Stay Connected!

Please contact us if you have any questions, or to learn more about our program. We are interested in your feedback and input to better serve your needs. For all inquiries, please contact the following email address—we will make sure one of our knowledgeable staff will get back to you.

info@pacioos.org
808.956.6556
1680 East-West Road, POST 815
Honolulu, Hawaiʻi 96822

Meet the PacIOOS Team

AllManagement & EngagementData ManagementObservationsModeling
Melissa_Iwamoto

Melissa Iwamoto

Director and Principal Investigator

Melissa oversees the execution of PacIOOS, collaborating with staff, partners, and users to advance our strategic goals across the region.

Jordan_Watson

Jordan Watson

Deputy Director

Jordan manages the operation and growth of data, outreach, and observing system components within PacIOOS.

Chip_Young

Chip Young

Operations Coordinator

Chip supports PacIOOS operations through coordinating the implementation of ocean monitoring projects across the Pacific Islands region.

Nicole_Guiles

Nicole Guiles

Data and Program Assistant

Nicole assists with data tracking and program implementation involved with the various projects under the PacIOOS program.

Yi-Leng_Chen

Yi-Leng Chen

Co-Investigator: Atmospheric Modeling

Yi-Leng oversees the improvements and maintenance of the atmospheric forecasting system.

Kwok_Fai_Cheung

Kwok Fai Cheung

Co-Investigator: Wave Modeling

Fai oversees the enhancement and maintenance of the wave forecasting system.

Steve_Colbert

Steve Colbert

Co-Investigator: Water Quality Buoys

Steve manages the water quality buoys on Hawai’i Island and collaborates with other PacIOOS projects.

Pierre_Flament

Pierre Flament

Co-Investigator: High Frequency Radars

Pierre leads the development and installation of High Frequency Radar instrumentation to collect surface currents in real-time.

Kim_Holland

Kim Holland

Co-Investigator: Animal Telemetry

Kim leads the "Sharks as Oceanographers" program and collaborates on other telemetry projects.

Melanie_Hutchinson

Melanie Hutchinson

Co-Investigator: Animal Telemetry and Acoustic Data

Melanie develops the Pacific Islands Region Acoustic Telemetry Network and leads tagging efforts of the Hawai‘i Community Tagging Program.

Doug_Luther

Douglas Luther

Co-Investigator: Coastal Modeling

Doug's group develops and validates models for short- and long-term forecasts of wave-driven run-up, coastal flooding and harbor surges.

Margaret_McManus

Margaret A. McManus

Co-Investigator: Wave Buoys and Nearshore Sensors

Margaret supervises staff and students, and oversees activities and budgets for the Wave Buoy and Nearshore Sensor Groups.

Carl_Meyer

Carl Meyer

Co-Investigator: Animal Telemetry

Carl leads the regional animal telemetry capacity building initiative and collaborates on the “Sharks as Oceanographers” tagging program.

Jim_Potemra

Jim Potemra

Co-Investigator: Data Management

Jim leads the Data Management team, oversees PacIOOS' data infrastructure, and ensures data quality standards are met.

Brian_Powell

Brian Powell

Co-Investigator: Ocean Circulation Modeling

Brian oversees staff and students to enhance and expand the ocean modeling forecasting system, and to develop new biogeochemistry models.

Kelley_Anderson_Tagarino

Kelley Anderson Tagarino

American Samoa Liaison

Kelley serves as the liaison for American Samoa, engages with local stakeholders, and maintains the water quality nearshore sensor.

Assaf_Azouri

Assaf Azouri

Physical Oceanographic Research Specialist

Assaf conducts coastal wave modeling and validation to create and maintain harbor surge, wave run-up, and inundation forecasts.

Belinda_Baird

Belinda Baird

Guam Liaison

Belinda serves as PacIOOS liaison to Guam, assisting with local engagement, as well as implementation of programs and instrumentation.

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Laura Biggs

Guam Technical Support

Laura oversees the operational support of the PacIOOS water quality sensor in Pago Bay, Guam.

Sarah_Bingo

Sarah Bingo

Biological Data Specialist

Sarah identifies, manipulates, and ingests regional biological datasets into national database standards to meet program objectives.

Peter_Felicijan

Peter Felicijan

Oceanographic Technician Assistant

Peter performs daily sensor checks, sensor maintenance, and assists in deployments for PacIOOS' Nearshore Sensor Group.

Ian_Fernandez

Ian Quino Fernandez

HF Radar Technician

Ian supports the maintenance, operation, and calibration of high-frequency radar systems throughout the PacIOOS region.

Spencer_Frawley

Spencer Frawley

Marine Buoy Technician

Spencer coordinates and performs routine maintenance on both the Hilo and Kawaihae water quality buoys located on Hawai‘i Island.

Tobias_Friedrich

Tobias Friedrich

Ocean Model Research Scientist

Tobias oversees the ocean modeling forecast system and researches ways to predict the ocean, its ecosystem and carbon cycle around Hawai‘i.

Sonja_Giardina

Sonja Giardina

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Sonja works on machine learning techniques for predicting stream outflow.

Robbie_Greene-200x200

Robbie Greene

CNMI Liaison

Robbie serves as PacIOOS liaison to the CNMI, assisting with local engagement, as well as implementation of programs and instrumentation.

Martin_Guiles

Martin Guiles

Physical Oceanographic Research Scientist

Dr. Martin Guiles works on forecasting coastal hazards through observations and modeling of the nearshore environment.

Julie_Hartup

Julie Hartup

Guam Liaison

Julie serves as PacIOOS liaison to Guam, assisting with local engagement, as well as implementation of programs and instrumentation.

Olivia_Hughes

Olivia Hughes

Oceanographic Technician

Olivia performs wave buoy maintenance at the lab, assists with wave buoy deployments/recoveries, and analyzes Hawai‘i wave buoy data.

Feng_Hsiao

Feng Hsiao

Post-doctoral Researcher

Feng maintains, improves, and validates PacIOOS' real-time atmospheric forecasts under the supervision of Dr. Yi-Leng Chen.

Eugene

Eugene Joseph

FSM Liaison

Jerry serves as PacIOOS liaison in the FSM, assisting with stakeholder engagement and maintaining instrumentation on Pohnpei.

Koden_Lebehn

Koden Lebehn

Capacity Building Liaison Officer

Koden builds ocean observing capacity across Micronesia by training communities in oceanographic data collection and analysis.

Ning_Li

Ning Li

Ocean Wave Model Systems Specialist

Dr. Ning Li maintains and enhances the operational wave forecast system to provide daily 7-day forecasts for Pacific Island communities.

John_Maurer

John Maurer

Data System Engineer

John develops front and back end solutions, from data visualization and access tools on our website to managing data servers and data sets.

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Jason Miller

Guam Technical Support

Jason conducts on-water operations on Guam with the PacIOOS Nearshore Sensor Group and the PacIOOS Wave Buoy program.

Kimball_Millikan

Kimball Millikan

Marine Research Engineer

Kimball manages the operations of the PacIOOS Wave Buoy program, including new deployments, buoy maintenance, and boat operations.

Philip_Moravcik

Philip Moravcik

Instrument Technician

Philip assists with the installation and maintenance of high-frequency radar systems.

Andreia_Queima

Andreia Queima

Oceanographic Technician

Andreia supports wave buoy operations, including device maintenance, mooring design/fabrication, logistics, and field operations.

Jerry_Route

Jerry Route

FSM Liaison

Jerry serves as PacIOOS liaison in the FSM, assisting with stakeholder engagement and maintaining instrumentation on Pohnpei.

Becky_Skeele-200x200

Becky Skeele

CNMI Liaison

Becky supports the PacIOOS liaison in the CNMI, assisting with stakeholder engagement and other local coordination.

Trey_Summers

Trey Summers

Oceanographic Technician Assistant

Trey performs daily sensor checks, sensor maintenance, and assists in deployments for PacIOOS' Nearshore Sensor Group.

Tom_TinHan

Tom TinHan

Acoustic Telemetry Node Manager

Tom develops and manages the Pacific Islands Region Acoustic Telemetry (PIRAT) Network and supports regional acoustic telemetry projects.

Camilla_Tognacchini

Camilla Tognacchini

Graduate Student

Camilla is a graduate student in physical oceanography, collecting observational data to enhance wave run-up and inundation forecasts.

Shaun_Wriston

Shaun Wriston

Oceanographic Technician

Shaun manages a suite of sensors and data for the Nearshore Sensor Group and Water Quality Sensor Partnership Program.