Rita Ines Sellares Blasco

CEO of the Dominican Foundation for Marine Studies (FUNDEMAR), Master in Environmental Management (EUDE, Spain). Graduated in Marine Biology from Farleigh Dickinson University (United States) and in Marine Sciences (University of Cádiz, Spain). With over 20 years of experience in the conservation of ecosystems and marine biodiversity in the Caribbean. Under her leadership, FUNDEMAR programs have been consolidated, achieving their sustainability and scaling over time, integrating sustainable community programs with nature-based solutions, elaborating and developing projects for the conservation of marine resources in the Dominican Republic, among which are the 1st reintroduction of manatees in the country, the 1st national census of manatees using combined technology (drones and airplane), and the 1st assisted coral fertilization laboratory positioning Dominican Republic as the country with the highest production of coral recruits in the Caribbean through assisted fertilization and thanks to established international alliances (SECORE Int. Coralium, TNC). She has also contributed to science in the country through various studies, national and international training, and the publication of 23 research papers. In 2009, she created FUNDEMAR's Center for Coastal Marine Studies and in 2023 she redesigned and obtained funding for the construction of new facilities part of the country's Marine Innovation Hub. She has successfully implemented international cooperation projects (Germany, Costa Rica, Honduras, Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, Colombia, Mexico, Curaçao, United States and Bonaire), grants from the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF), United States Agency (USAID), Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), IKI, CORDAP, Ocean Kind, German Embassy, French Embassy, private donors and others.

December 2024