Jerry M. Barucky, Ph.D., Lt COL, USAF (Ret)

René A. Varela, M.S., V.M.D.

Tom Powell

Jerry M. Barucky, Ph.D., Lt COL, USAF (Ret)

Dr. Jerry Barucky has spent more than 35 years as an educator, researcher, and military officer, dedicated to improving individual, organizational, and community opportunities for personal, professional, and economic development.  He has extensive experience as a teacher, a curriculum and educational program developer and manager, and a research scientist in higher education and community workforce development.

During 23 years as an Air Force officer, Dr. Barucky made significant contributions to both the academic and professional training realms. As the Director of Curriculum for the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Military Training Program, he managed a training staff  that totally revised and administered  leadership, management and military skills training for 4400 cadets each year. He established that institution’s first program to evaluate the performance of graduates and relate the findings to institutional program improvement.  Later, as the Deputy Director for Air Force Commissioning Programs, he was responsible for coordinating Air Force-wide efforts to establish and update consistent curriculum goals and enhance instructional methods across all officer commissioning programs.   

In 1992 Dr. Barucky helped to initiate Project QUEST, a new, and ultimately award-winning, workforce development demonstration program for the City of San Antonio.  As the Director of Occupational Analysis, he and his staff worked with area employers and higher education institutions to identify occupations experiencing shortages of skilled employees and to help develop long-term educational programs that would prepare members of disadvantaged populations to work effectively in skilled occupations.   

Additionally, Dr. Barucky has been continuously involved in a variety of research projects.  As a Senior Research Scientist for Metrica, Inc., a national consulting firm, he planned, coordinated, and conducted data collection, analyses and reporting of findings for research studies related to personnel assessment, selection, and training. He has continued to do independent consulting in education and training program planning and workforce development. 

In his current position as Liaison for Healthcare Programs for the Alamo Community College District in San Antonio, he coordinates with area healthcare providers and college health occupations programs to determine occupational demands and to ensure that curricular needs are being addressed in the current and future programs of five area community colleges. He recently completed a study of the nursing shortage and future nurse supply and demand for hospitals in the San Antonio region.  

Dr. Barucky received his B.A. and M.A. in English Language and Literature from Bowling Green University in Ohio.  He completed a Ph.D. in Adult and Higher Education Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Texas, Austin. 

René A. Varela, M.S., V.M.D.

Dr. René Varela graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a bachelor’s degree in biology with a marine biology emphasis. He also completed a master's thesis degree, and he later received his veterinary degree from the University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine. During his veterinary training, Dr. Varela attended several advanced aquatic animal training courses such as Aquavet 1, Aquavet 2, Aquamed, and Envirovet-aquatic. He also received extensive aquatic animal clinical training experience through the US Navy Marine Mammal Research Program, The National Aquarium in Baltimore, The Miami Seaquarium, The Florida Aquarium, and North Carolina State University. He has presented the results of many of these experiences at several international symposia.

In June of 2001, he joined Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution as Post-doctoral Veterinary Fellow in Marine Mammal Research and Conservation.  After two fellowships (36 months) with the institution, he became Medical Manager and Assistant Scientist with the Division of Marine Mammal Research and Conservation. He was able to contribute in significant ways to the development of many facets to the institution’s work, inclusive of peer-reviewed journal publications, public lectures or scientific presentations, responses to marine mammal strandings, development of the HBOI marine mammal medical and pathology laboratory, establishing remote field sampling capabilities for outreach programs, creating and digitalization of all medical, pathology, and stranding files, formal organization of pathology tissues data bank, authoring and co-authoring grant proposals, management of substantial research grants, serving as a review panel member for the John H. Prescott grant program, mentoring of summer and veterinary interns, overseeing the marine mammal volunteer program, developing and teaching the Florida Atlantic University marine mammal biology and medicine course, assisting in the development and operation of the standard operating procedures for the HERA bottlenose dolphin health assessment, overseeing manatee papillomavirus sample collecting at Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park, serving as a member of the HBOI institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC), biosafety committee, and research council, and representing HBOI at several NOAA Fisheries and US Fish and Wildlife Service marine mammal health/scientific meetings and health assessment projects.

Dr. Varela joined WIN and Ocean Embassy in September of 2005 in the role of Partner and Director of Veterinary Services. In addition to establishing veterinary and animal health protocols for the company, he is assisting in the development of Ocean Embassy’s extensive research program. Dr. Varela is also pursuing a graduate degree in Public Health Epidemiology at Florida International University. An enduring goal of his is to link human health with marine mammal health as a key toward the overall conservation of marine ecosystems.

Thomas E. Powell, MSA, CPA, CIA

Mr. Powell is a strategist, senior executive and auditor with comprehensive technical skills and international experience in business control systems and performance measurement, education and training.  An active member of the professional business community for more than 35 years; he serves on local, national, and international committees and boards.  Mr. Powell has been a featured speaker at professional conferences and lyceums throughout North America, Europe, the Mid-East, Asia, and Latin America on issues related to finance, management, internal control, fraud, auditing and professional development.

Mr. Powell has extensive experience with international organizations in a consulting and executive capacity.   Since 1995 he has served primarily as a consultant and temporary contract executive to start up organizations undergoing significant changes in structure.  Prior to 1995 he was a member of the Management Committee and Director of Professional Practices, Certification, Standards, Ethics and Continuing Professional Development with budgeting and operational responsibility for personnel and activities.    He represented The Institute of Internal Auditors on various working committees of Committee of Sponsoring Organizations, AICPA, American Accounting Association, and other Professional organizations in the development of standards for internal control and auditing.   He accomplished, with other members of the Management Committee, a major re-engineering of staff performance appraisal and compensation system.   He directed international expansion of testing and training programs which required extensive travel to Israel, China, Mexico, Malaysia and Indonesia and resulted in establishing and managing educational programs in those countries.

Mr. Powell worked with representatives from private industry and governmental organizations to amend laws and regulations and establish training and testing programs in French, English, Spanish, Hebrew and Mandarin Chinese.  He directed staff research, translation and the dissemination of official responses regarding Professional Practices, Standards and Ethics as well as the administration of the related disciplinary programs.  He established and maintained liaisons on behalf of the IIA with influential national and international organizations such as International Federation of Accountants, AICPA, the World Bank, United Nations, American Accounting Association, and Beta Alpha Psi in order to provide improved service and enhance mutual development.

Mr. Powell is serves in a voluntary capacity from time to time with various service organizations and is currently Chairman of the Board of Goodwill Industries of Central Florida.  His professional recognitions include: “Distinguished Service Award – American Accounting Association” “Who’s Who in The World”“Who’s Who in America”“Who’s Who in The South and Southwest” “Who’s Who in Finance and Accounting” “Beta Alpha Psi Outstanding Alumnus for 1992” University of Central Florida.  A list of Mr. Powell’s presentations, technical reports and publications is available.