Keith Meverden
Keith Meverden
Originally from Birnamwood, Wisconsin, Keith received his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, and is completing his Master’s degree in Maritime History and Nautical Archaeology from East Carolina University. Keith has worked on projects throughout Wisconsin, North Carolina, and the Virgin Islands, including the civil war ironclad USS
Monitor. Keith also holds a US Coast Guard Master license, and is a licensed First Mate for the US Army, having served aboard the Army’s 174-foot LCU2000 landing craft throughout the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Tamara Thomsen
Tamara Thomsen
Tamara Thomsen owns
Diversions Scuba in Madison, WI. Tamara teaches as a TDI Advanced Trimix Instructor, IANTD Technical Cave Instructor, and PADI Master Instructor. She has worked as a bottom diver on the USS Monitor Project, and has lead and participated in several cave exploration/mapping projects in Wisconsin, Missouri, Florida, and Mexico. For the past six years Tamara has headed the dive team collecting biofilms and water samples in the Piquette Lead/Zinc Mine for the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of California-Berkley leading to the discovery of a new bacteria. As a staff writer for Advanced Diver Magazine, Tamara has written numerous articles on underwater exploration and published many underwater photographs. Tamara has received the distinguished NSS-CDS Nicholson Award and the NACD Silver Wakulla Award for Safe Cave Diving.
Paul Lothary
Paul Lothary
Paul Lothary was inspired to become a certified diver after an afternoon of sightseeing underwater shipwrecks on Lake Superior through a glass-bottomed boat in the Alger Preserve. Currently Paul is a Divemaster for Hoofers Scuba Club at the Universityof Wisconsin - Madison. Recently certified as a Full Cave Diver, Paul also dives for the Piquette Mine Project. Paul also enjoys underwater photography, having worked as a professional photograper and graphic artist. Paul takes pleasure in raising his family in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin and enjoys sharing his love for diving with them and practically anyone who will stand still long enough to listen.
Russel Leitz
Russel Leitz
A retired science teacher from Menasha school district, Russ is the president of the
Wisconsin Underwater Archaeology Association (WUAA). Russ lives in Waupaca with his wife Ruth and has two children, Beth and Brett. Brett is currently serving in Iraq with the U.S. Army in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Beth works for the University of Illinois. Russ has almost single-handedly compiled the online newspaper database at our
Wisconsin Shipwrecks website.
Jon Paul Van Harpen
Jon Paul Van Harpen
Jon Paul Van Harpen is from Sturgeon Bay and owns Door County Collectible Puzzles. Jon also writes a column of maritime history for the Thursday edition of the Door County Advocate, as well as a maritime news column for the Saturday edition.
