Dr. E. Lee SpenceDr. E. Lee Spence (President, Underwater Archaeologist) - Spurred on by childhood tales of pirates and adventure, Dr. Spence, found his first shipwrecks at the age of twelve. He has since found literally hundreds of wrecks and has worked on everything from Spanish galleons and pirate ships to Civil War blockade runners. His best known discoveries are those of the Civil War blockade runner Georgiana, the Confederate submarine Hunley and the identity of the real Rhett Butler. Spence graduated cum laude from the University of South Carolina in 1976, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with an academic concentration in marine archaeology and won the Donald O. Bushman Award in cartography. His doctorate is a Doctor of Marine Histories (DMH) from Sea Research Society's College of Marine Arts. Lee’s past work has been funded by such institutions as the Savannah Ships of the Sea Museum, the College of Charleston, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. In 1991 and 92 he served as Chief of Underwater Archaeology for Providencia, a 40,000 square mile archipelago in the Western Caribbean. He is an author and editor of numerous professional papers, articles and books. He is a founder, owner and vice-president of the International Diving Institute, a commercial diving school in Charleston, South Carolina. He is the Consulting Field Archaeologist for Anchor Research & Salvage in the Dominican Republic and is president of Spence Trust Inc., which manages shipwreck expeditions.
Lee Spence on Facebook | Contact Lee






Christopher Mowers (Executive Vice President, Historian) - Christopher brings a love of history, a unique technical background, and years of marketing and management experience to the Society. Over the past decade he has spearheaded marketing, training, and public relations for a number of clients including Fortune 500 companies, technology service providers, Penn State University, Chattanooga State TCC, South Hills School of Business and Technology, NGOs, and the United States Senate. He is the co-founder of Oqobo, a web technology provider that's helping organizations of all sizes better deliver their message and build communities in today's increasingly connected society. His travels have taken him to England, Germany, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. His combination of skills and experience have already furthered the Society's mission of discovery and helped in sharing the Society's achievements in bold and exciting ways.
Christopher Mowers on Facebook | Contact Christopher




Jim McNeillJim McNeill (Vice President - Arctic Expeditions) - With over 26 years of Arctic travelling, Jim McNeill, founder of Ice Warrior, Ascot, United Kingdom, is an accomplished polar explorer, presenter and keynote speaker. In January 2001 he conceived the idea of combining his professional rescue expertise with his polar expeditioning into a long term vision known as the Ice Warrior Project. Jim has worked in the environmental science sector, trained army personnel to use mountains safely and has 12 years of blue-chip marketing communications experience at consultancy level. In 2006 he resigned his 15 years of fire and rescue operations for the Royal Household, to engage in “professional exploring”. Jim's guiding, survival and logistics expertise is employed by BBC film crews in extreme locations. His reports for ITV News on the reality of climate change have been seem by audiences from around the globe. Next year Jim plans to be the first person to walk to the Arctic Pole - the furthest point from land on the Arctic Ocean. Throughout his career Jim has selected, trained and led teams in key business situations, where the reputation and share value of corporations is won and lost on strategic and tactical media relations; to critical life saving situations, where effective leadership and hands on teamwork are key to preserving the lives of car crash victims; through to longer term life-threatening situations in extreme climatic situations with multiple risks over long periods of time. Jim thrives on challenge and change. He has a passion for leadership and getting the very best performance out of individuals and teams, at any level.
Jim McNeill on Facebook







Albert KallioVeli Albert Kallio (Vice President - Environmental Affairs) - Finnish, Andrews University educated, explorer and lobbyist on climate change, Kallio is the founder of FPIC (Frozen Isthmuses's Protection Campaign of the Arctic and North Atlantic Oceans), Bracknell, United Kingdom. Kallio is a Fellow of Royal Geographical Society and HH Plenipotentiary Scientific Ambassador for the Global Environmental Parliament Group
Albert Kallio on Facebook | Contact Albert







Rusty WhitingC. Russel (Rusty) Whiting (Vice President - Training, International Training Director) - Training Director National Academy of Police Diving (NAPD); Training Director Multinational Dive Educators Association (MDEA); Public Safety Director International Diving Institute (IDI); Operations Director Lighthouse Dive Services; Owner Whiting and Associates Diving Consultants; President Marina Divers Association; Instructor Trainer Ocean Reef; Hazmat Instructor Trainer.
Rusty Whiting on Facebook | Contact Rusty






Lauren SpenceLauren McEntire Spence (Expedition Photographer) - Lauren studied photography at Lander University and has participated in projects in Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic; Porto Bello, Panama; Ontario, Canada; and the United States. She is married to underwater archaeologist Dr. E. Lee Spence.
Lauren Spence on Facebook