Together, we turn ideas into impact. Meet the people behind Remain who make its vision come to life.

Wendy Schmidt is a philanthropist and investor who has spent nearly two decades creating innovative non-profit organizations to work with communities around the world for clean, renewable energy, healthy food systems, healthy oceans and the protection of human rights. The critical interconnections between human activity, the land we live on and the ocean we depend upon are the central drivers of Wendy’s philanthropic work. Through their philanthropy, Wendy and her husband Eric are working toward a healthy, resilient, secure world for all.

Wendy is president of the Schmidt Family Foundation, which she and Eric founded in 2006. She leads the foundation’s grant-making and investment programs—the 11th Hour Project, which works to create a just world where all people have access to renewable energy, clean air and water and healthy food, and Schmidt Marine Technology Partners, which supports scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs in developing technologies that restore ocean health. 

Wendy also serves as president of Schmidt Ocean Institute, which she and Eric founded in 2009 to advance oceanographic research by offering scientists access to the world’s first year-round philanthropic research vessel in exchange for making their findings publicly available. After operating the ship Falkor for a decade, hosting more than 1,000 scientists, discovering scores of new marine species and underwater formations and mapping more than half a million square miles of the seafloor, Wendy and Eric began developing a larger research vessel, Falkor (too), in late 2021. The new ship, equipped with the latest technology and robotics that will broaden the capacity and capability of conducting science at sea, began expeditions in March 2023. 

Early in her philanthropy, Wendy partnered with The XPrize Foundation to sponsor two multimillion-dollar competitions to improve cleanup of surface oil spills and to create a new generation of accurate and affordable ocean acidification sensors.

A competitive sailor, Wendy has extended her oceans-focused work to the sporting world through 11th Hour Racing, an organization she co-founded in 2010 to work with the sailing community and maritime industry to advance solutions and sustainability practices that protect and restore ocean health. Wendy also founded Remain to strengthen the economic, social and environmental vitality of downtown Nantucket and to encourage innovation and resilience across the island. Its Envision Resilience Challenge calls on professionals and students to develop innovative, interdisciplinary solutions for coastal communities facing sea level rise.

In 2024, Eric and Wendy founded Schmidt Sciences, a nonprofit organization working to advance science and technology that deepens human understanding of the natural world and develops solutions to global issues. 

Most recently, Wendy co-founded Agog: The Immersive Media Institute, a groundbreaking initiative at the intersection of technology, communications and social impact. Agog will help creators and nonprofit leaders harness the power of extended reality (XR) technologies to spur positive social transformation, opening new avenues for empathy, understanding and activism.

A journalist early in her career, Wendy developed a deep appreciation for clear, concise communication that has extended into her philanthropy, as she works to strengthen community-based, environmental, science and investigative journalism. She has provided startup funding for media organization Climate Central, and her grantmaking has supported fellowships at UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism and the Missouri School of Journalism. Recognizing the power of effective storytelling, Wendy has supported a number of documentaries and served as executive producer of the award-winning films Gather and The Human Element.

Wendy has a master’s degree in journalism from the University of California at Berkeley, and she graduated magna cum laude from Smith College with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and anthropology. After working briefly as a journalist, she worked in marketing communications in Silicon Valley, studied design and ran an interior design business for 16 years before turning her focus to philanthropy in 2006.

Cecil moved to Nantucket in 1996 and worked for a number of the island’s preeminent nonprofits before assuming the role of Remain’s executive director in 2018. She focuses on developing Remain’s mission-related activities and long-term commitment to environmental sustainability, economic development and community engagement. Previously, she worked for the Artists Association of Nantucket, the Nantucket New School and the Nantucket Historical Association.

Some of Remain’s signature initiatives launched during Cecil’s tenure include Nantucket Footprints, More Nantucket and the Envision Resilience Challenge. In addition, under her leadership the organization has focused on food systems, food insecurity, affordable housing, architectural salvage reuse and nature-based solutions to climate challenges. Cecil has expertise in publications and public relations, community development, educational programming, fundraising and strategic planning and currently serves as a member of the Massachusetts Cultural Council. Cecil is a graduate of Middlebury College, with a bachelor's degree in English.

After visiting Nantucket for several summers, Anne and her family decided to make the island their home in 2020. Before that, Anne spent over 20 years in the financial services industry in London and New York focused on marketing and organizing events. She happily joined Remain in 2021, initially responsible for coordinating events and acting as docent at Remain’s first Envision Resilience Challenge exhibition.

Anne most enjoys learning about the opportunities and challenges facing the island community. In addition to supporting the Envision Resilience Challenge, she is part of the properties team that maintains buildings and supports operators at Remain properties such as The Corner Table at 22 Federal Street, Born & Bread at 35 Centre Street, Pip & Anchor at 14 Amelia Drive and Mitchell’s Book Corner at 54 Main Street. Anne graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor's degree in anthropology.

After growing up in the coastal town of Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, Tim arrived on Nantucket in 2014, serving as the General Manager of Nantucket Island Resorts Retail and overseeing the operations of more than 100 retail properties. Tim quickly fell in love with the island and has been here ever since. In 2019, he joined Remain as property manager and now serves as the properties advisor.

Tim is dedicated to responsible stewardship, marine conservation and entrepreneurship. He helps manage all of Remain’s buildings and supports the tenants at Pip & Anchor at 14 Amelia Drive, The Hive at 5 Amelia Drive, Born & Bread at 35 Centre Street, The Corner Table at 22 Federal Street, Mitchell’s Book Corner at 54 Main Street, and the Nantucket Community School and the Nantucket Community Music School at 56 Centre Street. Outside of Remain, Tim has had several businesses and currently owns and operates Waypoint Marine. Tim graduated with a bachelor's degree from McMaster University.

Virna promised herself that she would enjoy Nantucket "for six months" in 2002 before returning to her native New York City and her career as the owner and creative director of a graphic design studio. However, the natural beauty of the island, coupled with its tight-knit community, swept her away, and she has lived here ever since. In 2008, she joined Remain's then two-person micro team.

As project and marketing manager at Remain, Virna provides veteran expertise in grant management, tenant management, program development and communications. Her creative thinking, relationship-building skills and enthusiasm ignite collaborations and innovative initiatives with nonprofits and businesses, particularly in the areas of sustainability awareness and education, arts and culture, healthy lands and oceans, salvage, reuse and recycling. She is also the curator of Nantucket Footprints and led the State designation for the Nantucket Cultural District. Virna holds a bachelor's degree in communication arts from St. John's University.

Rachel, a summer resident of Nantucket since 1968, moved permanently to the Island in 1987 to practice law. She took a break from her practice to raise her three children with husband Edward Toole, and was a partner in the opening of Fahey and Fromagerie, a gourmet wine and food store. During that time, she also served as vice president of the Nantucket New School. Rachel joined the team at Remain in May of 2008 as its project manager.

These days, Rachel spends most of her time thinking about food on the island—how it gets here, who grows it and how it is distributed. Initially she managed Remain’s public/private partnerships with the Town of Nantucket, particularly focusing on the island’s transit and biking systems. Rachel's 17 years with the New School helped shape her work organizing the partnerships and course offerings at the Nantucket Community Music Center and Nantucket Community School at 56 Centre Street.

She currently serves on the board of trustees of the Community Foundation for Nantucket. Rachel graduated from Yale University with a bachelor's degree in English and received her law degree from Northeastern University School of Law.

Jenn has been a year-round resident of Nantucket for over 30 years. During that time, she has worked for both Pacific National Bank (now Bank of America) and Nantucket Bank (now Rockland Trust) and served on the boards of Small Friends on Nantucket and Nantucket Ice. A devoted hockey mom, Jenn can be found in various ice rinks throughout New England during much of the year.

Jenn King started with Remain in 2014 and is currently the project and finance manager. Her projects include the building renovations at The Corner Table and Nantucket Culinary Center at 22 Federal Street, Pip & Anchor at 14 Amelia Drive and most recently The Hive 5 Amelia Drive. She also provides support for Remain tenants, manages projects that support economic development and encourage innovation and resilience, and keeps the team accountable for their budgets. Jenn graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a bachelor's degree in biology.

Claire began as a seasonal Nantucket resident during her undergraduate years. She’s lived on and off the island since 2012, returning in the spring of 2020 to join the Remain team as project manager. Claire has been managing the Envision Resilience Challenge, a semester-long design studio that connects interdisciplinary university teams and coastal communities to envision adaptive solutions to sea level rise, since its launch in 2020.

On island, Claire identifies and fosters opportunities for community-led coastal resilience collaborations and oversees day-to-day communications for Remain. Prior to joining Remain, Claire served as communications manager for NatureBridge in California. With campuses in five national parks, NatureBridge’s mission is to connect young people to the wonder and science of the natural world to inspire self-discovery and stewardship of the planet. Claire attended Saint Michael’s College where she earned her bachelor's degree in media studies, journalism and digital arts.

Ralitsa was living in Chicago when she first visited Nantucket in 2010. After moving on and off a few times, the island called her home and in 2016, she became a full-time resident. After growing up in Bulgaria, she served as the island’s Bulgarian Education Center principal from 2017 to 2020 and as a real estate paralegal for Cohen and Cohen Law PC for six years. Ralitsa joined the Remain Ventures team as a project coordinator in 2023.

At the Bulgarian Education Center, Ralitsa taught young children to speak, read and write Bulgarian, while she assisted in executing real estate transactions at the law firm. Currently, she is responsible for keeping track of budgets, coordinating the execution of legal contracts and leases, as well assisting the facilitation of grants for Remain. Ralitsa earned a bachelor's degree in early childhood education with a minor in English language in Bulgaria and she received her bachelor's degree in economics from University of Massachusetts Boston.

Having grown up on Cape Cod, Melissa moved to Nantucket with her husband, Nat, and their two young children in 1986. She served as the founding executive director of Remain from 2008 to 2018 when she retired. She now serves the nonprofit as a strategic advisor. Before working at Remain, Melissa practiced law in Boston and then on Nantucket, where she focused on land use permitting, real estate transactions and corporate law.

Melissa has been involved with a variety of Nantucket nonprofit boards over the past three decades, including A Safe Place, Small Friends, Sherburne Commons and Nantucket Historical Association. Currently, she is the president of the Community Foundation for Nantucket’s Board of Trustees and also serves on the boards of Nantucket Cottage Hospital and Cape Cod Five Bank. Melissa graduated with a bachelor's degree in American civilizations from Brown University in 1979 and received her law degree from Columbia University Law School in 1984.

Charlotte grew up on the South Coast of Massachusetts, traveling to Nantucket only to compete against the high school in soccer, basketball and lacrosse. After two years in New York City teaching grades six through eight at the Windward School, Charlotte moved to Berlin, Germany to speak her second language every day and dedicate her time to writing. She’s thrilled to be serving as Remain's communications and social media coordinator.

Among her responsibilities, Charlotte runs Remain and the Envision Resilience Challenge’s social media accounts and newsletters. She also is involved with Nantucket Footprints’ communications and helps to coordinate Remain’s Community Book Club series. Charlotte’s professional interests include education, community outreach and writing. Charlotte graduated from Yale University in 2020 with a bachelor's degree in American studies and sociolinguistics and is currently pursuing her master's degree in English at Middlebury’s Bread Loaf School of English.