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ABOUT US
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PERSONNEL
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ADMINISTRATION
HRI ADMINISTRATION STAFF
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OVERVIEW: The Administrative Staff includes the HRI leadership and support staff
for administrative services and operations of the institute. The Executive Director and Associate Director, as well as all of the
Institute's administrative support staff, are located in HRI 318 in the new HRI building. |
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DR. ROBERT R. FURGASON
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
After
directing the HRI during its first two years, Dr.
Robert Furgason will be stepping down from his position as HRI's
 executive director March 31, 2008. He has been involved with the HRI since it was just an idea
shared among him, Edward Harte and a handful of
scientists. Since its inception in 2000, the HRI has grown from an idea
to a state-of-the-art research institute housing scientists,
researchers, computer specialists and others, all focused on learning
about and preserving the Gulf of Mexico. Dr. Furgason took the first
watch at the helm during the Institute's voyage of discovery. Before
stepping onboard he was president of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi from
1990 to 2004.
 READ MORE
DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE |
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DR. JOHN W. (WES) TUNNELL, JR
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
Dr. Wes Tunnell is a broadly trained marine biologist/ecologist with a
particular interest in field studies on
 coral reefs and coastal areas of
the Gulf of Mexico. Although his current focus is on biodiversity of the
Gulf of Mexico, he has studied and published on coral reef ecology,
coastal ecology, molluscan distribution and ecology, oil spill impacts,
brachiopods, colonial water birds and vertebrate fossils from the
seabed. Dr. Tunnell published a book on the Laguna Madre of Texas and Tamaulipas.
In November 2007, his book
Coral Reefs of the Southern
Gulf of Mexico was released. A third book by Dr. Tunnell, Texas Seashells,
is in preparation.
Dr. Tunnell collaborates with Mexican research centers and agencies on
coral reef research and management issues.
READ MORE |
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DR. SYLVIA EARLE
ADVISORY COUNCIL CHAIR
As chair of the HRI Advisory Council, Dr. Sylvia Earle has had a leading
voice in developing the institute. As a girl growing up in Florida, she
fell in love
 with
the Gulf of Mexico while snorkeling and exploring its shorelines. As a
world-renowned marine biologist, ocean explorer, author and lecturer,
Dr. Earle brings world-class credibility to the HRI gained from
years working to help the oceans. Throughout her lifetime, she has
logged more than 6,000 hours underwater in many different kinds of
underwater vehicles. She was the first woman to serve as NOAA's Chief
Scientist and is now Explorer-in-Residence at the National Geographic
Society. As one of the most well-known faces today of those speaking out
for the oceans, Dr. Earle's involvement with the institute has been one
of its keys to success.
READ MORE |
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GAIL SUTTON
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONS
Gail Sutton left the world
of banking as
 a commercial lending officer in 2000 to work for the Center for Coastal Studies at TAMU-CC as a Business Coordinator. In 2003, her
duties expanded to include the management of the daily operations and finances of HRI as the Assistant Director for Administrative Operations.
Gail holds a Bachelors of Business Administration from TAMU-CC and is currently working on completing her Master’s
Degree in Mariculture. She is interested in the economic viability of mariculture facilities in the United States.
TAMUCC BIO |
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ROLAND DOMINGUEZ
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH MANAGER
In 2008 Corpus Christi native Roland Dominguez moved from the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Computer
Services Department
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had worked for 12 years to focus exclusively on I.T. for the HRI. As
HRI's Information Technology Research Manager, he handles all HRI's
computer and network needs, everything from creating a backup
environment to configuring all HRI's computers so that they act
together. He will help the HRI set up a sophisticated server with the
ability to run GIS applications, compute complicated mathematical models
and perform in a "real time" environment. Dominguez enjoys the challenge
of keeping a safe and secure computer environment for the HRI. In his
spare time, he likes working on old cars and playing guitar. |
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DIXIE SMITH
SENIOR EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Dixie Smith’s perch as Senior Executive
 Assistant
at HRI finds her right in the middle of things. Enveloped by the big
blue Texas sky, her desk overlooks the water’s edge of Corpus Christi
Bay on the right and Oso Bay on the left. In this magnificent coastal setting, much of the activity of the busy Institute crosses her desk at one point or another.
Dixie holds a bachelor of arts in fine art from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and enjoys painting large scale visions of nature. She also has an associate degree
in legal assisting which is a whole different story. |
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ALLISON KNIGHT
BUSINESS SPECIALIST & CONFERENCE COORDINATOR
Allison Peña Knight coordinates
 the
Harte Weekly Seminar Series held every Friday in the HRI conference center. She also assists with travel,
inventory, purchasing and scheduling. Allison received a Bachelor of Science degree from TAMU-CC with an emphasis in marine science and is
currently pursuing a Master of Science degree. She has previously worked as a nature guide, assisted in
a marine debris summer youth program, and worked on the piping plover census project for the US Fish & Wildlife Service before being hired in 2006 to assist with the
State of the Gulf of Mexico Summit. |
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ROBBIE LEHMAN
BUSINESS SUPPORT SPECIALIST
Before joining the HRI administration staff, Robbie Lehman
 worked
in the accounting department at TAMU-CC for seven years. Studying at Del
Mar Community College in Corpus Christi, she started out as an art major
but ended up in accounting after realizing her knack for math. At HRI,
she takes care of the institute's grant accounts, keeping the staff
updated on how much is spent and how much is still available. She enjoys
the atmosphere at HRI, saying, "I am married to a scientist so I have
been living this for years. They do the science part and I do the math." |
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