About Us

Co-Founder

Martin Bentz

Raised on Bodkin Creek in Pasadena, MD, Martin developed an appreciation for Maryland’s waterways at an early age. His father was a fishing and crabbing enthusiast, so Martin learned first-hand the positive impact that our waterways can have on a person’s life.  He regularly says “I love being on the water, so my hope is that everyone enjoys and respects the Chesapeake as much as I do.”  A serial entrepreneur, Martin enjoys building personal and professional relationships which has been paramount in the success of CSH2O. He and his wife, Nichole, are family-focused and remain active supporters of the community and local school systems.

Co-Founder and Executive Director

Nichole Bentz

Having lived in Pasadena, Maryland for much of her life, Nichole is a long-time supporter of the local community and advocate for Maryland’s waterways. As current Anne Arundel County residents, she and her husband, Martin, share the same passion and appreciation for our waterways, and continue to value the positive impact this resource has on people’s lives. As CoeShark H2O’s Executive Director, Nichole spearheaded the creation of CoreShark H2O’s environmental educational curriculum, currently offered in many Maryland schools.  Nichole also worked at Northrop Grumman for 15 years in the Information Technology field beginning as a Web Developer and finishing as an IT Program Manager supporting Enterprise IT systems.

Financial & Tax Advisor

Jeremy Feinberg

Jeremy is a native of Montgomery County, Maryland. He enjoys marathon running, playing chess and long hikes. Jeremy couldn’t be happier to support CSH2O’s mission to educate our youth on the importance of protecting our environment and local waterways. Jeremy is the CFO of SpiderOak, Inc. and brings the same high intensity attitude from that work to assisting CSH2O in the execution of its mission.

Environmental Educator

Bryan Gomes

Bryan has almost two decades of environmental education, water sports pursuits, public outreach and team building experience to his credit. He has a B.A. in Marketing/Psychology and a MEd. in Post-Secondary Education from Salisbury University. Bryan is passionate about the outdoors. He has thru-hiked the entire Appalachian Trail, from Georgia to Maine; kayaked the entire Chesapeake Bay from Havre de Grace, MD, to the Atlantic Ocean; annually swims 4.5 miles across the Chesapeake Bay in the Great Chesapeake Bay Swim; and as a lifeguard, lived in a tent on the beach at Assateague State Park. Bryan has also served as a Park Ranger for Anne Arundel County and the Maryland Park Service, as well as a Director/Coordinator of various summer camps in the Annapolis area. Before joining the CSH2O team, he worked for Oyster Recovery Partnership in various roles including as the education program manager.  In 2022, Bryan was honored to receive the Jan Hollmann Award as Anne Arundel County’s environmental educator of the year.

Bryan loves to travel and had the opportunity to visit Cuba in 2017. In 2009 he spent two months in New Zealand learning about aquaculture and sustainable resource management, as well as a week in the Galapagos in 2014 learning about Darwin’s studies of evolution and the island’s biodiversity. Bryan lives in Annapolis near the shores of the Severn River and enjoys swimming, fishing, paddling, cooking, beekeeping and moonlights as a DJ.

Environmental Educator

Jennifer Aiken

Jen is originally from New Jersey where her passion for animals and nature began with caring for the family pets and frequent camping and beach trips. After graduating Rider University with a B.S. in Marine Science, she moved to Orlando, FL, and spent almost two years working at The Seas Aquarium in Epcot at Walt Disney World. Jen’s role there included teaching education programs, marine mammal training, scuba diving and assisting with sea turtle rehabilitation.

Since 2002, Jen has worked in the Guest Engagement and Learning Department at the National Aquarium in Baltimore.  She is also a substitute teacher at Magothy Cooperative Preschool and was a PreK Teacher’s Assistant. Jen has also worked for Clearwater Mills, LLC (the company that invented the Trash Wheels). Jen’s dedication to this field has been recognized by being awarded the Frank A. Gunther Community Service award at the National Aquarium, the Mid-Atlantic Marine Education Association (MAMEA) Informal Educator of the Year award as well as the Katie Van Meter Service award at Magothy Cooperative Preschool.

Jen is very passionate about environmental conservation and sustainable living.  She serves as the Co-Chair for Bodkin Elementary’s Environmental Fair.  Jen’s fervor for the natural world is part of her identity as she loves animals (was an aspiring vet at one point) and being in nature. Jen has two school-aged sons and loves traveling, working out, reading, yard work & being on/near/in the water.  Her travel stories include SCUBA diving the Great Barrier Reef, sailing the Dodecanese Greek Isles, snorkeling in a cage to view Great White Sharks in South Africa, and exploring the reefs and rainforests of Costa Rica.

Education Advisor

Cathy Bellarin

Retired Teacher Specialist, Anne Arundel County Public Schools

Cathy is a lifelong resident of Pasadena.  She grew up swimming, boating, fishing, crabbing and even ice skating on Rock Creek off of the Patapsco River, where she still lives today.  Her teenage years were also spent recreationally on the Magothy and Severn Rivers and the Chesapeake Bay.  These experiences led to her career choices in education.  Cathy is a graduate of the University of Maryland College Park with a BS in Physical Education and post undergraduate and graduate coursework with a concentration in Environmental/Outdoor Education and Administration.  This led to her career with Anne Arundel County Public Schools at Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center.  Aquatic Safety and Outdoor Education soon became her specialty.  Cathy taught and supervised Anne Arundel County’s 5th grade Water Safety Program entitled “Drownproofing” for well over 40 years until her retirement from the school system.  Volunteering with CoreShark H2O is part of her new chapter and aligns with her beliefs in education and “protecting what we love”.

Secretary & Treasurer

Sandy Gedeik

Sandy is recently retired from a long career in the information technology field, most recently as an IT Director at Northrop Grumman. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in computer science from UMBC and a Master’s Degree in technical management from Johns Hopkins University. She has a passion for her outdoor garden landscapes and having a positive impact on the environment. Preserving our environment for future generations is very important, and Sandy is excited to join the efforts of CoreShark H2O to educate our youth on the positive impact they can have on our natural resources.

Education & Outreach

Michelle Weisgerber

AACPS, Teacher Specialist-Signature Support Team

As a child, Michelle Weisgerber was often told stories of her grandfather’s childhood on Smith Island and the heroic 1933 rescue of her great-grandfather Thomas Steinhise, keeper of the Seven Foot Knoll lighthouse, which once stood at the mouth of the Patapsco. These stories instilled a passion for the environment that Michelle was able to use in her role as Environmental Literacy Signature Program Facilitator at Broadneck HS for nine years. Although she has recently changed roles, she is still committed to the environmental education of our youth. The 2017 recipient of the Jan Hollmann Environmental Education Award, Michelle enjoys spending as much time as possible outside engaging in nature.

Education & Outreach

Melissa Bajadek

Homeland Security Lead Teacher, Meade Sr. HS

A Southern California native, water has always played an integral part of Melissa’s life. Since moving to Maryland, she has continued to promote the need to keep local waterways healthy and clean. Melissa is excited to be part of the CoreShark H2O Team because she shares the vision that water leaves an indelible mark on the lives of anyone who works, lives and plays near such an important resource. As an educator in Anne Arundel County, Melissa utilizes the resources provided by CoreShark H2O to educate and inform the students about the significance of maintaining the health of the Chesapeake Bay and their local streams and creeks. A life -long educator, she sees teaching our children to respect and appreciate the world around them as the only viable path to creating a better world.

Outreach Coordinator

Mike Hatcher

Since CoreShark H2O’s inception, Mike has played an integral role in building the CoreShark H2O brand and raising awareness about its programs and community initiatives. As Outreach Coordinator, Mike focuses on new business development, generating sponsorships, executing promotions, and creating brand awareness for CoreShark H2O. Raised on the waterfront in Anne Arundel County, his passion for creating a positive impact on the local community and Maryland’s waterways is the driving force behind his work with CoreShark H2O. Mike is also the Managing Partner for PYY Marine and founder of ItsaWaterLife, a branding and marketing company focused on the marine industry.

Marketing/Graphic Designer

Keely Dziuban

Phillips Food, Inc., Director of Retail and Foodservice Marketing

Keely is a lifelong resident of Anne Arundel County and has fond memories of growing up around the water. As the Director of Marketing and Communications for Phillips Seafood and as a mother of three, she appreciates the significant role that waterways play in the economy and recreation. Keely is active in the local community and is committed to ensuring area youth appreciate the water.

Volunteer

Karen Fales

Karen is a retired professional with many hats from being a systems engineer to part time personal trainer. She and her husband, John, raised their family in Poolesville, Maryland. They have spent all of their summers since the early 1980’s on the Magothy River. During this time, Karen grew to appreciate the magnifance of the Chesapeake Bay and its waterways. They now live in Pasadena on the Magothy River.

Karen is happy to be a part of CoreShark H2O and share her passion of educating our neighbors and children about preserving the Chesapeake Bay.

Social Media & Marketing Intern

Megan Bentz

Megan was born and raised in Pasadena, Maryland, where she spent most of her childhood boating, swimming, and fishing. Her interest in marine life started at a young age after receiving a PADI scuba diving certification and was given the opportunity to dive off the coasts of Maui, Hawaii, and the Bahamas. As Megan continued spending time in and around the water, her passion for saving marine life and the waterways grew. Megan is currently pursuing a Communication Studies Degree at the University of Maryland Global Campus. She is committed to applying her educational background to spread awareness about maintaining and saving the environment.