STATE MEMBERS
MAINE
Kathleen Leyden*
Meredith Mendelson
Department of Marine Resources
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Steve Couture*
Department of Environmental Services
Chris Williams (Alternate)
Department of Environmental Services
MASSACHUSETTS
Lisa Engler* (Current NROC Co-Chair)
Office of Coastal Zone Management
Kathryn Ford
RHODE ISLAND
Janet Coit
Department of Environmental Management
Jeff Willis
Coastal Resources Management Council
Robert Ballou (Alternate)
Coastal Resources Management Council
CONNECTICUT
Brian Thompson
Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
David Blatt (Alternate)
FEDERAL MEMBERS
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Darryl Francois
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Rick Bennett*
Walter Barnhardt
Leann Bullin (Alternate)
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Mary Krueger (Alternate)
Peter Murdoch (Alternate)
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Regina Lyons*
NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION
Betsy Nicholson* (current NROC Co-Chair)
Chris Boelke (Alternate)
National Marine Fisheries Service
Ellen Mecray (Alternate)
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS
Lawrence Oliver
lawrence.r.oliver@usace.army.mil
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Michele DesAutels
* Member of NROC Executive Committee

PARTNERS
NROC seeks new, and encourages existing, ocean and coastal partnerships to address regional issues. We foster regional communication, interaction, and cooperation on marine and ocean-related research and development, education, exploration, and observation. NROC works with numerous organizations on initiatives addressing ocean planning, coastal hazard resilience, and ocean and coastal ecosystem health. Partnerships range from short-term, informal interactions to long-term, formalized relationships with Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs). All of these partnerships are important and valuable to NROC.
Memoranda of Understanding
Memoranda of understanding (MOUs) between NROC and partner organizations provide an overview of the organizations’ shared interests and formally describe the methods of collaboration. NROC currently has MOUs with the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment (MOU), Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal and Ocean Observing Systems (MOU), Coastal States Stewardship Foundation, and Northeast Regional Sea Grant Consortium.