Impactful, Scalable Solutions for Mission-Driven Organizations in USVI
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Empowering Progress
Our core mission is to finance, design, and execute innovative projects and programs that protect the environment and enhance communities in the Virgin Islands – and to develop local capacity to sustain those programs for the long-term. Our expertise is dedicated to resolving social and environmental issues that impact the USVI.
Our Services
Program
Design
We help organizations develop innovative and effective programs that drive organizational growth and mission fulfillment. We help define clear goals, identify target beneficiaries, select program activities to bring about desired results, and develop comprehensive implementation and monitoring plans. We also offer program evaluation services.
Project
Management
We execute specific projects within your established program areas. This includes detailed planning, coordination, and oversight of individual projects to ensure they meet their objectives within the specified constraints of time, budget, and resources.
Grants
Development
Our grants development services include research and strategic proposal development to increase your chances of successfully obtaining funding. We work collaboratively to identify suitable grant opportunities, tailor proposals to meet specific criteria, and navigate the intricate landscape of grant applications and submission.
Current Projects
Protecting and Restoring Corals Reefs in the USVI
Ceiba Strike Team Project
The Ceiba Strategies Virgin Islands Strike Team Project conducts monthly field missions to administer in-water treatments for Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) in four priority sites in the USVI, including marine protected areas. Ceiba Strike Teams also conduct coral rescue missions to transport sick or endangered corals to recovery facilities in the USVI.
Roots for Reefs Project
Roots for Reefs is one of our flagship restoration projects in St. Croix, funded by NOAA’s Coastal Habitat Restoration & Resilience Grant. This three-year initiative strengthens both ecosystem and community resilience through a holistic ridge-to-reef approach—linking coral restoration, watershed management, and community engagement. The project restores elkhorn corals, improves water quality through nature-based land practices, and empowers local residents through workforce training, education, and collaboration to protect and sustain the island’s coastal habitats.
Meet The Team
Jordan Schneider
President & Founder
Ceiba Strategies founder and president Jordan Schneider is a certified project management professional (PMP) with more than 13 years of experience in organizational management, project management, and administration. Her professional background also includes grassroots organizing, public policy analysis, and journalism.
Jahnesta Ritter
Executive Management Coordinator
Jahnesta Ritter is a seasoned strategic communications leader with extensive experience in community engagement, public relations, crisis communications, public health, and program and grants management. She is dedicated to driving impactful outcomes for organizations and communities. Jahnesta is a native Crucian who is passionate about food, culture, community, and the environment.
Sam Piscitello
Project Coordinator
Sam Piscitello has more than three decades of experience in technical project management and business management. The first two decades of his career were spent leading large teams to design and develop medical imaging equipment under DARPA contracts within aggressive cost and time constraints. He later managed a successful dive operation and seamanship school for more than 16 years in St. Thomas.
Jennifer Kurien
Compliance Officer
Jennifer Kurien has a rich background in grant administration and project management spanning over a decade. Her expertise covers the management of grants exceeding $200 million from institutions like the NIH, DOD, USDA, FEMA, NTIA, U.S. Treasury, and private foundations. Jennifer also possesses a strong compliance-oriented background, offering expert guidance and support in administering federal grants.
Corina Marks
Marine Operations Director
Corina Marks is a professional marine biologist with 20 years of experience in collaborative marine science including coastal habitat mapping and leading surveys of marine protected areas. Corina is the steward for the Butler Bay coral restoration area and an active member of the USVI Restoration of Coral Squad (VI-RoCS), a territory-wide working group of coral restoration practitioners.
Partners and Collaborators
