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MEET THE TEAM
Founded by award-winning ocean adventurers, we've grown to a team of 25+ talented engineers, scientists, and professionals supported by industry-leading advisors.
Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Julie Angus, M.S.
Serial entrepreneur with an MSc in Molecular Biology, first woman to row across the Atlantic Ocean from mainland to mainland, NATO Director for Maritime Unmanned Systems Initiative, awarded Cleantech Icon of the Year and BC Business Innovator of the Year.
Chief Technology Officer
Fritz Stahr, Ph.D.
Marine technology executive with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford and a Ph.D. in Oceanography from the University of Washington, founder of the Seaglider Fabrication Center and key leader in growing ocean startup MRV, Marine Technology Society (MTS) fellow, and University of Washington affiliate professor.
Chief Commercial Officer
Sam Macdonald
With over 15 years of experience in robotics automation, sales, and business development, Sam combines strong technical insight with commercial discipline to scale innovative technologies globally. Her track record in customer-driven innovation and market growth makes her a valuable contributor to Open Ocean Robotics’ expansion into new ocean-observing and maritime intelligence markets.
Director of Program Management
Charmaine Suveges, B.Sc., PMP
Project manager with extensive project and program management experience leading cross-functional teams and implementing streamlined processes. Bachelor of Science degree in Software Engineering and Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from the Project Management Institute (PMI).
Manufacturing Manager
Rob Pletscher, P.Eng.(non-practicing)
Professional engineer with over a decade of experience in manufacturing and design across the automotive, aerospace, and marine sectors, specializing in production optimization and leading multidisciplinary teams to deliver innovative technical solutions.
Software Development Manager
Dandan Huang, Ph.D.
Senior software engineer and researcher with experience in cloud software application, data mining, user experience research and visual analytics.
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Hardware Engineering Manager
Brad Zarikoff, Ph.D , P.Eng.
Electronics engineer and researcher with experience in circuit design, environmental monitoring, flight data systems, and communications algorithms.
Senior Data Scientist
Oliver Kirsebom, Ph.D.
5+ years experience in applied data science with focus on ocean data, and 10+ years academic research experience in experimental nuclear physics. Adjunct Professor at Dalhousie University.
Product Manager
Ari Robinson, MET
Mechanical engineering technologist with design and manufacturing experience of mechatronics systems.
Marine Operations Lead
Madie Bouvier-Brown, M.Sc.
Operations lead with a background in marine biology and bioacoustics. Graduated from SFU with a Master of Ecological Restoration, where her Applied Research Project focused on the effects of increased ambient noise levels on Northern resident killer whales during beach rubbing.
BOARD & ADVISORS
Board Observer
Keith Ippel, MBA
Keith is a serial impact entrepreneur and investor. Keith has co-founded five ventures including Spring Activator, a Vancouver based organization that exists to change the world. To date, Spring has supported 3,000+ entrepreneurs in incubation, acceleration, and investment readiness 1,100 investors to step into impact investing. Keith also co-founded the Spring Investing Collective - Canada's largest early stage impact investing network and Spring Impact Capital Fund, a pre-seed to seed stage fund focused at the intersection of People and Planetary Health.
Board Member
Michael Gryseels
Michael Gryseels is a deep-tech investor and global technology leader with more than 25 years of experience scaling innovation across Asia and international markets. As Founder and Managing Partner of Antares Ventures, he backs science-driven companies advancing energy transition, industrial decarbonization, mobility, and sustainable cities. He has co-founded multiple deep-tech startups, invested in over 25 companies, and held senior roles driving digital transformation at CP Group, True Digital, and McKinsey Digital Labs. With a PhD in computer systems and a strong commitment to innovation, Michael brings strategic insight and commercialization expertise to Open Ocean Robotics’ mission to advance autonomous ocean intelligence.