Tiff Duong is the Co-Founder of Tela Coral, an organization designed to support the natural ecosystems of Tela, Honduras, which stand as testaments to resilience and hope. A former unhappy lawyer, Tiff has started multiple ventures and added explorer, storyteller, artist, citizen scientist, and more to her repertoire. Tela has one of the few thriving coral reefs remaining in the world’s oceans today, and Tiff and her team are determined to share both the science and the inspiration of this unique place.

“There’s a magic and artistry around starting something the world has never seen.”

What will the Stanley Creators Fund make possible for Tela Coral?

Our oceans are warming faster than our corals can adapt, yet somehow Tela’s coral is thriving. Uncovering the secrets of this coral could prove vital to coral restoration in the wider Caribbean and beyond. With the grant from Stanley Creators Fund, we will build a coral biobank – a structure on land that safeguards live corals against environmental factors. Tela’s biobank will help us understand why this reef is thriving when so many others are deteriorating. We’ll also build a virtual reality (VR) cave in Honduras that will let anyone experience the beauty of Tela.

Stanley Creators Fund celebrates the Creators, Builders, and Inventors among us. What does it mean to you to be a Creator, Builder, and Inventor?

To me, being a Creator, Builder, and Inventor means that I take an active role in and responsibility for creating the future we want and need. It means I will always search out new and innovative ways to create impact and share the joy of this work with as many people as possible. It means that I never give up on this hope for a better tomorrow.

What drives you? Or, said differently, what’s your “why?”

I always tell people: “I’m trying to save the world and have the time of my life doing it.” This phrase perfectly encapsulates so much of me – an empathetic, altruistic wish to do good and help others, paired with a simultaneous desire to live my biggest life. I never quite know what’s next, but that promise, that freedom, drives me every single day to keep building, innovating, and creating.

What about Stanley 1913 makes you excited for this grant and partnership?

The alignment! William Stanley Jr. created the original Stanley bottles out of need and inspiration – he knew there was a better way. I am eager for us to create our coral genetic biobanks and VR experience to rise to the same challenges within the world beneath the waves.

“Being recognized as a Stanley Creator by this generous and inspiring grant award means so much. It amplifies our collective hope, passion, and belief in a better tomorrow.”