Interim President

As interim president, Mike provides input on the strategic direction of the National Estuarine Research Reserve Association and guidance of strategies to engage federal partners and educate Congress. He also provides executive management and leadership for New Jersey’s Jacques Cousteau reserve and the Aquaculture Innovation and Coastal Exploration Centers at Rutgers University. His work encompasses the design and management of large-scale research initiatives, science education and service programs, government relations, marine and coastal science policy, and major field facilities. Mike is currently leading efforts to address New Jersey’s most critical coastal management issues, including the restoration of coastal ecosystems and communities in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, development of science-based strategies to enhance future resilience of coastal areas, design of innovative approaches to science-based management of coastal systems, management of marine protected areas, and restoration of the Barnegat Bay watershed. He has led initiatives that leverage environmental sampling and sensing networks to inform coastal management and enrich science education and advance aquaculture in the Mid-Atlantic region. Mike is chair of the Public Policy Committee and President-Elect of the National Association of Marine Laboratories, and he has served as NERRA president, chair of the Science and Technical Advisory Committee for the Barnegat Bay National Estuary Program, and member of the Heinz Center Panel on Innovations in Coastal Zone Management.