Who We Are

NOAA Ocean Exploration includes a range of staff, organized into a series of divisions dedicated to carrying out our mission.

Leadership

Jennifer Lukens

Acting Director
Jennifer.Lukens@noaa.gov

LaTonya Burgess

Acting Deputy Director
LaTonya.Burgess@noaa.gov

Jennifer Lukens

Acting Director
Jennifer.Lukens@noaa.gov

LaTonya Burgess

Acting Deputy Director
LaTonya.Burgess@noaa.gov

Organization

Headquarters

Aurora Elmore, Ph.D.

Cooperative Institute Manager
Aurora.Elmore@noaa.gov

Gretchen Spencer

Management Analyst
Gretchen.Spencer@noaa.gov

Catalina Martinez

Physical Scientist
Catalina.Martinez@noaa.gov

David Turner

Strategic Advisor
David.Turner@noaa.gov

Administration and Finance

LaTonya Burgess

Chief
LaTonya.Burgess@noaa.gov

Joyce Addy

Grants Management Specialist
Joyce.Addy@noaa.gov

Alexanderia Allison

Administrative Officer
Alexanderia.Allison@noaa.gov

Cynthia Greene

Human Resources Liaison
Cynthia.Greene@noaa.gov

Elizabeth Diamond

Grants Specialist (on contract through Groundswell)
Elizabeth.Diamond@noaa.gov

Vernee Holley

Financial Management Specialist
Vernee.Holley@noaa.gov

Malik Miller

Budget Support (on contract through Groundswell)
Malik.Miller@noaa.gov

Christina Ortiz

Grants Management Specialist
Christina.Ortiz@noaa.gov

Kevia Walker-Humphries

Grants Management Specialist
Kevia.Walker-Humphries@noaa.gov

Gregory Zwicker

Financial Management Specialist
Gregory.Zwicker@noaa.gov

Expeditions and Exploration

Rachel Medley

Chief
Rachel.Medley@noaa.gov

Kelley Suhre

Deputy Chief
Kelley.Suhre@noaa.gov

Amanda Maxon

Environmental Compliance Specialist (on contract through Groundswell)
Amanda.Maxon@noaa.gov

Kasey Cantwell

Operations Chief
Kasey.Cantwell@noaa.gov

Logan Kline

Program Coordinator
Logan.Kline@noaa.gov

Expedition Coordinator Team

Shannon Hoy

Expedition Coordinator Team Lead
Shannon.Hoy@noaa.gov

Trish Albano

Expedition Coordinator
Trish.Albano@noaa.gov

Sam Cuellar

Expedition Coordinator
Samuel.Cuellar@noaa.gov

Technical Operations Team

Lieutenant Abby Letts

Technical Operations Team Lead
Abby.Letts@noaa.gov

Danielle Warren

Mapping Technician (on contract through UCAR)
Danielle.Warren@noaa.gov

Neah Baechler

Mapping Technician (on contract through UCAR)
Neah.Baechler@noaa.gov

Treyson Gillespie

Mapping Technician (on contract through UCAR)
Treyson.Gillespie@noaa.gov

Outreach and Education

Kristen Crossett

Chief
Kristen.Crossett@noaa.gov

Joanne Flanders

Special Projects
Joanne.Flanders@noaa.gov

Shellby Johnson-Rodney

Outreach Specialist and Coordinator
Shellby.Johnson@noaa.gov

Communications Team

Emily Crum

Communications Team Lead
Emily.Crum@noaa.gov

Brandon Gertz

Program Specialist – Communications (on contract through UCAR)
Brandon.Gertz@noaa.gov

Rachel Gulbraa

Communication Specialist (on contract through UCAR)
Rachel.Gulbraa@noaa.gov

Natasha McCracken

Senior Web Developer (on contract through UCAR)
Natasha.McCracken@noaa.gov

Michelle Whitman

Web Developer (on contract through UCAR)
Michelle.Whitman@noaa.gov

Christa Rabenold

Writer/Editor (on contract through UCAR)
Christa.Rabenold@noaa.gov

Connor Steere

Multimedia Production and Web Development Specialist (affiliate through the NOAA Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute)
Connor.Steere@noaa.gov

Education Team

Liz Hoadley

Education Team Lead
Liz.Hoadley@noaa.gov

Suraida Nanez-James

Education Coordinator (on contract through Groundswell)
Suraida.NanezJames@noaa.gov

Jesse Gwinn

Internship Program Coordinator (on contract through UCAR)
Jessica.Gwinn@noaa.gov

Susan Haynes

Education Coordinator (on contract through Groundswell)
Susan.Haynes@noaa.gov