Meet our Board of Directors
Our board stands apart in marine conservation through its extraordinary composition of U.S. military veterans, marine biologists, and expert safety instructors. This unique leadership team brings together the precision and discipline of military service, the deep scientific understanding of marine ecosystems, and thousands of hours of hands-on underwater safety instruction and experience.
Our Veteran board members contribute strategic thinking and mission-focused approaches honed through military service, while the marine biologists bridge the gap between scientific research and practical application. Each director has logged thousands of dives across the globe's most diverse marine environments, from tropical coral reefs to temperate kelp forests, combining their passion for diving with professional expertise in dive instruction and safety.​ Their combined backgrounds enable comprehensive conservation strategies, rapid response initiatives, and effective educational programs, setting new standards for ocean protection and preservation. The board's distinctive blend of experiences makes the Mother Ocean Fund a standout organization in marine ecosystem conservation.
Joe Gonzalez
Executive Director
Gonzalez brings a unique perspective to marine conservation and healing. A Disabled Navy veteran, avid diver since the mid-80s, and a seasoned 20 year veteran in global channel development for the IT space, he established the Mother Ocean Fund (MOF) following a series of physical tragedies that revealed the therapeutic potential of ocean immersion. Drawing from his corporate experience, he simultaneously launched the Aquatic Tribe (AT), the marketplace app that brings the whole world of scuba diving to the palm of your hand (www.aquatictribe.com). Acting as MOF's largest corporate donor, AT fulfills Gonzalez’s pledge of creating a self-sustained foundation. This blend of philanthropy and capitalism, for a cause, has helped pave the way for many disabled veterans, women, and children to heal, while also sponsoring varied ecological restoration initiatives to "get more fins in the water" and grow marine restoration/clean-up efforts at sea. His nobel vision unites environmental conservation with humanitarian principles, creating transformation for both participants and marine ecosystems the world over.
Michael Goldberg
Chief Ecological Officer
Michael Goldberg has been a professional scuba diver for over 25 years and avid diver for over 30 years.  After a 12-year career in finance and an 8 year stint learning the scuba industry in the British Virgin Islands, Mike and his wife moved to Islamorada from Virgin Gorda and started Key Dives in 2004.  With over 10,000 dives he has seen just about everything – from diving with humpback whales to the tiniest of nudibranchs to reefs with close to 100% coral coverage. Sadly, he has also witnessed the loss of over 95% of our corals.  This devastating loss has inspired Mike to create an avenue for recreational divers and the local Keys community to help rebuild our ailing reef.
Paula DeSouza
Board Secretary
Paula Souza
From Corporate Cubicles to Coral Reefs: Paula's Underwater Odyssey
Born on Portugal's sun-drenched coast, Paula's destiny was intertwined with the ocean from her first breath. As a child, while other toddlers were taking their first steps on land, Paula was already drawn to the mysterious depths of the sea, spending countless hours exploring tide pools and dreaming of life beneath the waves.
Two decades ago, in the vibrant waters of Venezuela, Paula took her first plunge into what would become not just a passion, but a way of life. Though her initial career path led her through the structured world of
Dan Orr
Chief Safety Officer​
Dan Orr retired from the positions of President of Divers Alert Network (DAN) and Chairman of the Board of International DAN after 23 years helping DAN focus on its worldwide diving safety mission. Prior to coming to DAN, he worked and taught recreational diving in a retail store, developed and implemented course curricula in the academic environment as part of two university diving programs, collected data and supervised research efforts in the field of science diving. Dan was certified as a US Navy diver and tested diving equipment for military contractors. As a diving industry consultant, Dan provides consulting expertise on diving safety to a number of companies