With over 20 years of dedication to the advancement of Mystic Aquarium's core mission, Susette Tibus currently serves as president and CEO.

Susette's impact and involvement in the Mystic community is profound and extensive, having served countless community roles, including president of the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce, vice chair of the Mystic Aquarium board of trustees, board positions for the Westerly Hospital Foundation and Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center, Horizons, as well as chair of the Stonington Police Commission and the Connecticut Police Commissioner's Association.

Susette is a celebrated leader in the Mystic community and beyond and is recognized for her service, leadership, and immeasurable impact toward the advancement of women in leadership roles. Susette and her husband, Chuck Sneddon, founded Simply Majestic, a fine jewelry store they continue to own and operate in Mystic.

Koray Gurz has extensive financial leadership experience, and he applies his knowledge of investments, banking, finance, and taxation, along with other strategic initiatives, to Mystic Aquarium’s financial management, organizational goals, and execution of mission programs. Gurz began his career at a public accounting firm. Throughout his career, he has performed financial statement audits and reviews of companies in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). He specialized in the non-profit industry before transferring his skills to the financial management of a non-profit educational organization, overseeing all financials, departmental budgets, general accounting, and legal agreements.

As Mystic Aquarium’s CFO and COO, Gurz directs, coordinates, and evaluates various financial functions operated by his team of banking and finance professionals. He is responsible for the financial management of the organization, which includes budget development, oversight of financial control, and collaboration with lenders and other stakeholders, all while participating in strategic and operational management.

Gurz holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Dokuz Eylul University in Turkey, and an MBA from the University of Hartford. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a member of the American Institute of CPAs and the Connecticut Society of CPAs.

Tina Couch has a demonstrated history of successful fundraising work in primary and secondary education. She joins the Aquarium after spending 15 years working in independent schools as a development professional. Couch has held a variety of leadership roles, most recently as Director of Development at Rumsey Hall School in Connecticut. Prior to that, she spent a decade as the Director of Major Gifts at Collegiate School in New York City. In 2018, she completed a historic $250M building project that required a $90M capital fund raise. Couch is skilled in Nonprofit Organizations, Major Gifts, Annual Giving, Philanthropy, Governance and Strategic Planning.

As the Chief Advancement Officer, Couch is responsible for raising revenue for operations and capital projects by designing and implementing a comprehensive plan for cultivating and realizing philanthropic support. She serves as a key member of the senior leadership team and is an active participant in the Aquarium’s strategic decisions.

Couch has a Bachelor’s Degree with a major in English Language and Literature from Trinity College-Hartford.

Allison Tuttle is the Chief Zoological Officer at Mystic Aquarium where she oversees the Aquarium’s veterinary, animal husbandry, dive, environmental quality, and animal rescue operations. She contributes to numerous research and grant initiatives and has authored nearly 30 peer-reviewed publications in scientific journals. Tuttle serves as a mentor for students and veterinary interns. Within the community, Tuttle has been recognized as a Woman of Innovation and with a 40 Under 40 award.

Tuttle serves a co-chair, board member, and member on numerous animal, aquarium, and zoological committees and she is the president elect on the Executive Committee within the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians.

Tuttle earned her B.S. in Biology and Psychology from Washington College and her DVM from North Carolina State University. She completed Mystic Aquarium’s internship in Aquatic Animal Medicine and Research and completed a residency in Zoological Medicine with a focus on Aquatic Health Management at North Carolina State University.

Keith Sorensen has been a member of Mystic Aquarium’s team for 49 years. He was the first person hired by the maintenance department several months before Mystic Aquarium opened its doors on October 6, 1973. Sorenson’s first job was creating infrastructure for exhibits. From his initial project to his current responsibilities, Sorenson has been instrumental in the planning and construction of the Aquarium’s major exhibits like the Pacific Northwest, Arctic Coast, Ocean Conservation Center and most recently the Milne Ocean Science and Conservation Center. Currently, Sorenson oversees facility maintenance, HVAC systems, and, safety and security.

Leading the Mystic Aquarium research team is Dr. Tracy Romano, the founder of the field of marine mammal neuroimmunology and leader in the field of marine mammal health. Romano graduated with a BS in Biology from Saint Michael’s College in Vermont and received her PhD in Neurobiology & Anatomy from the University of Rochester School of Medicine. While a graduate student, Romano spent her summers studying with the U.S. Navy’s Marine Mammal Program in San Diego and investigating neural-immune interactions in the beluga whale. Her postdoctoral work built upon this research to investigate the marine mammal immune system and the impact of stress and the environment on marine mammal health, in collaboration with the Marine Mammal Program and The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California. After her postdoctoral studies, Romano established a research laboratory focused on studying stress and the marine mammal immune system at the Navy Base in San Diego.

In 2004, Romano moved her lab to Mystic Aquarium and is currently the Vice President of Research and Veterinary Services, where she leads a research team focused on aquatic animal health and conservation biology. Among numerous forms of professional recognition, Romano has been an inductee into the Saint Michael’s College Academic Hall of Fame, an American Society for Engineering Education Fellow, a finalist for the Connecticut Technology Council’s Women of Innovation award and a National Research Council Fellow. She serves on multiple scientific advisory panels, was President of the International Association for Aquatic Animal Medicine, has mentored many award-winning students, has created and conducted a nationally recognized science education and cultural exchange program for Native American youth, has led over 15 field expeditions to the Arctic, holds joint appointments at multiple universities and has made significant scientific contributions to the field of aquatic animal health.

Rodney Daniels is a customer service leader who partners with department leaders and staff to enhance the guest experience, drive revenue, and reduce costs. After spending nearly 25 years working in customer service and operations for multimillion-dollar aquariums and zoos, Daniels knows that what truly drives the guest experience is how well you connect with the heart-beating people you’re trying to educate and entertain.

Daniels honed his skills as a leader in customer service, theater operations, event production, retail operations, and security at Audubon Nature Institute in New Orleans and Dallas Zoo. He successfully reopened a major attraction after Hurricane Katrina, created a business plan resulting in over $1 million in revenue and reduced hard costs by just under $1 million. Daniels has served on the board for the Boys and Girls Club of Southeast Louisiana and was a committee member for Giant Screen Cinema Association.

As the Vice President of Guest Experience at Mystic Aquarium, Daniels manages guest services; interpretation; membership sales and services; and all retail, food, and beverage partnerships. He also creates and manages a concierge-level VIP guest program.

Daniels holds a B.A. in Communications and Journalism from Southern University in Baton Rouge.

Kelly Matis serves as vice president of Education & Conservation, a role she has held at Mystic Aquarium for over 12 years.  She received her B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Rochester and her M.S. in Environmental Education from Southern Connecticut State University.  In her role, Matis provides organizational leadership and strategic direction on education and conservation initiatives, oversees curriculum development, budget management, and supervises departmental staff. She also fosters partnerships and relationships with the community, formal and informal education entities, environmental organizations, professional groups, and funders.

Matis is an advisor and past chair of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Conservation Education Committee, the education advisor to the AZA Aquarium Affairs Committee, a member of the Steering Committee of the Coastal Ecosystem Learning Center Network through NOAA’s Department of Education and a board member of the local Stonington Education Fund.

Schultz leverages more than 30 years of exhibit experience throughout the United States and abroad to develop multi-million dollar, award-winning, history, science, art, and children’s exhibits. He has contributed to the development, design, management, fabrication and installation of exhibitions at institutions such as the Smithsonian, National Archives, Great Lakes Science Center, Denver Art Museum, and Samsung. Schultz works across the entire organization to create new, engaging, educational, and fun experiences for Mystic Aquarium’s diverse audiences.