Our Staff
Dr. Mikki McComb-Kobza
Chief Scientist, Executive Director
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Dr. Chris Malinowski
Director of Research and Conservation
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Chrissy Frederick
Director of Education
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Jeff Sillcox
Director of IT
Thea Rogier
Education Designer
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Jenny MacLeod
Executive Assitant
Michael Aldonas
Marketing
Lauren Tracy
Graduate Student
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Ethan Dewald
Graduate Student
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Cami Demaire
Research Staff
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Jake Beretta
Research Staff
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Graham Casden
Founder and Board Chair
Jacquie Mckenna
Board Member
Renee McElroy
Board Member
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Mishka Firth
Board Member
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Zuhirah Khaldun-Diarra
Board Member
Hank Luria
Board Member
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Sam Cramer
Board Member
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Dr. Marah Hardt
Scientific Advisor
Dr. Lindsey Dougherty
Scientific Advisor
Dr. Laura Ekstrom
Scientific Advisor
Mehgan Heaney-Grier
Conservation Advisor
Ari Friedlander
Science Advisor
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Dr. Todd Sanford
Science Advisor
Our Ambassadors
Alexa Hoffman
Josh Soll
Nico Briggs
Marcus Chaknova
Skye Whitney
Sarah Pokelwaldt
Mareike Donají Duffing Romero
Brooke Anderson
Mikki is a biologist specializing in applied conservation biology, particularly of endangered species and natural resources in marine ecosystems for over 20 years. Her research is focused primarily on the biology, behavior, abundance, and movement of sharks using novel technologies. The goal of her work is to support science based strategic conservation initiatives with multiple stakeholders. She has participated in or led over 40 under-sea expeditions, spanning the globe from Darwin to Cape Town, to Manaus, to Hong Kong, and along the east coast of North America from Nova Scotia to Belize. Mikki is the Executive Director of Ocean First Institute, a Boulder based non-profit dedicated to marine research, conservation, and education. The Institute has reached thousands of students in local schools, and over 400,000 students in 35 countries and 46 US states with nationally acclaimed conservation projects and compelling educational programming. Her research has been covered by the BBC, National Geographic, Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, NPR and CBC National Radio Canada. She is faculty with CU Boulder Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, the immediate past President of the American Elasmobranch Society and National Fellow of the Explorer’s Club.
Mikki holds a Ph.D. in Integrative Biology from Florida Atlantic University and is the author of numerous scientific publications.
Hank Luria
Board Member
Hank is a multi-disciplinary senior executive with extensive experience building and leading socially responsible corporations and nonprofit organizations. Combining strong leadership, strategic planning and operating management skills with persuasive presentation, public speaking and fundraising skills, Hank is dedicated to contributing to global missions and objectives. He is a former Board member and current Fellow ’88 of The Explorers Club and Fellow ’91 of The Royal Geographic Society. Hank is a photographer, awarded numerous Explorer Club Flags for international expeditions and lectured extensively on indigenous tribes, endangered species, and unique environments. He has served as consultant to National Wildlife Federation, Founder and Chairman of Global Action: An Environmental Expo for the Americas, and an appointee to the Business/Industry Panel on President Bush’s Outer Continental Shelf Leasing and Development task Force.
Sam Cramer
Board Member
Sam is a seasoned professional in the field of Financial Services, Payments, Money Movement, and FinTech. She is a Managing Director at Accenture where is has been leading Fintech Payments clients through Growth, Payments, and Business Model challenges. Prior to this role, she spent several years with Accenture’s risk and compliance practice based in San Francisco, specializing in providing strategic guidance, business transformation based on regulatory or internal audit requirements, special project management and business remediation advisory support.
Before joining Accenture, she worked for Goldman Sachs in Salt Lake City focusing on credit, liquidity and regulatory risk associated with high risk business lines. During her time there, she Ied several major process re-engineering and new business development projects. Sam graduated from Boston University in May of 2012 with a dual Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an Operations Technology focus and in Hospitality Administration.
Originally from Denver, Colorado, Sam and her partner, Brett now call the Sloan’s Lake area home. Sam fosters dogs with Animal Rescue of the Rockies and is active with Big Brothers Big Sisters Colorado. When she isn’t working, you’ll find her traveling (she is up to 42 countries and counting), enjoying the outdoors, hanging with her pups (Loki and Athena),or working on the next vegetarian recipe.
You can read more about her background and connect with her on LinkedIn.
Cami is a biologist who has always been fascinated by animals. During her childhood, she spent countless hours observing all kinds of critters in the wild and reading books to understand them better. She was blown away by their intelligence, their ability to adapt and their distinct personality. This curiosity coupled with her willingness to protect our nature led her to pursue a bachelor in Biology at the University of Neuchâtel in her home country of Switzerland. The ocean already had a special place in her heart, but she fell in love with fishes during a zoology class, when Cami realized how many misconceptions we have about them and how little we know. She completed her MSc degree in Animal Behaviour and Chemical Ecology. Her MSc thesis focused on the cleaning mutualism among the cleaner wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) and their client reef fishes on the coral reefs surrounding Lizard Island Research Station in Australia. Cami collected behavioural observations as well as blood samples to investigate whether an experimental reduction in cleaners density affects the service quality provided by cleaners to their clients. She also explored whether client fish suffer from having reduced access to cleaning services by measuring their physiological responses . After graduation, Cami interned at the CORE sea research centre in Thailand, the Bimini Biological Field Station, and the Whale Shark and Oceanic Research Center in Utila, Honduras. She then worked a year in the Maldives as a Marine Biologist and 2 years in the Cayman Islands as a SCUBA Instructor. Cami is now working as a Mission Director at Jule’s Undersea Lodge in Key Largo, where she teaches aquanauts about underwater research stations and conducts underwater laboratories. She is thrilled to be a part of OFI, to make a difference by educating the younger generations and by monitoring the population of key marine species in the hope to protect them with well thought out conservation plans.
Ethan has always had a passion for the outdoors, particularly in the oceans. Living landlocked for most of his early life, he was delighted when his family moved to Cape Cod, Massachusetts. After completing high school in rural Pennsylvania, Ethan completed a Bachelor of Science double majoring in Biology and Environmental Science at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA, concentrating on marine ecology and conservation. While completing his undergraduate degree, Ethan took part in several research projects in ecology, including a crayfish population survey in the Lake Matoaka watershed via baited trap and netting methods, a camera trap wildlife survey via photo/video analysis, and invasive blue catfish osmoregulatory and electroreceptory capacity in the Chesapeake Bay. Ethan served as a research intern at the Bimini Biological Field Station, or “Sharklab”, in South Bimini, the Bahamas, where he spent his days diving and photographing many shark species, including the endangered Great Hammerhead. Ethan is currently a marine science instructor at MarineLab Environmental Education Center in Key Largo, FL, where he can be found on a boat somewhere in either the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary or Everglades National Park with school groups aged fifth grade through college and adult-level teaching them about seagrass, mangroves or coral reef ecology. Ethan is excited to be a part of OFI, combining research with education, and is looking forward to completing projects tracking shark population health and abundance in and around the Florida Keys.
Michael’s passion for oceans and waterways solidified while stationed in North Carolina with the Marines. Any available moment was spent exploring back bays on his SUP or diving wrecks and reefs. Exposure to the marine environment and communities dependent on it led him to join the seafood industry in an effort to conserve exploited resources while preserving working waterfronts and the rich cultural heritage of coastal communities. For the past seven years Michael has helped fisherfolk and farmers bring sustainable products to market. Additionally, he serves as an advisor to a nonprofit dedicated to creating original content educating the public about the seafood industry and how consumption choices impact the seas.
He holds a MBA from the University of Virginia and a MPS in Marine Affairs and Policy from the University of Miami. Michael is a PADI freedive instructor and a scuba certified and AAUS diver. Now living in a landlocked state with his young family, Michael maintains his water-dependent sanity via training in the cold waters of the Rockies with the local volunteer fire department’s swiftwater rescue team.
Jake joins Ocean First Institute bringing with him a rich background in marine science, data analysis, and sustainability. Hailing from Narragansett, Rhode Island, Jake’s educational journey began at William & Mary, where he obtained a Bachelor’s of Science in Mathematical Biology and studied abroad at the University of Adelaide. Jake is also a proud graduate from several University of Rhode Island programs, earning a Master’s Degree in Marine Affairs, Master’s Degree in Business Administration, and Master’s Degree in Oceanography.
At the crux of Jake’s expertise is his recent stint as a Graduate Research Assistant at the University of Rhode Island. His noteworthy contributions to the scientific community include research on the structure and stiffness of elasmobranch cartilage, and examining the varying morphological characteristics influenced by species and diet. Through meticulous experimentation and data analysis, he played a significant role in determining the correlation between cartilage stiffness and diet across various species, an endeavor that saw him recognized as an author in multiple publications.
Jake’s journey in marine science has been characterized by diverse roles that allowed him to hone a blend of analytical and interpersonal skills. His tenure as an Assistant Facilities Manager at the URI Graduate School of Oceanography was marked by his efforts in maintaining life support systems for marine organisms and fostering environmental awareness through public outreach and education initiatives. Further, as a Fisheries Investigator with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, he demonstrated precision and commitment in fish species identification and data collection, contributing to national research sponsored by NOAA Fisheries.
Apart from his hands-on research roles, Jake has also been an impactful educator, serving as a Graduate Teaching Assistant where he encouraged intellectual curiosity and academic excellence among students. His background in entrepreneurship through an internship at RIHUB equipped him with a well-rounded skill set in areas including sales, marketing, risk assessment, and communication as well.
Beyond his academic and professional pursuits, Jake stands out as a community leader. His leadership roles in various campus organizations during his undergraduate years and a range of volunteer activities, including efforts with the California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations and Save the Bay Rhode Island, showcase his commitment to advancing community values alongside environmental stewardship.
Jake is well-versed in data analysis and brings proficient knowledge in tools such as Python, R, and MATLAB, setting the stage for innovative research approaches at the Ocean First Institute. As he steps into his new role, Jake is poised to be an asset to the team, blending academic/professional rigor with a passion for marine science sustainability and community engagement.
“Certified USCG operator of uninspected passenger vessels (6-pack) with extensive sea time and navigational experience on both recreational and commercial sea-going vessels. Passionate about the ocean and how to responsibly sustain aquatic ecosystems. After graduating high school, lived in Ghana for six months educating children, and assisting on a family farm. Spent three years during undergraduate studies at Florida Gulf Coast University researching the species and ecosystems of South West Florida estuaries and coastal waters. Most of her research involved native species of seagrasses. Her senior research used GIS and aerial imagery to quantify seagrass propeller scarring in Estero Bay outside of Fort Myers. Has lived aboard and owned a self-sustaining 34 ft sailboat for two years, sailing and maintaining her solo with a little bit of help from the furry first mate, Toot the marina cat.”
Chris is a biologist who is passionate about the conservation of marine and aquatic ecosystems. His personal and career goal is to contribute in any way that he can to minimize human impacts on these ecosystems and in turn to help sustain a healthy human population. As such, he often engages with the public and students on these matters and he has numerous publications and ongoing research projects aimed at answering important ecological questions and at filling in knowledge gaps to inform conservation efforts. His passion has led to research spanning the depths of the oceans, the North American Great Lakes, and across coastal ecosystems; and from microscopic organisms like zooplankton to some of the largest and most charismatic creatures in the oceans like sharks, sea turtles, marine mammals, and large reef fish like the Atlantic Goliath Grouper. He focuses his research on foraging ecology, niche partitioning, effectiveness of management and enforcement, ecotoxicology, health physiology, spawning behavior and patterns, life history of fishes, population- and community-level ecology, invasive species impacts, gut microbiome communities, effects of pollutants like microplastics/nanoparticles on food web ecology, and impacts of water quality on the behavior and health of fishes. He is also heavily involved in wildlife policy and management. His research has been featured in numerous magazine and newspaper articles and documentaries, including National Geographic among others. He is also a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) SSC Grouper and Wrasse Specialist Group.
He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, USA and upon graduation began studying fish ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Great Lakes WATER Institute, USA. He then went on to complete a masters degree from Florida Atlantic University, followed by a PhD at Florida State University. He spent two years (2019-2021) at Purdue University as a postdoctoral scholar, followed by a position as Senior Scientist at South Florida Water Management District, Florida, USA where he designed and implemented programs to monitor South Florida Everglades restoration efforts related to water quantity/quality impacts on coastal fish communities and their habitat. He now joins Ocean First Institute as Director of Research and Conservation! Chris is an AAUS certified diver and a certified USCG operator of uninspected passenger vessels (6-pack) with nearly 20 years of boating experience and > 800 days of sea time.
Graham Casden
Founder and Board Chair
Chrissy Frederick
Director of Education
Chrissy Frederick joins the team at Ocean First Institute after twenty years of experience as a science teacher in both public and independent schools and four years as.an instructional designer with
Jacquie Mckenna
Board Secretary
Dr. Todd Sanford
Board Treasurer
His previous scientific work has included researching the public health impacts of climate change with a focus on air quality and extreme heat, connections between climate and extreme weather, forest ecology and climate, field measurements of atmospheric aerosols and global climate modeling. He also has many years of volunteer experience in ecological restoration and public lands policy and sits on the Board of a local ecological restoration non-profit, Wildlands Restoration Volunteers. Todd holds a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of Colorado and a B.S. in Chemistry from Purdue University. He currently is a climate scientist with the non-profit organization Climate Central and Senior Research Associate with Aspen Global Change Institute.
Zuhirah Khaldun-Diarra
Board Member
Ari Friedlander
Board Member
Ari is a Professor in the Ocean Sciences Department at UC Santa Cruz and Director of Research for the California Ocean Alliance. Ari’s research focuses on developing new technology to study the underwater behavior of marine animals and the impacts of human activities. Ari has been studying the impacts of climate change on whales in the Antarctic for over 20 years and the impacts of anthropogenic sound disturbance on marine mammals in California for over 12 years. Along with this research, Ari is dedicated to developing new ways of sharing information by working across disciplines to promote marine conservation and generate opportunities for students from underserved and underrepresented groups.
A native of Connecticut, Ari received a Master’s in Marine Biology from UNC Wilmington and PhD in Ecology from Duke University. Ari is a US delegate to the International Whaling Commission’s Scientific Committee, a member of the NMFS Scientific Review Group, a National Geographic Explorer, and WWF Ambassador.
Dr. Marah Hardt
Scientific Advisor
Dr. Lindsey Dougherty
Scientific Advisor
Dr. Laura Ekstrom
Scientific Advisor
Laura’s research experience includes elasmobranch (shark, skate, and ray) behaviour, physiology, and biomechanics. She has extensive experience in elasmobranch husbandry. Current work includes investigations into the mineralization of the elasmobranch skeleton, patterns of locomotion in benthic rays, and the biomechanics of body stabilization.
Dr. Ekstrom completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Mount Holyoke College and is currently an assistant professor at Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts. She is an active supporter of women in STEM and is a co-founder of Wheaton’s Summit for Women in STEM, a one-day conference to highlight, mentor, and connect women in STEM across New England.
Mehgan Heaney-Grier
Conservation Advisor
Mehgan helped to pioneer the sport of freediving in the U.S., when in 1996 she established the first U.S. freedive record for both men and women with a dive to 155 feet on a single breath of air. Less than one year later, she bettered that record by diving to 165 feet.
Mehgan was one of the original inductees into the Women Diver’s Hall of Fame, and holds a degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and Anthropology from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
As a young girl growing up in the Florida Keys, Mehgan’s love of freediving and the ocean environment ignited a strong passion for science, conservation, and exploration. Today, these passions continue to fuel and give substance to her pursuit of water and land based adventures. Mehgan is dedicated to doing what she can to be “part of the solution†when it comes to raising awareness about issues that are important to her, such as the critical health and future of the world’s oceans.
Currently, Mehgan stars in the expedition based television series, Treasure Quest, on the Discovery Channel, working as a dive expert and Anthropologist on an elite team of explorers searching for lost Incan gold in the waters of South America.
Tanya Houppermans
Conservation Advisor
In 2015 Tanya left her career as a mathematician and military defense analyst to pursue underwater photography and marine conservation full time. Her images and articles have since appeared in print and online publications worldwide. In 2016, she was inducted into the prestigious Ocean Artists Society for using her images to further global marine conservation efforts. Tanya also conducts field work for scientists and researchers by acquiring the images they need to further their studies. She enjoys leading expeditions for other divers and underwater photographers as well, particularly those involving her beloved sharks.
Tanya is heavily involved in promoting adaptive scuba diving for those with disabilities, as she is the mother of a young-adult son with autism who is a certified scuba diver. Whenever possible, Tanya, her husband, and son travel to dive destinations around the world to experience the underwater world together as a family.
Renee McElroy
Board Member
Renee is an emergency department nurse who found her passion for conservation and the ocean while growing up in both Colorado and the northern Abacos of the Bahamas. While in the Bahamas, she witnessed and experienced the incredible life of living on the ocean. Through this, she came to understand the impacts of the relationship between humans and the ecosystem. For Renee, these experiences highlighted the importance of ocean conservation efforts on a local and global level as a means to encourage a more symbiotic relationship between humans and the planet. From founding a successful marine biology club in highschool to serving on the board of a ocean conservation research focused philanthropic organization, Renee has been an active promoter of ocean research, conservation, and education. In her free time, Renee is likely to be found in the mountains with her husband and dog, exploring a new country, or spending as much time under the ocean surface as possible.
Mishka Firth
Board Member
Mishka is a Bermudian singer songwriter who plays an eclectic mix of acoustic ballads and roots reggae. Mishka’s latest album (released September 2022) is titled “This Love”. It is a collection of introspective tunes with deep grooves and beautiful harmonies that in many ways reflect the acoustic sound and vibe of his first album. You can hear the title track of the album on both satellite (Sirius XM) and terrestrial (AAA and NPR) radio across the US and is available on all digital streaming platforms.
Professionally Mishka began his journey when he was signed to Alan McGee’s legendary Creation Records in the UK where he released his eponymously titled album “Mishka”. Since leaving Creation Mishka has gone on to record 6 more studio albums and 2 EPs. Every album has enjoyed chart success with five #1 albums on the Billboard Reggae Albums Chart, three #1 albums on the iTunes Reggae Chart. He was also named iTunes Best New Artist in the Singer-Songwriter category. He has also done collaborations with iconic artists Willie Nelson and Jimmy Buffet among others.
Mishka has toured in North America, South America, Europe, Japan, Australia and the Caribbean, both as a headline artist and also in support of such artists as The Roots, Floetry, Sly and Robbie, Gregory Isaacs, Donovan Frankenreiter, Xavier Rudd and many more. He has played multiple Festivals including Glastonbury, Fuji Rock, Austin City Limits, SXSW, and Byron Bay Roots and Blues Fest just to name a few.
Thea Rogier
Education Design
Michael O’Toole
Science Education Advisor