Board Members

 

Pat Maxwell, Executive Director 

Along with his managerial role with PMR Pat is also one of the primary instructors. Sometimes referred to as the Plankton Guy, Pat has an infectious enthusiasm for sharing the biological wonders of Puget Sound. With over 30 years’ experience both teaching classes for the Marine Science Afloat™ program and guiding its ongoing development, Pat has been a big part of the PMR adventure from its very beginning. During the early years of the program, off-the-shelf video microscopes and underwater camera systems were not affordable for a non-profit education program, but Pat was able to apply his talent with trial-and-error engineering to bring several exciting marine life exploration tools to the program. Pat is also skilled at bringing to PMR the best people who share his passion for fun hands-on education.

 

Davis Bell, President (Board Chairman)

Davis Bell is native of Nashville and grew up on the lake and river waters of the South.  An avid kayaker, diver and fisherman, he has traveled extensively sampling waters from Japan to South Africa.  A teacher for 25 years, he has taught in public, international and private schools in the northwest and abroad.

After moving back and forth to Seattle since the 80’s, he is here to stay.  He lives within sight of Puget Sound and is committed to its health and PMR’s role in its sustainability.

 

Dave Maxwell, Treasurer

Dave is a native to Seattle where he attended grade school through College. Dave’s desire to see our Puget Sound marine environment protected and nurtured was developed by spending childhood summers on, in and around Puget Sound; hiking the Pacific Ocean shores of the Olympic National Park and sailing
throughout the San Juan’s.

Dave believes Pacific Marine Resources has a unique mission in protecting Puget Sound through educating young people and building excitement and interest in protecting the environment with hands on learning.

Dave brings 40 years of financial experience to the PMR board having worked as a CFO, controller and CPA for both public and private corporations.

 

Rose Donner, Board Member

From the Northern California coast to the San Juan Islands and finally settling in Seattle, Rose has been committed to preserving, learning about, and enjoying all things marine.  Rose was introduced to PMR in 2016 and somehow convinced Pat to give her an onboard volunteer position with Marine Science Afloat, expanding her passion for the sea to environmental education.  Later that year she joined the Board, excited about the organization and all the possibilities of the program.  Though she gives PMR all she can, it will never match her gratitude for the opportunity to be on the water, working with incredible educators and pursuing such an important mission: The education of the future stewards of Puget Sound.  

Rose lives in Seattle with her husband Mark and occasionally all three kids are home, too.  When not on the sound, she is usually on the Lake Washington or snuggling with their two dogs Chloe and Clara.

 

Elisabeth Duffy, Board Member

Liz has spent the past 20+ years working primarily in research and conservation of coastal aquatic ecosystems and marine life, and holds a PhD in Aquatic and Fishery Sciences from the University of Washington. But many of her most rewarding experiences have come from teaching, especially during her many seasons as an instructor for PMR’s Marine Science Afloat program. She strongly believes in the power of hands-on educational experiences to foster passion and excitement for the natural world, and wants to make sure many kids, including her own, will be able to continue to enjoy the magic of PMR’s programming. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing sports like ultimate frisbee, and exploring the natural world, preferably under or near water.

 

Janet Pope, Board Member 

Janet is a versatile, creative and accomplished nonprofit executive with an exceptional combination of analytical focus, political savvy, and strategic vision to maximize organizational effectiveness and influence mission success. Innovative team leader with demonstrated achievements in increasing productivity, while leveraging minimal resources, and building internal and external relationships through utilizing strong interpersonal skills, a collaborative style, and a sense of humor. She is results oriented with a proven record of turning challenges into opportunities through principled leadership in a wide range of nonprofit, educational, and government arenas.