Thursday, July 3, 2025
Virginia Beach, VA – The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Foundation has welcomed four new members to the Board of Trustees, responsible for financial and strategic oversight of Foundation projects in conjunction with staff leadership. The Foundation procures and maintains the Aquarium’s exhibits, including the animals and habitats and is responsible for annual and capital fundraising, administration, and funding for various mission-related programs.
The new Board members are as follows:
- Jacob Carasella, External Affairs Representative, Dominion Power
- Adam Chase, Vice President and General Manager, WTKR
- Michelle Gluck, Retired Senior Executive, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond
- Jenni Tynes, Family Law Attorney, Kaufman & Canoles
“The Foundation Board is pivotal in supporting the Aquarium’s mission and advancing Aquarium efforts,” said Chief Executive Officer, Cynthia Whitbred-Spanoulis. “These new members will guide and lead in a meaningful way and have already been eager contributors and advocates of our goals and work.”
Carasella and Tynes will serve on the Development & Governance Committee, which is responsible for trustee recruitment, including the identification and cultivation of potential trustees, the introduction and orientation of new members, and leading the Foundation’s fundraising efforts, including trustee solicitations.
Chase will serve on the Mission and Advocacy Committee, which is responsible for advocating for the Aquarium in the community, providing guidance on exhibits and educational programs, supporting research and conservation efforts funded by the Foundation, and developing related long-term plans.
Gluck will serve on the Finance and Audit Committee, which is responsible for developing and reviewing fiscal and endowment policies and the annual budget, in accordance with the Foundation’s Finance Policies and Procedures Manual. The annual budget, any budget changes, and expenditures are approved by the Board.
Each committee meets once per quarter and has a Chair representative. The Chair representatives of each committee make up the Executive Committee who meet and bring recommendations on their committee’s behalf.
Trustees are elected for a four-year term and may serve two consecutive terms. Following two consecutive terms, Trustees may be re-elected to the Board after an absence of one year.
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center
The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center’s mission is to connect people to the marine environment, inspiring a more sustainable future. The Aquarium aspires to be a driver in conservation, education, tourism, and sustainability, leading the charge to save wildlife and their ecosystems. Owned by the City of Virginia Beach, the Aquarium operates as a city department in partnership with the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Foundation. The Aquarium is proud to be an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports the work of the Virginia Aquarium. The Foundation procures and maintains the Aquarium's exhibits, including the animals and habitats. It is also responsible for annual and capital fundraising, administration and funding for the Virginia Aquarium Stranding Response Program, conservation and scientific research efforts, and the Aquarium's mission-related education programs. You can be a part of our mission by making a tax-deductible donation to support our programming.
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