Donna M. Kocak is an L3Harris Fellow and Innovation Office Advanced Technology Manager at L3Harris Technologies, Inc. in Melbourne, FL. She is the former President and a current board member of the Marine Technology Society. Donna has over 30 years of experience in ocean engineering, supporting the design, development and deployment of scientific projects involving computer vision, robotics, fiber optics, underwater imaging, underwater communication, and ocean observation. She has authored over 70 technical publications, has been issued multiple U.S. patents, and was recently recognized by the Society of Women Engineers as the Space Coast Outstanding Woman Engineer of the Year.

Christopher Coyle is the founder and CEO of Tethra Advisors and Officers (TAO), a strategic advisory firm working with Blue Economy and Blue Technology start-ups and established companies. Chris has developed cross-sectoral strategic guidance for investors, foundations, academic and research institutions, NGOs and government agencies including the UN, EU, NATO and The World Bank, in areas including funding, operations, data analytics, emerging technologies, and the circular economy. Chris is a US Delegate for the UN Decade of Ocean Science and the Arctic Ocean Action Plan Working Group; and is a certified business coach and advisor to the EU's Blue Invest Initiative and business accelerator. He is also an advisor to the Katapult Ocean Accelerator, StartBlue, Cape Fear Ocean Labs, the Seaworthy Collective, the Ocean Exchange, MassChallenge, and TechBridge, among other organizations.

Christopher Frangione is the Managing Director of Frangione + Associates Innovation Advisors focusing on open innovation, driving innovation at scale, strategy and operations, and leveraging transformative partnerships for nonprofit, for-profit, and governmental clients, currently including NASA and Hackensack Meridian Health, the largest hospital chain in New Jersey. He also serves as COO to Veer, a clean shipping organization. Chris is a Distinguished Fellow and Founding Co-Chair of the Loomis Innovation Council at The Stimpson Center in Washington DC, and a board member at the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. Previously he was a Senior Advisor for National Geographic Labs and Vice President at the XPRIZE Foundation – launching a series of nonprofit public competitions to encourage groundbreaking technology development to benefit humanity. He is passionate about the health of our oceans and lives on the beach in New Jersey with his wife, two children, six chickens, and a rescue dog from the beaches of Puerto Rico.

Jim Costopulos is the CEO and Founder of Global Oceans. Prior to Global Oceans he was President and equity partner at an industrial products distribution firm focusing on supply chain integration and product management for global industrial clients, and earlier work included start-up ventures and senior management with several manufacturing companies. His experience in supply chain, global logistics, and international business partnerships was instrumental in developing the Global Oceans MARV research vessel model for optimizing mobilization of commercial maritime assets for ocean science and exploration. He has a BS in Biology from UC Irvine where he published research on marine invertebrate physiology; with graduate work in marine aquaculture systems at San Diego State University and Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute.

Barry Garfield, CPA is CEO of Garfield Consulting & Advisory Services in New York, NY, a financial consulting firm with over 30 years of experience in public accounting across multiple industries including Technology, Pharma/Biotech, Manufacturing, Distribution, and Retail. Mr. Garfield has provided CFO services on a project or interim basis including budgeting/forecasts/projections, cash management, KPIs/dashboards, critical analysis of a company’s financial results, financial reporting, accounting operations, bank financing, strategic planning, and mergers and acquisitions. He has advised Global Oceans on operational and project budgeting and forecasts since 2018 and as an Advisory Board Member advises the Board of Directors on financial matters of the organization. He has held board positions with the Advancement for Commerce, Industry and Technology (ACIT), the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), and several other organizations. Mr. Garfield was formerly a Managing Partner with the CPA firm of Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP.