MA Ocean Coalition Interview: Stephani Moura

Stephanie Moura is Executive Director of the Massachusetts Ocean Partnership (MOP) an independent, broadly representative public-private partnership supporting the development and implementation of integrated ocean management for Massachusetts' coastal oceans. MOP's work includes facilitating stakeholder forums for collaborative problem solving on difficult ocean management issues and facilitating the synthesis and development of processes, data, and tools to improve the integration of natural and social science with management. Read the Interview >>

MA Ocean Coalition Interview: Alan Macintosh

Alan Macintosh is the Assistant Director and Environmental Program Manager for the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission, one of the Commonwealth's 13 Regional Planning Agencies. Prior to joining MVPC, he worked for a multi-disciplinary environmental science and engineering firm, where he specialized in water resources analyses and environmental impact assessments. Since joining MVPC in 1978, Alan has directed the agency's environmental planning department, where he has been the project manager/principal investigator for a broad range of successful local and regional environmental and land use planning projects. Read the Interview >>

MA Ocean Coalition Interview: Jo-Ann Taylor

Jo-Ann Taylor has been the Coastal Planner at the Martha's Vineyard Commission since 1991. Her experience includes planning, oceanographic research (marine geophysics), small engineering projects, and government administration. She is interested in stewardship and appropriate utilization of coastal resources. Jo-Ann studied at Smith College and Boston University, and holds BA and MA degrees in Geology. Read the Interview >>

MA Ocean Coalition Interview: Bud Ris

Howard "Bud" Ris was appointed President and CEO of the New England Aquarium in September, 2005. Long recognized as one of the leading Aquariums in the United States, the New England Aquarium attracts 1.3 million visitors annually. Its pioneering programs on marine conservation extend from the Gulf of Maine to the Pacific Ocean, where it recently led a successful initiative to create one of the largest marine protected area in the world. Read the Interview >>

MA Ocean Coalition Interview: Jack Clarke

Jack Clarke is the Director of Public Policy & Government Relations for Mass Audubon, the oldest and largest non-profit state conservation organization of its kind in the Northeast. Jack worked for the US National Park Service at Cape Cod for ten years and later worked with the Massachusetts Secretary of State's Office at what is now the Cape Cod Commission, where he established and managed Barnstable County's first Historic Preservation Program. Following that, he served for thirteen years with the Governor's Environmental Affairs Office, the last five of which he served as Assistant Director for Coastal Zone Management. Read the Interview >>

MA Ocean Coalition Interview: Senator Anthony Petruccelli (D-Boston)

State Senator Anthony Petruccelli was elected to the State Senate in 2007 representing the coastal communities of Boston, Revere and Winthrop, along with sections of Cambridge. Prior to his election to the Senate, he served in the House of Representatives, and prior to that, he served as a neighborhood liaison to Boston Mayor Thomas Menino. During his time in the House he served as Co-Chair of the Metropolitan Beaches Commission. Read the Interview >>

MA Ocean Coalition Interview: Paul Diodati

Paul Diodati was appointed the Director of Marine Fisheries in 2000. Prior to his appointment, we was the state's chief striped bass biologist. During his twenty year career with the Division, he served as Marine Fisheries' Sportfish Program Director for which he earned universal praise for the program's effectiveness, specifically for his efforts to renew efforts to educate the public about the state's fisheries and the need for conservation. He has worked closely with both recreational and commercial sectors during his career, successfully utilizing his diversified experience to sustain the respect of the industry, legislature and state, federal and interstate managing bodies. Read the Interview >>

MA Ocean Coalition Interview: Commissioner Laurie Burt

Laurie Burt was appointed the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) by Governor Deval Patrick in July of 2007. Prior to joining the MassDEP, she was a senior partner and founder of the environmental law practice at the Boston firm of Foley Hoag. With expertise in state and federal hazardous waste and Superfund laws, Clean Air Acts, Clean Water Acts, as well as wetlands, endangered species, and environmental impact regulations, Commissioner Burt has focused her practice on environmental compliance. Read the Interview >>

MA Ocean Coalition Interview: John Bullard

John Bullard is President of the Sea Education Association (SEA) in Woods Hole. SEA teaches college students and others about the oceans with a 12 week SEA Semester. Students spend 6 weeks on campus learning oceanography, nautical science, and maritime studies and then aboard one of two 135' tall ships for 6 weeks sailing and doing research in the Atlantic or Pacific. Prior to joining SEA, John Bullard served on Chancellor Jean MacCormack's senior staff at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Read the Interview >>

MA Ocean Coalition Interview: Representative Frank Smizik (D-Brookline)

Elected in 2000, State Representative Frank Smizik represents the Town of Brookline and serves as Chairman of the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture. He completed his undergraduate work at the University of Pittsburgh and received his law degree from Duquesne University. Chairman Smizik is one of six members of the state legislature appointed to serve on the seventeen-member Ocean Advisory Commission. Read the Interview >>

MA Ocean Coalition Interview: Mayor Carolyn Kirk

Gloucester is America's oldest seaport, located 36 miles northeast of Boston, MA. Its population is nearly 31,000 year round and swells to close to 45,000 in the summer months. Surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean, Gloucester's 400 year heritage is closely linked to the sea. Mayor Carolyn Kirk was sworn in to office on January 1, 2008 and is serving her first term. Prior to being elected Mayor, she served two terms on the Gloucester School Committee. Read the Interview >>

MA Ocean Coalition Interview: Representative Viriato Manuel deMacedo (R-Plymouth)

State Representative Vinny deMacedo was first elected in November 1998, and is currently serving in his fifth term. He serves in a leadership position as the Ranking Minority Member on the House Ways and Means Committee. He is also a member of the Committee on Telecommunications and Energy, as well as the Ocean's Advisory Commission. Outside the legislature, Representative deMacedo owns and operates RWA Mobil in South Plymouth. Read the Interview >>

MA Ocean Coalition Interview: Senator Robert O'Leary (D-Barnstable)

State Senator Robert O'Leary has represented the Cape and Islands District in the Massachusetts Senate since 2001. The lead author and sponsor of the Massachusetts Ocean Act, he now sits on the 17-member Ocean Advisory Commission, charged with helping formulate the state's ocean management plan. Read the Interview >>

MA Ocean Coalition Interview: Deerin Babb-Brott

Deerin Babb-Brott, Assistant Secretary for Ocean and Coastal Zone Management, has been appointed by Massachusetts Secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA) Ian Bowles to lead the development of the Massachusetts ocean management plan as mandated by the passage of the MA Oceans Act, Chapter 114 of the Acts of 2008, signed into law by Governor Deval Patrick on May 28, 2008. Read the Interview >>