Team
Shawn Henry
Chief Executive Officer
Shawn Henry brings over 30 years of experience in bringing technology products to market. He has founded and scaled multiple startups into successful companies through both organic growth and acquisition. As CEO, he oversees all commercial operations, including product development, manufacturing, and execution.
Dan Zitterbart, PhD
Co-founder + Chief Scientist
Dr. Daniel Zitterbart has been researching surface-based methods for marine life detection since 2009 as an Associate Scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. As a co-founder and Chief Scientist of WhaleSpotter, he brings deep scientific expertise and continues to advance techniques for real-time mammal monitoring.
Sebastian Richter, PhD
Co-founder + Chief Technology Officer
Dr. Sebastian Richter has been developing autonomous megafauna observing systems since 2010. As a co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of WhaleSpotter, he brings decade long experience in reliable operations of remote sensing technologies on a global scale, from emperor penguins to marine mammals. At WhaleSpotter, Sebastian is responsible for the continued development of the WhaleSpotter technology and its rock-solid performance.
Aymeric Houstin, PhD
Director of Services
Dr. Aymeric Houstin is a conservation-focused scientist with global field experience—from the poles to Africa to North America. As head of the ‘Spotters’ team, he ensures the delivery of high-quality whale monitoring services while enabling the safe continuation of marine operations.
Conor Byrne
Director of Operations
Conor Byrne holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Northeastern University and has worked across several sustainability-focused startups, including Form Energy and Boston Materials. At WhaleSpotter, he contributes across hardware, electrical systems, and operations to help bring new technologies to life.
Alexander Winterl, PhD
Senior Software Engineer
Alexander Winterl combines a strong scientific foundation with practical engineering skills to develop AI-powered tools for wildlife detection and environmental monitoring. With deep expertise in machine learning, computer vision, and real-time systems, he has played a key role in building WhaleSpotter’s image analysis and data infrastructure from its inception.
BASED ON RESEARCH AT THE MARINE ANIMAL REMOTE SENSING (MARS) LAB AT WOODS HOLE OCEANOGRAPHIC INSTITUTION
Richter S, Yurk H, Winterl A, Chmelnitsky E, Serra N, O’Hara P, Zitterbart DP, “Coastal Marine Mammal conservation using thermal imaging-based detection systems,” preprint
Baille LMR and Zitterbart DP. “Effectiveness of surface-based North Atlantic right whale detection methods for vessel strike mitigation”, ESR 49:57-69 (2022)
Zitterbart DP, Smith H, Flau M, Richter S, Burkhardt E, Beland J, Bennett L, Cammareri A, Davis A, Holst M, Lanfredi C, Michel H, Noad M, Owen K, and Boebel O. “Scaling the laws of thermal imaging marine mammal detection. Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology,” (JTech)
DOI: 10.1175/JTECH-D-19-0054.1
Smith HR, Zitterbart DP, Flau M, Norris TF, Ferguson EL, Jones C, Boebel O, Moulton VD. “A field comparison of marine mammal detections via visual, acoustic, and infrared (IR) imaging methods offshore Atlantic Canada.” Marine Pollution Bulletin, Volume 154, May 2020, 111026
Zitterbart DP, Kindermann L, Burkhardt E, Boebel O. “Round-the-Clock Protection of Whales from Underwater Noise by Thermal Imaging.” PLoS ONE 8(8): e71217. (2013)