Commander Jonathan R. Heesch
NOAA

Commander Jonathan Heesch brings over 25 years of experience in the military, federal and maritime sectors. While serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, he was a Meteorological and Oceanographic Forecaster for the last five of his nine yearsin the Marines. He has continued honing his operational meteorology skills while sailing in various roles over the past 16 years.

He has sailed as master on multiple federal research vessels and is a Chartered Master Mariner and Associate Fellow of the Nautical Institute. He currently serves as Vice-Chair ofthe Nautical Institute’s Fishing Safety Advisory Group and as Treasurer of the Nautical Institute’s US West
Coast Branch.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in natural science and mathematics and an associate degree in meteorology. He is a member of the American Meteorological Society, the Navy League, the Military Officers Association of America, the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars