2024 field team
Click on crew member photos below to view bios and learn more
Executive team
Board of Directors
Edmund Coccagna
Board President
Edmund is currently both a research vessel captain for Hawaii Pacific University and a small business owner in Honolulu. Edmund has a diverse background in marine field-work, the recreational fishing industry, and numerous entrepreneurial endeavors in the food-service sector. He has participated in eight marine debris removal missions to Papahānaumokuākea from 2005-2015 as a marine biologist for NOAA Fisheries. His wide-ranging experience makes him exceptionally qualified to help guide the trajectory of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project.
Raquel Kealalōkahi Aki
Secretary/Treasurer
In addition to serving on PMDP’s board of directors, Raquel is the Corporate Secretary for the Office of the President at the East-West Center. Prior to her role there, she was Administrative Coordinator to the Executive Vice President at Kamehameha Schools. Earlier, as an administrative assistant at NOAA’s Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, she gained extensive experience in the administrative side of marine field work. Raquel is a skilled administrator with extensive experience in project management, budget tracking, financial reporting, event planning and fundraising. She is an advocate for Aloha ‘Āina and supports responsible science through a cultural lens. She brings a diverse perspective and skill set to her role at PMDP. When not working Raquel enjoys spending time with her ‘Ohana and strengthening her ties to the native Hawaiian community.
Charles Young
Vice President
An Oceanographer by trade, Charles “Chip” Young currently serves as the operations coordinator for the University of Hawaii’s Pacific Islands Ocean Observing System (PacIOOS) and is the owner of an organic poultry farm. Chip has 15 years of marine field research experience, first through NOAA’s Coral Reef Ecosystem Division, and later through his role at UH. He has worked extensively in the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument, conducting research and removing marine debris. He holds a B.S. from the US Naval Academy and an MSc in Marine Geology and Geochemistry from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. As a former Marine Corps officer, Chip brings a practical and no-nonsense approach to his role as vice president of PMDP.
Paul Marx
Director
Paul joined PMDP as a Director to assist in the formation of the non-profit organization. Paul spent the last two decades as the CEO of Hawaii Benefit Administrators, Inc. where he oversaw benefit administration for numerous trade unions. Paul had recently assisted with the start-up of the AHED Foundation, a non-profit corporation working to develop affordable housing opportunities for Hawaii’s low-income families where he served as the CEO. In March 2020, Paul opened a corporation to provide business advisory services in the area of strategy, leadership, board governance, organization and fiscal management via Paul W Marx & Associates. Currently Paul serves as Senior Vice President of Institutional Investments at Central Pacific Bank. Paul brings his expertise on strategic planning, board management, fiscal administration, and fundraising to the Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project.
Kevin O’Brien
Director
Prior to forming the Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project (PMDP), Kevin spent 12 years with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in Honolulu, conducting and coordinating ship-based marine research missions across the Pacific. This work also included executing large-scale marine debris removal missions to the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. He led the NOAA's marine debris removal efforts in the Monument from 2016-2019 and saw the growing need for a better mechanism to conduct that important work. During his time with NOAA, he developed the institutional knowledge and field expertise required to safely and effectively plan and execute complex missions in remote island areas and now brings that expertise to the Papahānaumokuākea Marine Debris Project. Kevin prioritizes building community and hopes to create more grassroots interest in helping to care for the Papahānaumokuākea among the people of Hawaii and the nation.
OUTREACH
Mālialani Kana‘iaupuni
Mālialani is an undergraduate student at Barnard College of Columbia University majoring in Cellular and Molecular Biology. As a Native Hawaiian student born and raised in Hawai’i, her passion involves bridging Western Science and Indigenous knowledge systems through furthering research on the epigenetic mechanism by which transgenerational trauma stemming from colonization affects Pacific Islanders. She brings this unique perspective and experience to PMDP to help engage the greater Hawai’i community in a type of stewardship of Papahānaumokuākea that integrates Western Science and traditional Native Hawaiian ideologies. She provides social media content to PMDP to educate and involve community members in the work being done by PMDP through a united scientific and cultural lens.
Ali Bayless
Ali provides field mission outreach content for PMDP, helping to share the amazing work that PMDP does! She is dedicated to protecting Papahānaumokuākea and showing people how special this place is through photography, writing and other outreach materials. Her favorite place in the monument is pictured here, Manawai, also known as Pearl & Hermes Atoll.
Mahie Wilhelm
Mahie has worked for PMDP as both cleanup team member and as part of the outreach and social media team, producing content for cleanup missions. She is currently a student at Stanford University, but her heart lies at home in Hawai’i at her family’s lo’i and in the wild landscape of Papahānaumokuākea.