Statement of Social Value
Project Recover is dedicated to searching for and locating American MIAs and POWs from conflicts around the world. Project Recover seeks to provide recognition, information, and closure to families of these service members who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms. More broadly, Project Recover provides a platform for educating the public about critical historical events, lost heroes who shaped our country, and the importance of public service.
Our Mission Statement
why we do it
“To honor the sacrifices everyone made before us for the freedom we enjoy today, and to let our warriors and families today know we won’t forget their sacrifices.”
Imagine a world where the sacrifice of our brave service members is honored by bringing them home, giving closure to their families, and preserving their legacy. For over 30 years, Project Recover has been dedicated to this mission. We are a non-profit organization committed to finding and repatriating the over 81,000 American heroes who are missing in action (MIA). Our work brings peace to families and honors the courage of those who fought for our freedom.
At Project Recover, we combine cutting-edge technology, passionate volunteers, and strong partnerships to search for, locate, and recover our nation’s MIAs. Our unique approach and dedication set us apart as the only non-governmental organization capable of completing every step of this vital mission both on land and underwater.
Join us in honoring our nation’s heroes. Our work IS a living memorial and a uniquely American mission driven by humbled gratitude and honor of our nation’s MIAs. They accepted the responsibility of serving their country and paid with their lives. We are honored to now accept the responsibility - representing all grateful Americans - to find and bring them home.
OUR VALUES
Respect
Project Recover is committed to fostering a culture focused on respect for the MIAs and POWs and their families, for those involved in its missions, and for the cultures with whom Project Recover interacts. Project Recover recognizes that respect encompasses all aspects of its missions, including such things as privacy, property, the need for information, differences in outlook and backgrounds, laws and traditions.
Gratitude
We do not take for granted life’s gifts, including the gift of enjoying our American way of life. Through the Project Recover mission, we show our gratitude as Americans for the great sacrifices of our MIAs and their families.
Responsibility
Project Recover recognizes that individuals, MIA families and others can and will be affected by its actions and mission. Project Recover is committed to anticipating, as much in advance as practical, the ramifications of its missions and accepting the responsibility to visualize the second and third order effects of its actions all the way to the national and world level.
Perseverance
Project Recover commits to approach, investigate, study, search and prepare for and follow through with each mission using all practical tools to increase productivity. We accept each mission fully or not at all, because our MIAs, POWs and their families deserve our best efforts.
Collaboration
Project Recover is not only a nonprofit organization, but also a collaboration with other organizations. Our growing success and impact is due to the many organizations and individuals that contribute to the Project Recover mission.
Education
Project Recover promotes and encourages
learning from others’ experiences, knowledge, accomplishments, and talents. We educate current and future generations about science, technology, history, leadership, public service, and diplomacy through presentations and programs highlighting the multidisciplinary approach to our mission. Many facets of our work have positive impacts on other issues and industries - a testament to the exponential importance of our mission.
PROJECT RECOVER — THE PARTNERSHIP
The BentProp Project was a nonprofit organization founded by Dr. Pat Scannon in the 1990’s. Following almost 20 years of work executing scientifically based research and search missions with a small group of like-minded friends, Dr. Scannon met scientists from the University of Delaware and Scripps Institute of Oceanography in 2012 while on a mission in Palau. A collaboration was born that used the universities’ underwater search technology to greatly advance the efforts of underwater site searches.
This partnership was formalized in 2016.
In 2018, The BentProp Project nonprofit changed our name to Project Recover to also reflect the name of the partnership. The Project Recover nonprofit, the University of Delaware College of Earth Ocean and Environment team, and the Scripps Institute of Oceanography teams are each an official partner of DPAA, and each conduct missions in support of the Project Recover mission to find and bring home America’s MIAs.
CO-FOUNDERS Partnership
MARK MOLINE, Ph.D.
Co-Founder, Harrington Professor of Marine Studies in UD’s School of Marine Science and Policy.
PAT SCANNON, M.D., Ph.D.
ERIC TERRILL, Ph.D.
Co-Founder, Director, Coastal Observation Research & Development Center, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
PROJECT RECOVER — THE NONPROFIT
Board of Directors
DEREK ABBEY, Ph.D.
PAT SCANNON, M.D. Ph.D.
Daniel Friedkin
Flip Colmer
Admiral Kenneth Whitesell
ADVISORY COUNCIL
Darcy Anderson, Advisory Council Chairman
Vice Chairman,
Hillwood Management
Matt Byrd
Lieutenant Colonel, USAF (ret.)
President & CEO,
Hillwood Aviation
Shane Doucet
Lieutenant Colonel, USAF (ret.)
Principal, Doucet Consulting Solutions
REAR ADMIRAL TIM GALLAUDET, PhD
Juan Garcia III
Tom Henricks
Colonel, USAF (ret.)
Former US Astronaut
Amanda Hughes
Jack McGrory
Courtney Mitchell, CFRE
Eric Williamson
President, Friedkin Aviation V.P.,
The Friedkin Business Development Group
Rear Admiral Frank Thorp IV
Stacy McCarthy, PCC
Bridget Guerrero, CBCP
Major General William J. Walker
Staff
DEREK ABBEY, Ph.D.
ADRIAN DE LA ROSA
Chief Operating Officer
Adrian, a dedicated Marine Corps veteran, brings to Project Recover a profound commitment to serving fellow veterans and their families. With several years of experience in non-profit operations and management, including a role in a veteran services organization, Adrian has demonstrated his ability to steer organizations through financial challenges while increasing veteran engagement and recruitment.
Adrian’s passion for serving those who made the ultimate sacrifice is deeply rooted. As a fellow service member, he believes in the importance of keeping the promise that no service member shall be left behind. Adrian is committed to ensuring that the stories of all MIAs and their families are not only heard but celebrated, recognizing their invaluable contributions.
Joining the Project Recover team, Adrian is honored to contribute to the fulfillment of this mission. His gratitude for the opportunity to play a role in bringing closure to families and upholding the sacred commitment of leaving no service member behind is a driving force in his work.
Beyond his professional dedication, Adrian finds joy in exploring beautiful Central Oregon, creating memories with friends and family, and finding ways to have a positive impact in his community.
CHRISTIAN MALERBA
Chief Development Officer
Before joining Project Recover, Christian played a vital role on the major gifts fundraising team with the United Service Organizations (USO), a nonprofit that supports the men and women in the U.S. military. Christian brings a wealth of experience, having raised over $5,000,000 in revenue in his previous positions. At the USO, Christian played a key role in increasing donor engagement throughout New England, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Delaware. Prior to his work at the USO, Christian was Director of Alumni Relations at Cheshire Academy, an independent boarding school in Connecticut. He was crucial in increasing Cheshire Academy’s annual fund, doubling the total number of yearly donors, and planning & executing over 15 annual events throughout the country. He has a strong passion for military nonprofits and takes pride in building long-lasting relationships with donors. Christian’s grandfathers and his wife’s grandfather are U.S. Military veterans, and his sister-in-law currently serves on active duty in the U.S. Navy.
Michelle Abbey
Director of Community and Donor Relations
Before joining our team, Michelle played a pivotal role in a local veteran service nonprofit, spearheading the growth of their fundraising program. Through donor stewardship, outreach, volunteer recruitment, and event management, Michelle achieved remarkable results. In just one year, she helped to double the organization’s donation income, and they were well on their way to doubling it again in year two. Her passion for honoring and bringing home our MIAs, is unwavering. Michelle deeply resonates with Project Recover’s core values of respect, responsibility, perseverance, joy, and participation, aligning seamlessly with her own personal beliefs. When she’s not actively championing the Project Recover mission, you’ll find Michelle exploring nature trails, crafting culinary delights in the kitchen, or savoring a delightful cocktail with friends. For the past nine years, Michelle has had a strong family connection to this mission through her husband Derek. Together, they call Bend, Oregon, their home.
COLIN COLBOURN, Ph.D.
Lead Historian
Dr. Colin Colbourn is Project Recover’s Lead Historian and a Postdoctoral Researcher with the University of Delaware. Since 2016, he has managed historical operations including archival research, data management, case analysis, and field investigations. Through these efforts, Project Recover has developed a massive internal archive comprised of thousands of historical reports, maps, and images. Learn more about Colin and his work with MIA Families.
Volunteer Staff
Dave Bavencoff
Recruitment Coordinator
Dave Bavencoff has been with Project Recover since 2017, and his experience investigating cold case homicides have been useful in those efforts. Dave has over 20 years of experience as a law enforcement officer. He has worked a range of assignments in law enforcement, including several years as a homicide detective. If you interested in becoming a volunteer start with our Mission - Vision - Values Page.
TOM DAGGETT
Family Outreach Coordinator
Tom Daggett has been with Project Recover since 2020. As part of the Family Outreach Team, he provides initial research and communication for families requesting information and assistance regarding their family members who are Missing in Action. Tom also provides assistance in maintaining and documenting a growing list of case files within the Project Recover archives. He feels deeply connected to our service members who have served and sacrificed throughout our nation’s history. Helping to provide information and ultimately ‘closure’ for our MIA families helps to fulfill our nation’s promise to bring home all who have served. As part of the Project Recover team, Tom is grateful and honored to play a role in this incredibly important mission.
Aldo Costiglio
European Regional Director
Aldo Costigliolo is Project Recover European Regional Director. Aldo offered his expertise in ground or sea logistics for Project Recover missions in Italy and emerging missions in Europe. Aldo is a Brigadier General in the Italian Army, Retired Reserve. Aldo has had the honor of giving military honors to repatriated Italian soldiers when Italy’s Onorcaduti (Honor the Fallen) repatriated some fallen soldiers (Alpini) in the early nineties when he was a young Captain.
Mark Chidichimo
Genealogist
A former NCIS and FBI Special Agent, Mark has a passion for Naval History. Currently working as a probate researcher, he assists law firms in New York City in identifying and locating next of kin. He initially assisted private individuals in finding living descendants of lost crew members, but once he became aware of Project Recover, Mark knew that this was the best way to give back to our MIAs. He had two cousins lost in WWII – one a co-pilot of a B-24 in the Pacific, the other a Flight Officer assigned to an RCAF Lancaster over Germany. As a midshipman catching a military hop home to Corpus Christi in 1970, the S-2 Tracker he was a passenger in developed mechanical trouble and prepared to ditch in the Gulf of Mexico. The pilot was able to nurse it in, but it gave Mark a true appreciation of what our aviators experience and the sacrifices they’ve made.
