Our Team

Mattie Rodrigue

Science Program Director

Mattie Rodrigue is a seasoned ocean science professional with extensive experience with ocean exploration initiatives, marine science research, program development and facilitation. She is the Head of Science Operations at OceanX. Prior to joining the OceanX team, Mattie earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences, with a concentration in conservation and ecology, from Arizona State University. She then earned a Master of Science degree in Marine Biology, and a Master of Science degree in Marine Policy from the University of Maine, while running a multidisciplinary fisheries research program with local fishing communities along the coast of Maine. After completing her graduate degrees, Mattie was selected for the prestigious John D. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship, placing her at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reporting to NOAA leadership. Mattie worked on domestic and international ocean, weather, and climate policy initiatives as well as ocean exploration and technology programming for NOAA. When Mattie is not sailing on board OceanXplorer she is living happily in Brooklyn with her plants, all cactus.

Kailani Acosta

Science Program Consultant

Kailani Acosta (she/her) is a sixth-year Ph.D. student at Columbia University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, studying biological oceanography and finishing her degree in early 2024. She received her B.S. from Brown University in Environmental Science in 2016. Her research is primarily focused on Phosphorus and Nitrogen in the surface ocean of the Gulf of Mexico and how nutrients change over time and space. She is interested in understanding how nutrients vary and how they influence phytoplankton communities and larger-scale ecosystem nutrient cycles. Her research interests include nutrient cycling, microbial ecology, and ecosystem modeling. She is passionate about increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM.

At Columbia, she created the Seminar Diversity Initiative, an initiative focused on increasing diversity and inclusion in research seminars, and supervised Columbia Climate Conversations, an undergraduate-led climate panel series focused on uplifting the voices of primarily women of color. She served as the elected Student Member-at-Large on the Governing Board of the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF) 2021 – 2023, and is one of the Early Career Liaisons for the U.S. National Committee for the UN Ocean Decade.

Kate von Krusentiern

Mapping Coordinator

Kate is a geospatial and mapping specialist working on a variety of projects relating to ocean exploration and ocean science. As a technician, my role is multifaceted and dynamic. She manages systems to acquire a spectrum of acoustic data, such as Multibeam Echosounders to gather bathymetry data or sub-bottom profiles to understand the different types of the substrate underneath the seafloor. She process and analyze data collected for quality assurance and control, this ensures the data collected can be leveraged for different needs in the marine field. She also tracks subsea vehicles, such as an ROV, using navigation software. This work is very team-oriented and she always get to work with a variety of technicians, engineers, and scientists to make ocean science happen.

Carlos Fonseca

Science and IT Officer

Erin Heffron

Survey Technician

Erin Heffron is an ocean mapping specialist providing sonar data acquistion, subsea navigation, geospatial analysis, and GIS services through her company, Ocean Mapping Services LLC. Her undergraduate studies focused on geology and GIS, and she became immersed in the world of ocean mapping while working for IVS3D and, post-acquisition of IVS3D, QPS, as a Senior Product Specialist focusing on pre-sales technical support, product outreach and technical training for nearly ten years. She was a founding member of the Backscatter Working Group and was part the internal core team tasked with investigating client and community needs during the development of the Qimera software. She left QPS in 2015 to pursue her master’s degree in Earth Sciences, Ocean Mapping at the University of New Hampshire's Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping. While completing her master's she began working extensively with the Ocean Exploration Trust, serving as a Mapping Coordinator, Lead Navigator and Expedition Leader aboard the E/V Nautilus on dozens of expeditions. Post-degree she has continued working offshore as well as on shore-based projects ranging from data processing to pre-exploration research and geohazard analysis, for a variety of clients.

Rikki Kirchell

Survey Technician

Rikki Kirchell, University of Plymouth graduate with a BSc in Ocean Exploration. Fifteen years in offshore surveying, from shallow water nearshore surveys to deep water salvage. Interests in autonomous systems and continuous learning.

Andrew Craig

ROV Team Leader

Craig Foy

Science Systems Technical Coordinator