Board of directors
Carter Viss
The founder and president of the Carter Viss Foundation. Learn more about Carter's story here.
Emily Viss
As someone who grew up in Jupiter, Florida and frequently visited the Florida Keys, boating and snorkeling became a natural part of Emily’s lifestyle. She is part of a family who loves the water and appreciates the importance of safe boating and diving practices. In her free time, she enjoys snorkeling with Carter and boating with her family in the Florida Keys. Professionally, she works as a school neuropsychologist and has a passion for mental health.
Emily and Carter married in June of 2023 in Key Largo, Florida. They live at their home in Jupiter, Florida with their daughter and two fur babies.
Andy Earl
Andy is the Operations Manager at Loggerhead Marinelife Center, a non-profit sea turtle hospital in Juno Beach, Florida. Promoting safe boating practices has been very important to him because he has seen several sea turtles suffering from severe injuries caused by boat strikes.
On Thanksgiving Day of 2019, he was diving next to Carter when he was struck by a boat. He was not injured by the boat and was the first to assist Carter in his rescue. What he saw and experienced that day changed his perspective on life and is now determined to make positive changes towards boating and diving safety.
Stephen Schwartz
Stephen is a retired business man and a regular volunteer at Loggerhead Marinelife Center. He also runs their Kid's Fishing Program at the Juno Beach Pier on Saturday mornings. He has been boating and fishing for over 70 years and is currently involved in several other marine conservation organizations. It is his lifelong dream to keep our oceans healthy so future generations may enjoy the same experience.
Carter and Stephen have been fishing buddies for several years and they often go out on Stephen's boat. He has taught Carter several key factors about boater awareness and safety.
Christine Raininger
Christine is a professional wildlife biologist specializing in the application of conservation measures protecting threatened and endangered species in Florida. Her passion for safe boating began after attaining her first boating license as a teen so she could run the family boat on Lake Huron. This progressed to operating boats while working in a variety of environmental research, management, and protection positions; however, she now spends more time under the water than above it. Her competitive swimming experience and love for all living things lead to a sincere passion for freediving, SCUBA diving, reef fish identification, lionfish hunting and paddleboarding in Florida's rich marine biodiversity.
Christine was the paddleboarder who witnessed the boat hit Carter and immediately applied tourniquets to his wounds. Her knowledge of first aid was a key factor to Carter's survival.