Executive Officer - LT Hector L. Casanova, Hometown: Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
LT Casanova received his B.S. in Geology from the University of Puerto Rico. He has published works and reports within the hydrogeology and charting community. Prior assignments include Tides Field Party Chief and Liaison for the International Charting agreement between Mexico and the United States while being aboard NOAA Ship WHITING, the Navigation Officer and acting FOO aboard the NOAA Ship THOMAS JEFFERSON and Research Scientist/Engineer in the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory at Miami, FL. He reported as the FOO aboard the GORDON GUNTER on July 4, 2007 and was promoted to Executive Officer on June 26, 2008.
Field Operations Officer - LTjg Ryan Wattam,
Before joining GORDON GUNTER on Memorial day of 2006, LT(jg) Wattam attended Spring Hill College in Mobile, AL and received a BS in Marine Biology. During his time on the ship he has been certified as a HAZWOPER Technician, Medical Person In Charge, and NOAA Working Diver. He is slated to detach from GORDON GUNTER in December of 2008, at which time he will report to Key Largo, FL as Marine Operations Coordinator for Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary program.
Junior Officer - ENS Adrienne Hopper Hometown: Portage, Mchigan
ENS Hopper graduated from Michigan State University with High Honors earning her Bachelors Degree in Zoology with a minor in Marine Biology. Winning the 2006 Women’s Water Polo National Championship was the highlight of her 4 years as a student athlete at MSU. A summer internship took her to Juno Beach, Florida. SCUBA certified, she tagged and monitored the local Hawksbill Sea Turtle population and protected the nesting habitat of Loggerhead Sea Turtles. Upon graduation, ENS Hopper worked as a research associate for a biomedical research lab conducting preclinical pharmaceutical testing before joining the NOAA Corps. She reported for duty aboard GORDON GUNTER on June 11, 2007.