Michael Goff is the president and primary researcher of Urban Cruise Ship.

Michael's volunteer work in policy and advocacy includes the YIMBY (Yes In My Back Yard) movement in San Francisco; advocating for a carbon fee and dividend with Citizens Climate Lobby; the Advocacy Chair for the Nashville, Tennessee chapter of the United Nations Association; lobbying the Davidson County Metro Government to improve its recycling program; lobbying with Tennessians for Fair Taxation for a state income tax in Tennessee; and active work in the Democratic Party in Nashville, Washington County, OR, and Seattle. Michael is a 2014 fellow in East-West: The Art of Dialogue, a program of the Shafik Gabr Foundation, to foster ties between the United States and Egypt.

Michael earned his Ph. D. in mathematics from the University of Washington in 2010. He is interested in machine learning and data science and in 2014 completed a programing at The Data Incubator, where he built a predictive model of usage of New York City's CitiBike program. His hobbies include game programming and urban hiking.

Michael maintains a weekly blog at Substack, where he writes about environmental and related issues.

John van der Harst manages research aims, graphic and language standards, human resources, and development for Urban Cruise Ship. Unique creations of his include the name, logo, most yellow navbar compositions, button styling, Comparative Progress Studies, trajectory-based energy forecasts, and Urban Foot Notes.

Since 1975, John has been a designer, draftsman and illustrator in the fields of architecture, landscape architecture, civil engineering and planning, which have included some interior and graphic design, and structural, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical drawings. A variety of health-threatening factory work and odd jobs brought sensitivity toward work opportunity and safety.

After working through other organizations, John has been President of Recycling Advocates of Middle Tennessee since 1992. Its website lists 23 significant accomplishments, among them ones unique to the U.S. and world. Achieving zero-waste is described. Many handouts. Extensive regulatory and compliance work. Display of all documents, with captions, is not yet complete.

John's advocacy has also included health care, peace, third party and bioregional politics, mass transit, scenery preservation and billboards, economic disparity, and human and animal rights. His methods, successes, and personal lifestyle led to profiles in two newspapers, two magazines, a 2004 documentary “Immaterial John”
produced by Red Clay Pictures, and listings in Marquis Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the World, and Who's Who in Science and Engineering. John is among the 5% of their listees Marquis has given a “Lifetime Achievement Award” to.

Hobbies: gardening, cartooning, and triathlon training. Studies: nature, history, perception, and choice. Strengths: circumspection, visualization, prioritization, and willingness to change and be unusual. Has: Asperger's syndrome and no car. Is: nocturnal and vegan. Likes: compact personal living space, preserving natural habitat, appropriate architecture, beauty, kindness, and creating unique, useful, and high-quality whatever. Hates: urban sprawl, waste, dishonesty, hypocrisy, cruelty, and opposition without supporting better viable alternatives.

Lee Nelson is an Exhibit Producer and Researcher with Urban Cruise Ship. Lee also manages several internal structural matters.

He grew up on a large dairy and agriculture farm in central California. He has worked for over 12 years as an environmental chemist and while in that position was a member of the safety, financial, and wellness committees. He has also volunteered as 4-H camp counselor, church camp counselor, Master Gardener (in Tennessee and Michigan), garden club leader, Prayer Practitioner, Big Brother, and Vegfest Coordinator. Lee is a certified Holistic Wellness Counselor, Yoga and Tai Chi Instructor, and Reiki Practitioner. He also teaches meditation and dream interpretation based on his own training in metaphysics. Lee has also studied and endeavors continual practice of Non-violent Communication.

Lee currently lives in Cape Girardeau, Missouri with his wife and two sons. He has been an ethical vegan since January 2014. Lee was recruited by Urban Cruise Ship after his August 2018 presentation at a Vegan Peace meeting in Nashville, Tennessee. In February of 2019 Lee was elected to serve on the Board of Trustees of the Unity Spiritual Center of Lansing. In the fall of 2020 Lee graduated from the Lansing Citizens Academy, a program to learn about local government and the role of citizen involvement. Lee has always had a love for environmentalism and also enjoys trail running, yoga, tai chi, calisthenics, hiking, gardening, and reading.

Richard Burd is an assistant researcher and software developer at Urban Cruise Ship. He is the current webmaster and built our current website with the design consultation of John van der Harst.

Richard has a B.A in Middle Eastern studies and a is a graduate of the Flatiron School's Full-Stack web development program. He began his career in California as an architectural draftsman where he helped design affordable housing projects built across the Los Angeles basin. He later worked as a technician and technical writer for drones used in agricultural surveys to improve crop yields and reduce input requirements.

Richard was commissioned as a U.S. Army 2nd Lieutenant in 2008 and served in Afghanistan as a logistics officer. There he worked on implementing the Afghan Transportation Network which employed local Afghan civilian truckers (instead of American military contractors) and awarded indegenious groups roughly $2 million in contracts.

Richard's volunteer work includes assisting Kurdish militias in northern Iraq during their war with the Islamic State (ISIS) in 2016 where he served as an interpreter and drone pilot. More recently Richard has been coordinating medical relief efforts in southeastern Ukraine. His interests include rapid prototyping, blockchain technology, aviation, evolutionary psychology, and persuasion.

Jye is a graphic designer, writer, and design consultant at Urban Cruise Ship, contributing extensively through solution-focused articles, comparative interactive history tables, illustrative graphics, and conceptual development for Urban Foot Notes.

A non-binary artist, performer, and facilitator currently based in Berlin, Jye specializes in creating uniquely themed events, performances, and performance workshops, fostering vibrant and inclusive communities. Driven by curiosity and a passion for exploration, Jye dedicated five years to higher education. Their studies included a wide range of subjects, from art and theatre to psychology and philosophy, and they continue to pursue learning opportunities that challenge and inspire them.

Their eclectic interests include gaming, history, architectural exploration, and immersive hiking adventures, with particular affection for trains, castles, cathedrals, ancient forests, majestic mountains, and fairies. Jye is also a dedicated advocate for mental health awareness and support, and they actively engage in community-building initiatives. They are a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community and a vocal ally for marginalized and underrepresented groups.

is a Legal Researcher with Urban Cruise Ship, and is working to produce complete address reports for its Urban Foot Notes project.

David has spent over a decade as a Legal Assistant. A graduate of Middle Tennessee State University with a degree in Business Administration, he brings a strong understanding of both legal processes and business operations.

Outside of work, he enjoys spending quality time with his family, collecting coins, playing video games, and immersing himself in music. You can find David and his family at farmer's markets and other events, where his spouse sells handmade jewelry and other accessories. As a father from a young age, David values the importance of balance, believing that a healthy work/life routine is key to long-term success and fulfillment.

David's desire to do work for Urban Cruise Ship grew out of his friendships with Crew members Jye and John. He attended themed get-togethers organized by Jye for variously disenfranchised (and some accepted) members of the community. One evening, Jye screened the documentary “Immaterial John,” to highlight one crew member's unusual path to success.

David's volunteer activities also include assisting with a widely-known, established organization in Nashville, Tennessee that helps individuals experiencing homelessness. There are prior connections, as Urban Cruise Ship's John and Andrew have both experienced multiple periods of homelessness themselves.