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
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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.

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Jordan Watson

Deputy Director

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

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Chip Young

Operations Coordinator

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

Meagan_Curtis_Hattori

Meagan Curtis Hattori

Engagement Coordinator

Meagan coordinates engagement and public relations activities for stakeholders, partners, and users across the Pacific Islands region.

Nicole_Guiles

Nicole Guiles

Communications Specialist

Nicole works to improve PacIOOSʻ communication strategies with stakeholders, partners, and users in the U.S. and Pacific Islands.

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.

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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.

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Jim Potemra

Co-Investigator: Data Management

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

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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.

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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.

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Sarah Bingo

Biological Data Specialist

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

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Voneric Boktok

RMI Liaison

Voneric serves as the PacIOOS liaison in RMI, assisting with local engagement, as well as implementation of programs and instrumentation.

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Solimar Carrasquillo Ho

PIRAT Graduate Assistant

Solimar assists with the management of the PIRAT database, and installs and maintains marine acoustic telemetry equipment.

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Cameron Chuss

Graduate Research Assistant

Cameron works to develop high resolution real-time atmospheric forecasts for the Western Pacific.

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Talofa Feʻa

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Talofa assists with the Pacific Ciguatera Network.

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.

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Uggo Ferreira De Pinho

Ocean Physical Data Specialist

Uggo performs sensor maintenance, deployments and recoveries as well as data processing and visualization for long-duration coastal models.

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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.

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Robbie Greene

CNMI Liaison

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

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.

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Olivia Hughes

Wave Buoy Specialist

Olivia coordinates and supports wave buoy field operations, logistics, mooring design/fabrication, and device maintenance.

Diego_Johansen

Diego Johansen

Water Quality Buoy Technician

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

Eugene

Eugene Joseph

FSM Liaison

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

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Lauren Kaiser

Data Management Specialist

Lauren supports technical operations of the data services run by PacIOOS to implement the Regional Ocean Data Sharing Initiative (RODSI).

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.

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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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Maria McKee

Water Quality Buoy Technician

Maria coordinates and performs routine maintenance on both the Hilo and Pelekane water quality buoys located on Hawai'i Island.

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Jasmine Mendiola

FSM Liaison

Jasmine supports PacIOOS in the FSM by working with the Conservation Society of Pohnpei in community engagement and project implementation.

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Fatima-Zahra Mihami

Physical Oceanographic Modeling Specialist

Fatima-Zahra develops coastal wave models to be used for inundation mapping and wave run-up forecasts.

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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.

Eileen_Nalley

Eileen Nalley

Ocean and Coastal Ecosystem Health Specialist

Eileen supports ciguatera research in Hawai'i & US-affiliated Pacific Islands as part of the National Harmful Algal Bloom Observing Network.

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Tien Manh Nguyen

Atmospheric Science Graduate Student

Tien Manh works on data assimilation to improve initial conditions in regional weather models and helps with real-time atmospheric forecasts

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Marcos Nobre

Full Stack Developer

Marcos develops front and back end components for project websites, including interactive products for ocean and coastal decision-making.

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Chris Olson

Data and Products Developer

Chris develops data products and services for PacIOOS as part of the Regional Ocean Data Sharing Initiative (RODSI).

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Sharon Patris

Palau Liaison

Sharon assists with community engagement, and manages instrumentation in Palau.

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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.

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Johanna Saavedra

HFR Radar Technician

Johanna supports data processing and management, and assists with the maintenance of high-frequency radar systems.

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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.

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Mingpo Tao

Graduate Research Assistant

Mingpo's research focuses on downscaling studies in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.

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.

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Gerda Ucharm

Palau Liaison

Gerda assists with community engagement and communication in Palau.

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Travis Vick

Oceanographic Technician

Travis coordinates logistics for wave buoy deployments and recoveries, performs lab maintenance, and analyzes Hawaiʻi wave buoy data.

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Shaun Wriston

Oceanographic Technician

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

In Memoriam

Martin_Guiles

Martin Guiles

Physical Oceanographic Research Scientist

1970 – 2023

Since acquiring his Ph.D. in 2009, Dr. Martin Guiles was the lead Researcher in the Coastal Hazards Group within PacIOOS. In great measure, Martin was responsible for that group’s success in developing wave run-up and inundation forecast products for many Hawaiian and Pacific Island coastlines, addressing user requests for more actionable information. Martin’s curiosity for all things scientific is legend. His expansive knowledge, and ubiquitous wit, smile and laughter made him an especially valuable collaborator and endearing friend.