2026 Cook Islands ROV Exploration

Dr. Aurora Elmore is an marine geologist who currently serves as a Deep-Sea Resources Advisor for NOAA Ocean Exploration. With over 20 years of geological research experience, her work primarily focuses on deep-sea geochemistry, deep-ocean water masses, and managing high-profile global scientific expeditions. She earned her Ph.D. from Rutgers University, using the chemistry of fossilized seashells to reconstruct past ocean circulation and conditions. She then worked across several American and British universities, focusing on trace metal- and rare earth elemental- concentrations of deep-sea sediments. Before joining NOAA, she managed expeditions and project development for National Geographic, including directing the largest scientific expedition to Mount Everest in 2019. Since joining NOAA in 2021, she has overseen the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute (OECI) and builds multi-agency research coalitions utilizing uncrewed and autonomous vehicles to map and study unexplored regions of the deep sea.

John Parianos, Ph.D., is the Knowledge Management Director at the Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority (SBMA). A geologist with more than 30 years of experience, he holds a doctoral degree specializing in the geology of polymetallic nodules and has worked extensively in mineral exploration and the deep-sea minerals sector in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, Tonga, and Papua New Guinea. Since joining SBMA, Dr. Parianos has led scientific research, environmental data management, and marine scientific expeditions in the Cook Islands, including the ARTEX series. His work focuses on applying scientific knowledge to support responsible seabed minerals management and evidence-based decision-making in the Cook Islands.

Amanda Demopoulos, Ph.D., is a research benthic ecologist for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) at the Wetland and Aquatic Research Center in Gainesville, Florida. She received a bachelor’s degree in oceanography from the University of Washington, and master’s and doctoral degrees in biological oceanography from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. After completing a postdoctoral fellowship at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Amanda joined USGS in 2007, where she leads research examining the ecology of coastal and deep-sea environments. For this expedition, Amanda will serve as one of the science leads, assisting the at-sea team with dive planning and the collection of mapping, water column, and seafloor data and discrete samples to help improve our understanding of the Cook Islands deep-sea environments.

Matt Dornback has spent the last 15 years at NOAA exploring and mapping parts of the unknown ocean, deep-sea corals, seagrass, harmful algal blooms, ocean infrastructure, and a lot of mud. He is currently on detail to NOAA Ocean Exploration for the 2026 Cook Islands ROV Exploration cruise. He is an environmental scientist in NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management, serving coastal states and the National Estuarine Research Reserves. When he is not dreaming of going in the submarine Alvin, Matt enjoys roaming and contemplating our amazing Earth through outdoor sports and camping.

Gretchen Spencer is a management analyst for NOAA Ocean Exploration, where she works on office-wide initiatives that focus on programmatic and policy issues that cross the spectrum of the office. She was a 2023 John A. Knauss marine policy fellow at the NOAA Research front office, where she supported the NOAA Research chief of staff and the executive leadership team and also worked as an executive secretary for the Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology and the National Ocean Mapping, Exploration and Characterization Council. Gretchen earned a master’s degree in marine science from Nova Southeastern University in Florida, where her thesis focused on the biogeochemical cycles occurring in mangrove ecosystems. While pursuing her master’s degree, she worked as the education and outreach specialist for the Marine Environmental Education Center, educating the public about marine conservation and caring for the two resident sea turtles. Gretchen received her bachelor’s degree in marine biology from the University of Maine.

Neah Baechler is a member of the NOAA Ocean Exploration Technical Operations Team with a multidisciplinary background in seafloor mapping, GIS, and marine geology on crewed and uncrewed platforms and a career focus in ocean exploration and sustainability. She graduated from the College of Charleston Benthic Acoustic Mapping and Survey (BEAMS) program with a degree in geology in 2015 and launched her hydrographic career as an explorer-in-training aboard NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer shortly after. She was a contractor predominantly on Okeanos Explorer and Exploration Vessel Nautilus, working with Kongsberg mapping systems and navigating for remotely operated vehicle dives until she joined Saildrone in 2022 as the lead surveyor for bathymetric data collection on uncrewed surface vessels (USVs). Neah was most recently the bathymetry operations manager at Saildrone, shaping drone capabilities and bathymetric procedures and pushing the envelope on USV capability. When she’s not mapping the seafloor, you can find Neah in her garden, playing outside around her hometown of Portland, Oregon, and painting moody water colors.

Chris Ritter holds bachelor’s degrees in ocean engineering and aerospace engineering with a minor in mathematics from Virginia Tech. Chris first sailed on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer on the Cayman Rise Expedition in 2011, just prior to being hired full time by the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA 05). Since then, he has assisted with the upgrade, maintenance, and piloting of the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) system on Okeanos Explorer as well as other deep submergence equipment on multiple marine platforms. He is a skilled dive supervisor, pilot, co-pilot, and navigator and is currently a member of the ROV Mechanical Engineering team.

Rachel Simon is a data and video engineer with the University of Rhode Island (URI) Graduate School of Oceanography’s Inner Space Center. She holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from URI. After working several years in broadcasting — operating an early-generation audio-over-IP infrastructure — she pivoted to ocean research. She began as a shoreside engineering watchstander supporting expeditions on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer. Her first at-sea expedition was in 2019, supporting video systems for BBC’s Blue Planet Live aboard Research Vessel Atlantis. Since then, Rachel has worked on nearly 15 different vessels. Rachel’s most recent at-sea experience was aboard Exploration Vessel Nautilus, which took her to Hawai‘i, American Samoa, Palau, Guam, the Solomon Islands, and the atoll of Majuro in the Marshall Islands. Rachel is excited to finally work on the “wet end” of Okeanos Explorer telepresence systems. While not at sea, she is living her best life in exciting downtown Providence, Rhode Island.

Fernando Aragon is a skilled engineer with over a decade of experience in the marine industry, specializing in the development and optimization of software for remotely operated vehicle systems and data pipeline management. He focuses on building solutions that enhance the performance and capabilities of marine robotic systems. Fernando holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Hawai‘i, where he explored multiple disciplines, including field robotics, orbital mechanics research and conceptual design. He worked at the Field Robotics Laboratory, where he supported operations, testing, and software development for two uncrewed surface vehicles. These early experiences sparked a lasting passion for the design and development of robotic systems, which continues to drive him today.

Caitlin Bailey is a science and natural history filmmaker and photographer with experience in video production, video engineering, and storytelling. She has been part of the video team aboard NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer since 2016. Caitlin is also a National Geographic Explorer and has worked as part of the National Geographic Pristine Seas media team since 2024. She is also a member of The Explorers Club, the Emerging League at the International League of Conservation Photographers, a partner photographer with Girls Who Click, and a board member of the Ocean Media Institute. She enjoys public speaking and mentoring young natural history storytellers.

Amanda Bittinger is a hydrographic surveyor and ocean mapper sailing as a member of the Mapping Team on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer since 2015. In addition to serving as the mapping watch lead, she has also been the onboard mapping lead for several telepresence mapping expeditions. She has a bachelor’s degree in oceanography, a master’s degree in coastal management with an emphasis on using remote sensing to determine coral reef health, and 20 years of surveying and mapping experience. She has an interest in integrated mapping operations from shallow to deep water using air, surface, and subsea vehicles, and she aspires to go to Antarctica.

Rima Browne is a senior technical officer at the Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority, with eight years of experience in the seabed minerals sector. She specializes in data management, geographic information systems (GIS) and seabed mapping and leads the Authority’s data management program. Rima supports the planning, coordination, and delivery of marine scientific research in the Cook Islands and has participated as a scientist in marine science research cruises, including WISE 2024, NA176 2025, and SRTR 2025. She has also served as an inspector on exploration expeditions and contributes to the management, analysis, and interpretation of marine scientific research and exploration data to support scientific research and the responsible management of ocean resources.

Michael Dennin graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and a minor in mathematics from the University of Alabama (Roll Tide). He has spent the last three years in the space industry, taking on roles including quality, manufacturing, and mechanical engineering for Leidos, developing and fabricating infrared sensor payloads. Michael lives in San Diego, California, and in his free time, Michael enjoys surfing, skiing, traveling, or picking up whatever skill (technical or recreational) that catches his eye. This is Michael’s first expedition, so he brings an unwavering sense of curiosity and eagerness to learn from the many talented team members on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer.

Brian Doros is a television broadcast engineer who was born in Long Branch, New Jersey. Active in sports throughout high school, Brian moved to Southern California and spent the next few years traveling the world surfing and then exploring his technical interests at college in San Diego, California. After changing his course of study to electronics, he focused on broadcast electronics and technical maintenance in broadcasting. His career path first led him to employment at IBM/MCA Video Laser Disc Company in Costa Mesa, California, doing research and development in the early days of optical laser disc, then to Los Angeles, where he specialized in film for television postproduction. The next several years were spent working in the Hollywood postproduction industry at Paramount Pictures, MGM/Lorimar Telepictures, 20th Century Fox, NFL Films, and Sony Broadcast Company North America, contributing to his 25 years of experience in television postproduction and broadcast systems integration. After Hollywood, Brian worked in the field, traveling and upgrading network television facilities to digital broadcasting capabilities during the analog to digital conversion. He now has moved on to less broadcast traditional applications of his background working in his current position.

Sarah Haberstroh is an unmanned systems integration professional with more than 13 years of experience supporting government and commercial maritime operations, expeditionary missions, and subsea robotics programs. Her background includes autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) and remotely operated vehicle deployment, offshore mission execution, robotic systems integration, training, and lifecycle management. She has led underwater operations for complex offshore recovery projects, managed the Naval Special Warfare AUV program of record and served in the U.S. Navy supporting global deployments.

Bailey Jorgensen is a data and network engineer with University of Rhode Island’s Inner Space Center. She received a bachelor’s degree in archaeology from Montana State University and a master’s of environmental data science from the University of California Santa Barbara. Her professional career and research has involved data and fieldwork management in paleontology museums and maritime institutes, focusing on physical and digital data collections.

Sean Kennison is a mechanical engineer with a minor in engineering mechanics. He has been sailing aboard NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer since 2014, upgrading, maintaining, and piloting the remotely operated vehicle system of Deep Discoverer and Seirios. His mission is to advance the nation’s capacity to explore the world’s ocean through highly specialized deep-submergence equipment and to train the next generation of deep-sea engineers on critical depth systems.

Tanga Morris is a technical officer at the Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority. Born and raised in the Cook Islands, she holds a Bachelor of Science in Ecology and Biodiversity from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Tanga has participated in several marine scientific expeditions in the Cook Islands, including ARTEX 2024, WISE 2024, and NA176, where she served as lead scientist. She has also served as both an inspector and scientist on exploration vessels, supporting marine scientific research and environmental monitoring.

Marley Parker is a professional photographer, videographer, science writer, and ocean science storyteller. After earning a degree in journalism from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Marley spent the early years of her career producing stories for UNC Research. In 2018, she left the university to start her own business as an independent science communicator. Since then, she has joined over 30 ocean expeditions, documenting research for organizations like the National Science Foundation, NASA, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Ocean Exploration Trust, and many others. When she’s not at sea, Marley focuses her energy on teaching, outreach, and mentorship. She is an instructor for the Center for Collaborative Education and the Director of Mentorship for the Association of Science Communicators.

Jacob Stock began his career as a sonar technician in the U.S. Navy, where he operated and maintained acoustic systems aboard different vessels. He transitioned into hydrographic research after obtaining a bachelor’s degree in geology from the College of Charleston as a member of the BEnthic Acoustic Mapping and Survey (BEAMS) program. He currently serves as a senior engineering research technologist at the University of South Florida Center for Ocean Mapping and Innovative Technologies. In this role he’s the chief survey technician for Research Vessel Tocobaga and supports students and faculty on projects involving sonar data acquisition, processing, and interpretation. In addition to his work at the university, Jacob has done contract work with various private and government organizations ensuring high-quality data collection at sea.

Jordan Schweizer manages geophysical data at the National Centers for Environmental Information through the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder. On this cruise, Jordan will serve as the sample data manager, helping organize and track samples and their associated data. Jordan earned a degree in environmental science and geography from Oregon State University and enjoys supporting ocean exploration by making scientific data accessible and useful. Outside of work, Jordan enjoys camping, hiking, baking, and knitting.

Levi Unema is an electrical engineer specializing in deep-sea exploration through remotely operated underwater vehicles. An Eagle Scout from Lynden, Washington, he holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering with a certificate in electric power engineering from Michigan Technological University. He began his work in ocean science in 2016, designing, building, operating, and maintaining advanced robotic systems for oceanographic missions. Unema has sailed on expeditions aboard the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer, Exploration Vessel Nautilus, and Research Vessel Falkor too, serving as an electrical engineer, navigator, pilot, and co-pilot while supporting live broadcast video operations. He is based in Newport, Rhode Island, where he continues to advance technologies that enable deep ocean exploration.

Bret Whitman is a marine operations specialist and lifelong waterman with more than 35 years of diving experience around the world, from Central America and Tahiti to Fiji, Australia, the Red Sea, and the Persian Gulf. A certified diver since age 12, Bret has spent over 25 years locating objects underwater in limited—and zero—visibility conditions for military, commercial, and public-safety operations, logging more than 10,000 mission hours. He specializes in underwater search and recovery, dive team leadership and safety, and the use of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV/ROV) and side-scan sonar to find lost equipment, vehicles, and evidence. Bret has trained U.S. Navy divers, Navy SEALs, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams, and allied foreign personnel to operate and maintain REMUS UUV systems and he has completed six overseas deployments across the Persian Gulf and Southeast Asia. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard Captain’s license, is a certified Navy coxswain and Dive Safety Officer, and is a PADI Advanced Freediver and Project Management Professional (PMP). He attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and is an Army veteran. When not working, Bret is an avid spearfisher based in San Diego, California, where he tracks ocean conditions and marine life and runs SpearFactor, a spearfishing education platform.

Chloe-Ane Wragg is a Senior Technical Officer at the Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority, with nearly eight years of experience across fisheries management and the seabed minerals in the public and private sectors. She holds a bachelor of science (environmental science). Chloe specializes in sample collection, science coordination and the integration of research into policy frameworks and contributes to the development of the Cook Islands’ seabed minerals knowledge base. She supports the planning and delivery of marine scientific research and has participated in seven at‑sea research campaigns encompassing mapping, resource assessment, and environmental work. She also applies her governance and policy expertise to bridge scientific data with decision‑making, supporting the responsible management of ocean resources and ensuring local technical capacity serves national interests.