BRETT TAFT
Observational Systems Branch Chief
National Data Buoy Center

Mr. Brett Taft is the Observational Systems Branch Chief of the National Data Buoy Center (NDBC), ensuring the nation's maritime safety by leading the operations and engineering functions of the organization in the successful operation and maintenance of the world's largest moored buoy network providing real-time mission critical meteorological and oceanographic observations. The team he leads is a multi-sector workforce of over 70 personnel including federal, affiliate, active duty USCG and NOAA with disciplines including all engineering specialties, field and base technicians, and operations specialists. Core responsibilities involve equipment preparation and testing, field operations and planning, vessel coordination, technology development, and lifecycle management for an observational network consisting of 233 marine buoys and coastal platforms. He is also the National Weather Service's Line Office Representative to the Fleet Working Group coordinating needs for NOAA fleet vessels.

Mr. Taft first joined the NDBC team as a LTjg in the US Coast Guard in 1994 and has dedicated over 25 years of his federal career to the NDBC mission. He has led several major cornerstone projects at NDBC including the $30M Service Life Extension Program of the Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (DART) and the NDBC Campus consolidation where the real-estate footprint was reduced by approximately 25% with an annual savings of $800k in rental costs. Prior to his current role as Observational Systems Branch Chief, Mr. Taft has held several leadership positions within the organization including Production Manager, NDBC Focalpoint to the NWS Regions for Marine Observations, Lead Mechanical Engineer, Safety and Environmental Compliance Officer, and a detail as the Mission Control Center Branch Chief with responsibility of the organization's science and information technology functions.

In addition to his NDBC career, Mr. Taft completed a tour of duty on the USCGC Gallatin where he supervised the operations and maintenance of the vessels electrical and auxiliary equipment plants and personnel. He also worked in the private sector as an assistant project manager and engineer for Halliburton-SubSea International in their ROV division designing tools for the vehicle operating at full ocean depth and coordinating international operations.

He received a bachelor's of science in mechanical engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1991. He received a master's of science in mechanical engineering from the University of Arizona in 1992.