Dwayne F. Virgint

Chief Executive Officer @Tampa Bay Watch

Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL, US

In October 2019, Tampa Bay Watch brought me on board as Executive Director, to lead a new initiative outside of their wheelhouse: opening a new aquarium/museum on the state-of-the-art St. Pete Pier. With only a few months to modify, plan and create the new division, I embraced the challenge and opened the project on-time and within budget. Facilitating this project during the Covid-19 pandemic, while working to support and build infrastructure within the organization, was one of the high-points of my career. The Board has recently asked me to lead the organization in total going forward. As CEO, I look forward to steering an impactful non-profit that is committed to fostering a healthy Tampa Bay watershed through community-driven restoration projects, education programs and outreach initiatives. Our vision is to ensure Tampa Bay remains a healthy, sustainable ecosystem for future generations.The Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center is a centerpiece destination of the new St. Pete Pier, an interactive marine discovery center, focused on Tampa Bay estuary environmental education. Developed and operated by Tampa Bay Watch, the Discovery Center offers a wide array of citizen science programs to expand public involvement in scientific discovery. The Discovery Center includes interactive exhibits to showcase the economic and ecological value of the Tampa Bay estuary to residents and visitors, and a classroom to expand educational outreach programs to Tampa Bay area schools. Our new 47\' catamaran, the Discovery, leads visitors on daily Eco-tours of our estuary, while collecting crucial scientific data.

University of Bridgeport

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)