Aqua Lung

One of the world's most accomplished and well known wreck divers, John Chatterton was one of the co-hosts for the History Channel's Deep Sea Detectives. Prior to his career in television, John spent twenty years working as a commercial diver in and around New York City, and was actually working on a project in the waters underneath the World Financial Center, across the street from the Tower #1, on September 11, 2001.

Researching, locating, and diving the world's shipwrecks has been John's passion. The discovery and six year quest to identify the German submarine U-869, off the coast of New Jersey, has been the subject of several television documentaries including a two hour special for the popular NOVA series on PBS. This same story became the subject of a Random House bestseller by Rob Kurson, Shadow Divers.

In August of 2005, John and his partners put together an expedition to the most famous shipwreck in the world, Titanic. Diving to a depth of 12,500 feet in the MIR submersibles from the Russian Research Ship Keldysh, they made discoveries about the wreck that were featured in two History Channel specials and a book. Author Brad Matsen brought the story to bookshelves with his bestseller, Titanic's Last Secrets.

Currently John and his partners are working in an ongoing relationship with the government of the Dominican Republic in a multi faceted commercial project that involves locating, surveying and identifying colonial era shipwreck sites in the waters around the island of Hispañola.

Learn more about John Chatterton at www.johnchatterton.com

Jamie O'Brien, Winner of the 2004 WCT Rip Curl Pro Pipeline Master, is one of the most accomplished big wave surfers in the world.

Learn more about Jamie O'Brien at www.jamieobrien.com

EarthEcho Co-Founder
President and Chief Executive Officer
Board Member

EarthEcho International is a nonprofit organization founded in 2000 by siblings Philippe and Alexandra Cousteau in honor of their father Philippe Cousteau Sr., famous son of the legendary explorer Jacques Yves Cousteau.

To read Philippe Cousteau's blog, visit: www.earthecho.org/blog

Humanitarian

Since being paralyzed in the 6th grade by a spinal cord inflammation, Transverse Myelitis (TM), Cody has raced nonstop to raise awareness and find a cure. As the daughter of Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr., she dreams of walking on the racetrack one day. When she was just 14, she and her mother, Shelley, formed the Cody Unser First Step Foundation, which is dedicated to providing quality-of-life programs for those suffering from paralysis. These programs include a TM research consortium spearheaded by Johns Hopkins Hospital; Cody's Great Scuba Adventure, created to share her new found freedom for all disabilities; and "Operation Deep Down", a military diving program that introduces wounded veterans to scuba as a way to rehabilitate through recreation. Cody is a political activist who has testified before Congress and lobbied nationwide for stem cell research, following in the foot steps of her friend, late actor Christopher Reeve.

Learn more about Cody and her foundation by visiting www.codysfirststep.org.

HD wildlife cameraman & field producer for National Geographic Television

ANDY BRANDY CASAGRANDE IV (aka = ABC4) is an HD wildlife cameraman & field producer for National Geographic Television. He specializes in underwater filming, particularly Great White Sharks, but also finds himself closer than usual to Orcas, King Cobras, Grizzly Bears, Lions, Hyenas, Crocodiles, Raptors, Monkeys, & Jellyfish - and of course any shark in the area. He got his start as a Great White Shark research cameraman & guitar player for The White Shark Trust in South Africa. His position with WST & his "Great White Shark Song" eventually landed him a staff job with National Geographic Television in Washington, DC.

"I was 7 years old when I saw my first Great White Shark! A 17-foot female, as big as a bulldozer and coming straight for me! Fatefully at the last moment she changed her mind and decided not to eat me - or maybe she just couldn't see me hiding behind my couch! I was watching a National Geographic Television documentary about Great White Sharks and after that special moment I have never-ever been the same! I love Great White Sharks more than anything & everything on the planet! So much that I even wrote a song for them! The song is meant to inspire protection, conservation & further research of these amazing animals and to give them a voice for their survival..." - Andy Brandy Casagrande IV

Learn more about Andy at www.abc4explore.com

2011 North American Rolex Scholar
University of Hawaii Graduate

Each year one young person is chosen in North America to work side by side with current underwater leaders to participate in field studies and underwater research.

Christian has been diving for ten years and has logged over 320 dives. He is a Scientific Diver Trainer with UH's Diving Safety Program. He earned his NAUI Divemaster certification in 2009 and has gained skills in underwater mapping techniques and technical diving. He is an avid sailor and boatman, and even lives on a sailboat. Christian is thrilled and honored to have been selected as OW-USS's 2011 North American Rolex Scholar.

From Hawaii to Antarctica, Christian has a full year planned.