Biography

For the past 15 years I have been on staff with Rhode Island Chapter of the Nature Conservancy. My primary responsibility is to strengthen and improving partnerships between conservation agencies and organizations in Rhode Island and the Rhode Island Chapter. Since 2009 I have set up close working relationships and established cooperative agreements between the Rhode Island Chapter and government agencies such as the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, The US Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA, NRCS, and Rhode Island Coastal Resource Management Council. These cooperative agreements are in the form of government grants and provide funding for the Rhode Island Chapter’s marine staff to carry out important studies, surveys and restoration projects in the coastal streams and estuaries of Rhode Island.

Prior to joining the Rhode Island Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, I spent 37 years with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, Division of Fish and Wildlife, where I retired in 2007 as Division Deputy Chief. As the Division Deputy Chief, I was responsible for the Division fiscal program. This included managing the annual budget as well as staff operations and the Division’s capital improvement work. Prior to assuming the position of Deputy Chief, I supervised the Division’s Freshwater and Diadromous Fisheries Section where I was responsible the diadromous fisheries restoration and management programs. In my early years with the Division, as a biologist, I spent much of my time working on attempts to restore diadromous fish to Rhode Island coastal streams. I have presented and published a number of papers on diadromous fish restoration and research work. I was very active in the American Fisheries Society and served as the President of the Northeast Division in 1991. I was certified as a Fisheries Scientist by the Society in 1980. Academic achievements include a BS from Roger Williams University and an MS from URI.

I am eager to contribute to your network of Senior Coastal Fellows. My contribution would be as someone who is very familiar with the partners who are currently active in the Narragansett Bay Region. Particularly those planning and working on coastal stream connectivity. Providing up and downstream passage for migratory fish. The Nature conservancy, with partners, has recently been involved in two large dam removal projects on the Pawcatuck River and I am currently managing the consultant contracts for engineering, design, and permitting work to construct technical fish ladders on the four lowermost dams on the Blackstone River. I also worked closely with DEM Division of Fish and Wildlife to improve fish passage efficiency for migratory fish on a number of existing fish ladders on Rhode Island’s smaller coastal streams. I would like to work with and discuss the potential or role that the Coastal Institute could play in the ongoing important work.