient sources in the Yucatan Peninsula. In addition to his scientific background, Sepp has been an informal educator of marine sciences since 2002, a lifelong passion that led him to a Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship with NOAA’s Office of Education in 2013.