Leadership Team
Robert Walker, PE
Founder and Executive Director
Robert Walker is a coastal engineer/researcher with over 19 years of experience conducting investigations within the coastal environment. He is a licensed professional engineer in the states of North Carolina, California, and Hawaii and a Leadership in Environment and Energy Design (LEED) accredited professional. Areas of active research include coastal processes and shoreline change, coastal resilience planning, and nature-based approaches to coastal hazard mitigation. Other areas of interest include the application of science and engineering to support marine research and conservation efforts. Robert holds a Masters in Coastal Engineering from Old Dominion University, a Masters in Coastal Geology from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, and a BS in Environmental Engineering and a BA in Spanish, both from North Carolina State University.
Kosta Stamoulis, PhD
Director of Research and Conservation
Kosta is a marine spatial ecologist and fisheries scientist with over 18 years of experience conducting interdisciplinary research to support sustainable management of coastal and marine resources. His expertise ranges from ecological sampling design and monitoring methods, to statistical inference, to applying GIS and remote sensing to develop decision support tools that inform management. He has worked on a variety of applied research projects in Hawaii, Fiji, Seychelles, and the Caribbean. Kosta holds a PhD in Environmental Science from Curtin University, Perth, Australia, a Masters in Geography from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, and a BA in Marine Science from the University of Hawai’i at Hilo.
Taylor Caster
Civil/Coastal Engineer
Taylor Caster is a civil/coastal engineer with more than eight years of experience in marine construction and hydrographic surveying. He has worked with an array of private, state, and federal clients on coastal and offshore construction projects and his expertise include permitting and design of coastal construction projects, as well as survey data collection and processing. Taylor holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Hawaii.
Ben Duncan
Earth Scientist
Ben applies his expertise as a professional in the fields of earth science, and over 10+ years in photography, film, and technology to help SCI solve challenging environmental problems along our coastlines. As an FAA-certified pilot for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), Ben leads SCI’s UAV operations, which include initiatives such as shoreline change mapping to better understand coastal erosion and thermal infrared imaging to locate submarine groundwater discharge within sensitive marine environments. Ben serves as a marine science technician/engineer with the University of Hawaii at Manoa where he facilitates oceanographic research aboard the R/V Kilo Moana through managing deck operations, providing IT/network support, and deploying oceanographic instruments.
Trevor Rhodes
Disaster Preparedness
Trevor is Emergency Manager with a special focus on health and medical aspects of disasters. Trevor holds a Masters Degree from California State University in Emergency Services Administration and is a graduate of FEMA’s National Emergency Management Advanced Academy and the CDC’s National Leadership Academy for the Public’s Health. Trevor is also a FEMA certified Type-3 All Hazards Incident Management Team Planning Section Chief and served as the North America Programs Manager for International Medical Corps prior to his current roll as the Public Health Preparedness Program Manager for Washington DC.
Daniel Hillegas
Daniel works with the design, creation, maintenance, and new client training for cadastral databases. He has previously done regulatory work for the United States Army Corps of Engineers, during which he assisted in the evaluation of permit applications and permit modifications for activities impacting navigable waters of the United States, as well as monitoring compliance with issued permits. With a B.A. in physical geography and an M.A. from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, he provides expertise in GIS for SCI projects.
Louise Vaughn
Community Engagement and Communications
Louise has more than 13 years of experience working collaboratively to develop conservation and management plans. She helps communicate technical information to broad audiences so they are able to use the best available science to inform their natural resource management and conservation decisions. Louise has worked on a variety of planning projects with local, state, federal, and nongovernmental organizations and holds a Masters in Natural Resource Management from North Carolina State University.
Dylan Biddle
Operations
Dylan brings practical experience as a woodworker and builder to help SCI develop a variety of platforms and tools for improving how we collect environmental data. Dylan leads logistics planning efforts and directs field operations for marine and nearshore investigations.
Aaron Fullbright
Secretary, Pilot
Aaron Fullbright is a licensed pilot that leads SCI’s aerial reconnaissance missions. He assists with the planning and implementation of remote sensing survey techniques using a variety of instruments attached to fixed wing aircraft, and serves as the pilot for all of SCI’s flights. Aaron holds dual degrees in finance and economics from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and serves as the Secretary for SCI.
Mike Taylor
Physical Oceanographer
Mike Taylor is a physical oceanographer with over ten years of experience in estuarine, nearshore, and deepwater oceanographic research with emphasis on instrument deployment planning, data processing, and analysis of hydrodynamic and oceanographic data. He has provided expertise in the mapping of estuarine hydrodynamics and physical water quality data in support of a number of projects for various public and private sector clients. Mike holds an M.S. in Marine Science (Physical Oceanography) from the University of North Carolina – Wilmington and a B.S. in Physics from the University of Georgia.
Board of Directors
Greg Guannel, PhD
Greg serves as Director of the Caribbean Green Technology at the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI), in addition to Chair of the resilience and sustainability committee of the St Thomas Recovery Team. Prior to working for UVI, Greg was the Florida Urban Programs Director for The Nature Conservancy, where his work involved incorporating vegetation and natural systems in urban improvement design and adaptation plans to improve the lives of communities. He also worked with the Natural Capital Project, where he investigated how to model and design natural infrastructure for disaster risk reduction in cities and along coastlines. Greg has a M.S. in Civil Engineering from the Ecole Superieure des Travaux Publics (Paris), a M.S. in Ocean and Coastal Engineering from Texas A&M University, and a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Oregon State University.
Roberto Porro, PE, PhD
Roberto Porro is a 2022 NOAA Sea Grant Knauss Fellow and Coastal Hazards and Mitigation Specialist with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Coastal States Organization. Prior to the fellowship, Roberto served as the Coastal Program Manager at the National Disaster Preparedness Training Center, where he developed FEMA-certified training and conducted research related to coastal hazards planning. Roberto previously served as a Civil Engineer Corps Officer and as a civilian engineer for the U.S. Navy, managing construction and facilities programs in San Diego, Pearl Harbor, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines. Originally from West Palm Beach, FL, Roberto holds a B.S. in Ocean Engineering from the Florida Institute of Technology, and a M.A in Urban Planning and a Graduate Certificate in Disaster Management from the University of Hawaii. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Urban Planning at the University of Hawaii, focusing on adaptation planning in island communities.
Summer Martin, PhD
Dr. Summer Martin conducts ecological research in the marine environment to support wildlife population assessments and sustainable fisheries management. She plans and conducts field research related to ecosystem-based management, analyzes data in support of species status reviews and critical habitat designations, and provides scientific support for ESA Section 7 Consultations and Biological Opinions. Dr. Martin holds a PhD and Masters in Biological Oceanography from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and dual BS degrees in Management Science and Ecology, Behavior, & Evolution from the University of California at San Diego.