Born and raised on Saipan, Ignacio “Ike” V. Cabrera is a founding member of the Friends of the Mariana Trench and served as the organization’s Chairman from 2008 to 2020. In recognition of his decades of leadership and commitment to environmental stewardship, he was named Chairman Emeritus in 2021. Before retiring from government service, Ike served as Director of the Department of Environmental Quality from 1979 to 2000, where he helped shape key environmental protection policies for the Northern Mariana Islands. In 2001, he founded Cabrera Enterprises Services, which remains active today. Throughout his career, Ike has served on numerous conservation boards, including the Marianas Resource Conservation and Development Council, the Pacific Basin Soil and Water Conservation District, and continues to serve as a board member of the Saipan & Northern Islands Soil and Water Conservation District, where he contributes to ongoing watershed management and conservation initiatives. Today, Ike volunteers with Friends of the Mariana Trench in his capacity as an Ocean Elder, sharing his traditional ecological knowledge and lifelong experience to guide projects that blend cultural wisdom with modern conservation practices. When he’s not advising on environmental initiatives, Ike can be found on his farm — continuing his enduring commitment to caring for the land and sea that sustain his community.