Dr. Yimnang Golbuu is the CEO at the Palau International Coral Reef Center.  Before becoming CEO, he was the Center’s Chief Researcher, focusing on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), relationship between land use change and coral reefs and impacts of climate change on coral reefs of Palau.  In 2012, he received a commendation by the Palau National Congress for his contributions to the sustainability of Palau’s natural resources.  In 2013, he was awarded a Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation.  He has served as a board member of Palau Conservation Society, Chairman of the Northern Reef Management Planning Team and Chairman of the Protected Areas Network Technical Committee.  Presently, he is a Member of the Northern Reef Co-Management Committee, the Palau National Commission of UNESCO, Palau National Marine Sanctuary Executive Committee, Vice President of the International Society for Reef Studies and Palau’s Point of Contact (POC) for the US Coral Reef Task Force.  Dr. Golbuu received his B.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of California at Davis, M.S. in Biology from the University of Guam and Ph.D. in coral reef ecology at Southern Cross University in Lismore, Australia.