NOAA Heritage Oral History Project

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  • Collection DOI:
    Principal Investigator:
    Cheryl Oliver, Gregory Romano, Dianna Parker
  • NOAA Heritage Oral History Project aims to document the history and legacy of NOAA through compelling interviews with its leaders. These firsthand accounts provide an invaluable resource that preserves NOAA's significant contributions to environmental research and management, fostering a deeper understanding of NOAA's vital role in shaping our understanding of the Earth's oceans and atmosphere.

Interviewee Sort descending Collection Description Interviewer Date of Interview Location of Interview Affiliation
Albert "Benjie" Spencer NOAA Heritage Oral History Project

On May 19, 2020, Molly Graham interviewed Albert “Benjie” Spencer as part of the NOAA Heritage Oral History Project. Spencer retired in 2024 as the Chief Engineer and Director of Engineering Standards Division for the NOAA National Weather Service (NWS) in the Office of Planning and Programming for Service Delivery. His responsibilities included implementing policy, providing end-to-end system engineering oversight, assessing risks, and ensuring consistent engineering processes and standards throughout the organization.

Molly Graham , Fort Washington, MD NOAA Heritage Program, National Weather Service
Albert "Skip" Theberge, Jr. NOAA Heritage Oral History Project

Captain Albert “Skip” Theberge, Jr. was born in 1946 in Coquille, Oregon.  When Skip was three years old, his family moved to Santa Cruz, where he learned to surf and because fascinated with the ocean.  He graduated from the Colorado School of Mines with a professional degree in geological engineering. Skip also has a master’s degree in management from the Naval Postgraduate School.  In 1969, Theberge was commissioned as an ensign in the ESSA Corps, which soon became NOAA Corps. He retired with the rank of captain in 1995, after nearly 27 years of commissioned service.

Molly Graham , , Gainesville, VA NOAA Heritage Program, National Weather Service
Ann Terbush Schaefer NOAA Heritage Oral History Project

Ann Terbush Schaefer was born in San Francisco in 1947. Her family moved to New York, where Ann attended the High School of Music and Art, before moving again to Washington, DC, where she graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School. Ann started her college career at Wells College in Aurora, New York. She transferred to George Washington University with a fine arts degree in 1969. She eventually also earned her master’s in public administration from American University in 1983.

Molly Graham , Salisbury, MD NOAA Heritage Program, National Weather Service
Capt. John K. Callahan, Jr. NOAA Heritage Oral History Project

Captain John Callahan was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1944. His family moved to New Jersey, where he attended St. Joseph’s Grammar School and graduated from Don Bosco Preparatory High School in Ramsey, New Jersey, in 1961. John was the first in his family to attend college. He went to the State University of New York Maritime College and graduated with a degree in marine engineering before earning his law degree from Catholic University in 1971. Captain Callahan started his career as a naval architect/marine engineer for M.

Molly Graham , , , , , , , Coupeville, WA NOAA Heritage Program
Carl Fisher NOAA Heritage Oral History Project

On April 9, 2024, Molly Graham interviewed Captain Carl Fisher for the NOAA Heritage Oral History Project. The interview was conducted remotely, with Fisher participating from Norfolk, Virginia, and Graham from Scarborough, Maine. Carl Fisher, originally from Canandaigua, New York, reflects on his upbringing in the Finger Lakes region and his education at Canandaigua Academy. Fisher pursued a career in maritime studies, attending the State University of New York Maritime College, where he earned a degree in meteorology and oceanography.

Molly Graham Virginia Beach, VA NOAA Heritage Program, National Weather Service
Craig McLean NOAA Heritage Oral History Project

Craig McLean was born in Rutherford, New Jersey, in 1957. His father was a first-generation immigrant from Scotland who served in the US Navy during World War II. His mother was a second-generation daughter of Sicilian immigrants. He grew up along the Passaic River, was a self-described "river rat," became a certified diver, and worked for a boatyard next to his house. At Rutgers College, Craig studied marine biology and zoology and worked on research cruises with NOAA ships. During the summers, he worked in the commercial and retail dive industry.

Molly Graham , , , , , Olney, MD NOAA Heritage Program, National Weather Service
David Vallee NOAA Heritage Oral History Project

David Vallee is the Hydrologist-in-Charge of the National Weather Service’s Northeast River Forecast Center. The center provides detailed water resource and life-saving flood forecasting services to National Weather Service Forecast Offices and the hundreds of federal, state and local water resource entities throughout the Northeast and New York. David has worked for the National Weather Service for 30 years, serving in a variety of positions including Senior Service Hydrologist at the Taunton Weather Forecast Office from 1993-2000 and as Science and Operations Officer from 2001-2006.

Molly Graham Scarborough, ME NOAA Heritage Program, National Weather Service
Dick Rutkowski NOAA Heritage Oral History Project

Mr. Rutkowski retired from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in 1985 with 33 years of federal service. He served as Deputy Diving Coordinator. He was founder and director of the NOAA Diving/Hyperbaric Training and Diver Treatment Facility from 1973 to 1985 where hundreds of divers have been treated. He also served as co-director for the NOAA/UHMS three week physicians diving and hyperbaric medical training program for the past 21 years.

Molly Graham Key Largo, FL NOAA Heritage Program, National Weather Service
Doug Whiteley NOAA Heritage Oral History Project

Doug Whiteley is the Division Chief of the Research to Operations and Project Planning Division (ROPPD). As Chief of ROPPD, Doug oversees pre-formulation and early formulation for new satellite systems as well as the execution of studies for project alternatives, such as foreign partnerships leveraging data and/or instrument exchanges, small-sats, payload hosting, commercial alternatives, and technology maturation to identify specific potential solutions to NESDIS top-level requirements.

Molly Graham Silver Spring, MD NOAA Heritage Program, National Weather Service
Eddie Bernard NOAA Heritage Oral History Project

Eddie Bernard, born in 1946 in Houston, Texas, is a renowned tsunami expert with a significant career at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Raised in Beaumont, Texas, Bernard's family history traces back to their migration from Canada to Louisiana. His early interest in science and natural disasters, particularly tsunamis, propelled him towards a career in oceanography. Influenced by his high school teachers, Bernard pursued higher education at Lamar University, where he cultivated his passion for oceanography and met his future wife.

Molly Graham Bellevue, WA NOAA Heritage Program, National Weather Service