2022 ROV and Mapping Shakedown

Kim Galvez

Expedition Coordinator, NOAA Ocean Exploration

Kim Galvez is a Florida native whose interests in marine life started at a young age with regular trips to the reefs in the Florida Keys. Kim studied biological sciences at the University of Miami where she became a research assistant with the Marine Geosciences Department at the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (RSMAS). Kim continued her education at RSMAS, earning a doctorate in marine geology and geophysics, focusing on cold-water coral systems within the carbonate province of the Straits of Florida. Her research included habitat mapping and terrain classification with acoustic maps, carbonate sedimentology, stable isotope geochemistry, and geochronometry. After sailing as a geology science lead during NOAA Ocean Exploration’s 2019 Southeastern U.S. Deep-Sea Exploration expedition, Kim joined the office as an expedition coordinator in 2020. During her spare time, Kim enjoys traveling, hiking, scuba diving, and baking.

Sam Candio

Mapping Lead, NOAA Ocean Exploration

Sam Candio is a physical scientist with NOAA Ocean Exploration. He splits his time between conducting field operations aboard NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer as an expedition coordinator/mapping lead and conducting shoreside responsibilities at the University of New Hampshire Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping/Joint Hydrographic Center, including mission planning, data quality control, and data archiving. Sam received a bachelor’s degree in marine biology from the University of North Carolina, Wilmington (UNCW), with minors in environmental science and oceanography, and an associate degree in marine technology from Cape Fear Community College. Following graduation, he worked as an instructor for UNCW's MarineQuest, leading a suite of marine science experiential learning programs ranging from the generation of biodiesel from algae to the operation of side-scan sonars and remotely operated vehicles. Prior to signing on with NOAA Ocean Exploration, Sam spent four years aboard NOAA Ship Fairweather, serving as the chief hydrographic survey technician leading coastal bathymetric surveys in areas ranging from the Alaskan Arctic to California’s Channel Islands.

Thomas Morrow

Mapping Expedition Coordinator in Training, NOAA Ocean Exploration

Thomas Morrow is a physical scientist with NOAA Ocean Exploration. He spends his time working as an expedition coordinator with the mapping team on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer and supporting NOAA’s ocean exploration mission. Thomas is a marine geologist and geophysicist who started his ocean exploration career while earning his bachelor’s degree in geology at the University of Florida. He then moved to the University of Idaho for master’s and doctorate degrees in geological sciences, studying mid-ocean ridges, fracture zones, and hotspot seamounts. Prior to joining NOAA Ocean Exploration, Thomas spent several years as a postdoctoral research fellow at Boston College, coordinating missions to explore the Gofar Transform Fault on Research Vessel Atlantis and Research Vessel Thomas G. Thompson.

Patricia Albano

Internship Program Coordinator, NOAA Ocean Exploration

Patricia (Trish) Albano is a member of the NOAA Ocean Exploration Outreach and Education Division. She holds a Master of Science in marine ecosystems and society and an undergraduate degree in marine and atmospheric science, both from the University of Miami. Before joining the NOAA Ocean Exploration team in 2020, Trish conducted research on coastal and pelagic sharks in Florida, the Bahamas, and South Africa as part of the University of Miami Shark Research and Conservation Program. Her research topics were largely ecologically focused, given her interest in the use of marine protected areas as conservation management tools. While conducting research with this group, Trish also managed the shark lab’s internship program, leading her to her current position as internship program coordinator with NOAA Ocean Exploration. Her day-to-day job involves working with student interns in NOAA Ocean Exploration, coordinating the office’s involvement in NOAA-wide internship programs, and identifying new opportunities for training the next generation of ocean explorers. Trish is originally from Miami, Florida, but currently resides in Washington, D.C., where she enjoys hiking, paddle boarding, and playing basketball.

Jonathan Allen

Engineering Intern, Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration

Jonathan Allen is one of two interns this winter for the Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration. He is currently a junior at Webb Institute studying naval architecture and marine engineering. His freshman year, Jonathan was a shipyard intern at Vigor Industrial in Seattle, Washington. From Florida, Jonathan graduated from Fort Walton Beach High School in 2019. When not doing homework, he is on the soccer, basketball, and volleyball teams at Webb. He loves being outside and active. Jonathan is extremely excited to be a part of the team for the shakedown expedition and is looking forward to meeting everyone!

Caitlin Bailey

Video Editor, Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration

Caitlin Bailey became a member of the Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration video team and started sailing aboard NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer in 2016. She is a “bi-polar” explorer, having been to both the Arctic and Antarctica, as well as a National Geographic Explorer. Caitlin is passionate about wildlife and sharing the deep sea and polar regions with a wide variety of audiences. She has a Master of Fine Arts in science and natural history filmmaking from Montana State University and a Bachelor of Science in animal biology from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. When not at sea, Caitlin resides in San Antonio, Texas, where she enjoys SCUBA diving, hiking, and entertaining her labradoodle, Camie.

Roland Brian

Video Engineer, Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration

Roland Brian brings 29 years of experience and a keen eye for precision high-definition video to the program as a video/satellite and telepresence engineer. Roland began his career in the U.S. Air Force where he worked as a satellite communications engineering technician with visions of working on the U.S. Space Station. He traded in that quest for one of deep-ocean exploration and sharing beautiful imagery with the world. He has worked with NOAA Ocean Exploration since 2009 and has been engaged in every telepresence-enabled remotely operated vehicle (ROV) expedition. He has also provided services for other projects using NOAA Ocean Exploration’s mobile telepresence system, including the 2012 Ring of Fire Expedition. His duties aboard NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer include operation and maintenance of the ship's telepresence and video systems, including on ROVs Deep Discoverer and Seirios. Again, Roland’s experience embodies the breadth and depth of knowledge NOAA Ocean Exploration encourages. When not fine-tuning the video and telepresence systems or training and mentoring new team members, he's actively involved in the editing process of our ever-expanding ocean exploration video library. While not at sea, Roland enjoys life with his wife and family in sunny Sarasota, Florida.

Mark Durbin

Data Engineer, Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration

Mark Durbin holds a bachelor’s degree in information technology and a master’s in computer information systems from Tarleton State University, where he focused on network security solutions. Mark has over 28 years experience in designing, testing, and supporting numerous variations of voice/data wired/wireless telecommunications networking solutions and security solutions, services, and products. During his career at MCI/Verizon, he held several engineering, research and development, and management positions and was with the company for over 23 years. During this time, he worked on key network projects and initiatives, including federal security solutions, access solutions, security services, virtualization, and many other large network solutions. In addition, he received four patents for networking and security solutions. Mark is married to Laura, his wife of 32 years, and has three kids and five grandkids. Some of Mark's hobbies and interests include car, truck, and boat repair/restoration; hiking; biking; running; camping; hunting; fishing; boating; amateur radio; storm chasing; home automation/security systems; fitness instructing; and scuba diving.

Todd Gregory

Mechanical Engineer, Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration

Todd Gregory received his bachelor’s degree in naval architecture and marine engineering from Webb Institute in 1999 and his master’s in ocean engineering from the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa in 2001. From 2002 to 2010, Todd was employed by the Institute for Exploration, where he served as the principal mechanical/hydraulic designer for remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Hercules. He has served as a guest investigator at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, as an associate marine development engineer at the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography, and as a mechanical engineering consultant to NOAA Ocean Exploration. Todd is the principal mechanical engineer for NOAA Ocean Exploration’s 6,000-meter-rated, two-body ROV system Deep Discoverer and Seirios and is one of the chief pilots during offshore operations. Todd currently resides in South Kingstown, Rhode Island.

Art Howard

Video Editor, Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration

For more than 30 years, Emmy-award winning photographer and producer Art Howard has helped viewers experience life through images from 50 countries and 7 continents. A native of North Carolina, Art has followed researchers aboard multiple deep-sea missions, documenting the excitement and challenges of exploration. Art uses the latest video technology to bring viewers as close as possible to life at sea, capturing both scientists and the marine life they seek to understand. Art has spent the last 11 years independently producing media for the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences.

Anna Lienesch

Sample Data Manager, NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information

Anna Lienesch is a data manager with NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) through the University of Maryland’s Cooperative Institute for Satellite Earth System Studies. She earned a Bachelor of Science in marine science with a minor in anthropology from Eckerd College in 2016 and has been with NCEI and NOAA Ocean Exploration’s Data Management Team since early 2018. Anna serves as the team lead for NOAA Ocean Exploration’s competitive grant program’s end-to-end data management activities and is the NCEI liaison to various NOAA divisions and line offices. Anna is also a champion crocheter and is responsible for the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer’s squid mascot, Oscar, hanging in the dry lab.

Andy Lister

Data Engineer, Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration

Andy Lister graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in ocean engineering. He went on to study at Embry-Riddle, focusing on artificial intelligence systems and obtaining a master’s degree in mechanical engineering. After school, he worked in the oilfield before starting his own business in 2014. He has currently joined the team as a mechanical engineer with additional interests in the data management side. He enjoys coding, electronics, and working aboard NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer to bring the public to unexplored places across the globe.

Karl McLetchie

Mechanical Engineer and Remotely Operated Vehicle Team Lead, Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration

Karl McLetchie is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in ocean and mechanical engineering. After graduating, he worked as an engineer on the development of autonomous underwater vehicles and as a naval architect on the design of high-speed aluminum vessels. After a two-year stint delivering sailboats around the Caribbean, he started his own contracting company, SeaKnowledge, in 2008. Through SeaKnowledge, Karl works on the mechanical design and operation of underwater vehicles. Karl has worked on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer for eleven seasons, in all positions on the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) team from winch operator to ROV team lead. When not on assignment, Karl resides in Pemaquid, Maine.

Bobby Mohr

Electrical Engineer, Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration

Bobby Mohr is a systems/robotics engineer specializing in autonomous and remotely operated underwater vehicles. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physics and graduated cum laude from Davidson College in 2009. Bobby started his career as an engineering technician with Greensea Systems where he was responsible for the design, development, and testing of autonomous underwater vehicle control systems. Bobby realized that he would enjoy the design-build process more if he was able to also pursue the challenges of making vehicles work successfully at sea. After serving on several projects at Greensea, where he specialized in electrical and software systems support, Bobby joined the Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration (GFOE) as an electrical systems engineer. During his time at Greensea and now with GFOE, he has been one of the key electrical engineers on the development of the 6,000-meter-rated remotely operated vehicle system of Deep Discoverer and Seirios.

Lars Murphy

Ocean/Mechanical Engineer, Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration

Lars Murphy holds a bachelor’s degree in ocean engineering and a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from the University of Rhode Island. Growing up on the coast of Maine, he developed a constant pull toward the unknown, the unexplored, and chaotic environments and acquired a drive to bring meaning, understanding, and order to these areas. Lars has a professional background working with autonomous underwater vehicles and other subsea robotics systems both internationally and nationally and now supports remotely operated vehicles Deep Discoverer and Seirios as an ocean/mechanical engineer.

Andrew O'Brien

Data Engineer, Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration

Andrew (Andy) O’Brien started his professional career in the U.S. Navy, where he ran a small electronic test system calibration laboratory and instructed NATO students in satellite ground station repair. Following the Navy, he obtained a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s in computer science from the University of Vermont before joining Greensea Systems as the lead software engineer. During his tenure at Greensea, Andy designed, developed, and supported over 40 widely varying custom robot control systems and their operator interfaces for government and industry. Notably, Andy was the software lead on NOAA Ocean Explorations remotely operated vehicles Deep Discoverer and Seirios. Andy so enjoyed working with NOAA Ocean Exploration, and supporting their exploration mission, that he asked to join them. Andy now splits his time between developing software, managing science and engineering data, maintaining the satellite communications system, and navigating, piloting, and co-piloting the deep-submergence vehicles. During his free time, you can often find him in Coventry, Rhode Island.

Christa Rabenold

Communication Specialist, NOAA Ocean Exploration

Christa Rabenold is a member of NOAA Ocean Exploration’s Communications Team. She has spent over a decade supporting the NOAA mission. From the National Ocean Service’s Office for Coastal Management to the National Weather Service’s Tsunami Program and now NOAA Ocean Exploration, her work has spanned all ocean depths. Before coming to NOAA, Christa was a technical editor for AMEC Earth and Environmental and served as the editor at the Natural Hazards Center at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She has a master’s degree in public administration and a graduate certificate in technical and professional communication from the University of Colorado at Denver. This is Christa’s first time at sea, and she’s excited to share it with the pros on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer.

Chris Ritter

Mechanical Engineer, Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration

Chris Ritter first joined the Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration (GFOE) on the Cayman Rise Expedition in 2011, just prior to being hired full time by the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). For the next three years, an informal NAVSEA-NOAA relationship allowed Chris to continue to participate in GFOE’s design, engineering, and offshore operations. Chris holds bachelor’s degrees in ocean engineering and aerospace engineering with a minor in mathematics from Virginia Tech. Chris has been a major contributor to GFOE’s design-build process and a tremendous asset to their offshore operations. He is a skilled navigator, pilot, and co-pilot and brings with him a level of enthusiasm that everyone around him appreciates and respects. In late 2014, Chris joined GFOE’s Mechanical Engineering team full time. He is enthusiastic about training the next generation and tackling new projects. Chris resides in Falls Church, Virginia.

Evan Spalding

Engineering Intern, Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration

Evan Spalding is a student at Webb Institute in the class of 2024. He graduated from the Marine Science Magnet High School of Southeastern Connecticut in 2020, where he took many classes focused on engineering and aquaculture. During his time in high school, he also was the captain of a First Tech Challenge robotics team, where the goal is to build a small robot for a different competition every year. Evan is also an experienced sailor, who has raced dinghies and offshore racing sailboats since 2013, first with his junior sailing team, Mudratz, and now in college at Webb. He is an Intern at the Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration for the winter of 2022 and is very excited to go on the shakedown expedition.

Chris Wright

Data Engineer, Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration

Chris Wright holds a Bachelor of Science in business administration from the University of Mary Washington and a Master of Business Administration from Rollins College. After graduation, he worked as a network and systems administrator and engineer in the hospitality industry in the Northeast and Mountain West for more than 15 years. Recently relocating back to the East Coast, Chris joined the Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration (GFOE) data team in early 2019 as one of the newest members of the organization. In 2019, he completed his first expedition aboard NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer and is extremely excited about continuing the journey to explore the oceans around the world. When he isn't sailing on Okeanos Explorer, he’s busy working in GFOE’s Quonset office planning, designing, and implementing data solutions to help refine and mature its base of operations for ocean exploration. Chris and his family currently reside in Newport, Rhode Island.