Genevieve Howell

Director of Applied Science

Since joining Sea-Bird more than 20 years ago as a calibration technician, she has since held leadership roles across nearly every aspect of the organization, gaining hands-on experience with instrument calibration, production operations, supply chain, service operations, quality systems, customer support, and field applications. With a background in marine biology and a career dedicated to oceanographic measurements, Genevieve combines technical expertise with a passion for teaching. She enjoys helping users understand the principles behind their instruments, improve troubleshooting skills, and develop confidence in producing accurate, defensible ocean data.

Charles Branham, Ph.D.
Principal Chemist

Charles Branham has a strong background in analytical chemistry and environmental monitoring technologies. With expertise in sensor calibration, measurement science, data analysis, and oceanographic instrumentation, he brings a practical, real-world perspective to customer training. Charles enjoys helping users build confidence in their instruments and data, translating complex technical concepts into actionable knowledge that supports successful field and laboratory operations.

Marialena Christopoulou, Ph.D.
Customer Support Scientist-Oceanographer

Marialena Christopoulou specializes in oceanographic sensors, data analysis, and instrument troubleshooting, helping scientists and operational users maximize the quality and reliability of their measurements. Marialena combines a strong scientific background with extensive hands-on experience supporting Sea-Bird instrumentation in a wide range of oceanographic applications. Through her support work and customer training activities, she enjoys sharing practical knowledge and best practices that enable users to get the most from their instrumentation and data.

Christopher Cheshier
Technical Support Manager

Christopher Cheshier has worked at Sea-Bird Scientific since 2011. Over the course of his career, he has supported nearly every stage of the oceanographic instrumentation lifecycle, including CTD manufacturing and testing, advanced data processing, field deployments, and OEM integration of sensors on autonomous float and glider platforms. His experience spans optical, nutrient, and biogeochemical sensors, as well as support for ocean observing networks and large-scale data collection arrays. He now leads Sea-Bird's Customer Support team, helping customers around the world deploy, integrate, and derive high-quality scientific data from oceanographic instrumentation.

Eric Rehm, PhD.

Principal Oceanographer, Optics

Dr. Eric Rehm is the Principal Optical Oceanographer at Sea-Bird Scientific. He is interested in all scales of ocean and coastal biogeochemical sensing, from in situ validation of ocean color satellites to water column characterization using autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to point measurement of marine optical properties on moorings and other fixed platforms. Originally trained as an electrical engineer, then he retrained as biological oceanographer, finding ocean instrumentation as the prefect intersection of his varied academic and professional background. As a serious sea kayaker, he brings a love of marine navigation and mapping to his work. Developing laser-based sensing is his current passion.

David Stahlke

Tech Support III

David Stahlke serves as a Support Technician III with expertise in oceanographic instrumentation associated with Sea-Bird Scientific (SBS) and its WET Labs optical sensor product lines. He enjoys sensor and system integration, developing solutions with our customers to real-world technical problems by combining instrument knowledge with practical deployment experience. Troubleshooting deployment problems and instrument issues is a continuously evolving, rewarding experience.

Connor Bacon
Technical Customer Support II

Connor Bacon has been a member of the Technical Support team for 7 years. He is a University of Washington School of Oceanography graduate who has focused on Sea-Bird's CTD, nutrient sensor, and ARGO program.

Laura Collins
Senior Metrologist



Laura Collins is a Senior Metrologist with extensive experience in measurement science, calibration, and quality systems. In her current role, she manages the metrology laboratory and oversees all aspects of the calibration process to ensure sensor performance, accuracy, and traceability. Laura is passionate about helping customers understand how metrology and calibration influence sensor performance and data quality. Her goal in training is to make measurement concepts practical and accessible, giving participants a deeper understanding of their instruments and greater confidence in the data they collect.