Prentice “Tripp” Brower
Executive Director/Captain
Tripp grew up constantly submerged in the waterways which make up the “Lowcountry” region of South Carolina. This is what fueled his passion for the water.
In 2014 Tripp founded the Lowcountry Maritime School (LMS), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to teaching young people math and science skills using boat building as a teaching platform.
In 2019, his passion for the natural environment, a belief in the connectivity of people, and a desire to gain a broader perspective inspired Tripp to co-found Apparent Winds. He resigned from LMS and set sail on a two-year circumnavigation and film project. Now Tripp is taking the lessons learned from the first journey and leading Apparent Winds into its next phase.
Kiera Rumbough
Research Coordinator/ First Mate
Growing up on the shores of New York, Kiera quickly realized the ocean was where her heart was. This passion led Kiera to the University of Miami to study marine biology and graduate cum laude with a Bachelors of Science in Marine Science and Biology and minor in Ecosystem Science and Policy. In addition to her studies, Kiera has spent multiple seasons working on a shark research vessel in Tampa Bay with Coastal Marine Education and Research Academy (CMERA).
After completing her studies, Kiera quickly got to work helping to start a surf company in her home state of New York, while simultaneously working as a stewardess and deckhand on private yachts. On the off-season, she became an active volunteer with the Lonely Whale Foundation; helping to further that organization’s educational impact.
Now Kiera is working to continue her journey in the field of marine biology and environmental preservation as part of the Apparent Winds team. Kiera is our resident biologist and research coordinator.
Graham Roberts
Engineer
Graham has a wealth of knowledge and experience maintaining equipment under extreme and remote conditions. In addition to his degree in Mechanical Engineering from University of California Davis, he has had a long career building and maintaining mechanical equipment for drilling and scientific research in the United States Antarctic Program.
Although he only recently began to follow his passion for bluewater exploration and sailing, as a lifelong surfer and world traveler, he is highly motivated to explore new horizons and make new connections. .
Film Crew
Brooke Raines
Head of Videography
Brooke Raines is a filmmaker, photographer, and writer currently based in Southern California. Inspired by the natural world and the people she shares this planet with, Brooke uses storytelling to explore the relationship between the two.
Her experience ranges from documentary and branded storytelling to editorial, action sport, and lifestyle photography. Most recently, Brooke directed and filmed a docu-series exploring frontline communities and organizations working to mitigate the environmental degradation of the Tijuana Estuary and surrounding coastal communities. Brooke has previous experience managing non-profit communications and marketing.
Brooke continually seeks new experiences and projects that challenge her understanding of the world, push her creatively, and advocate for harmonious relationships between people and the planet.
Simone Staff
As long as she can remember, Simone has been exposed to all kinds of wilderness. From sailing or surfing in the vast Pacific to frolicking through the deserts of California, running up rolling hills in New Zealand and exploring reefs in the Coral Triangle, she has loved adventure within the outdoor medium. And– she has done all of these exploratory missions with camera in hand, via still photography and videography, documenting special and fleeting moments that are always occurring around her.
Simone strives to always push herself to work harder, travel further, and constantly create new ways of capturing an image that portrays her close relationship with the planet, its wildlife, and how the human species interacts with it. Simone strives to show the Earth and its many forms of people through unique perspectives and stunning imagery. Through her travels around the globe, she has met incredible and inspirational people, allowing her to capture the way they live. Simone continues to shoot, document, and travel to try and make a difference on our only planet in the fashion and action sports worlds.
Alejo Jergovic
Alejo is a Venezuelan born adventure cinematographer, creative director and content creator based out of Santa Barbara, California. His love for capturing powerful stories began in 2016 after hiking and filming his solo journey on the Pacific Crest Trail, a 2,650 mile walk from Mexico to Canada that forever shaped his perspective and purpose as an artist. His intention ever since has been to work with sustainable brands, artists and projects that strive to create positive impact, expand self awareness and connect us back to Gaia.
In 2020 he shot and directed a short film “Reperio Made By” a story that focuses on finding solutions to empower women artisans in underdeveloped regions of Rajasthan, India, through the revival of handicrafts, natural dyes and block printing. In 2021 while stranded in Rishikesh, India during the nation wide lockdown, he helped start and film for “Feeding Rishikesh” an NGO that has fed thousands of migrant workers and families living in the slums of Rishikesh.
Some of his recent commercial work has been for the Argentinian sustainable home decor company Palermo House featured in Forbes and Architectural Digest. Other brands he has worked for include Pauji Outdoors, Smorgasburg, and the first ever automated green impact investment app, “FLIT Invest”.
