WASHINGTON — October 28, 2013 — The following was released by the Joint Ocean Commission Initiative:
The Joint Ocean Commission Initiative is pleased to announce the addition of five new members to its distinguished Leadership Council. The Joint Initiative Leadership Council is co-chaired by the Honorable William Ruckelshaus and the Honorable Norman Mineta, with current members including former government officials, ocean industry leaders, and representatives from ocean-focused scientific organizations and environmental nongovernmental organizations.
The ocean leaders who have joined the highly-respected, bipartisan Leadership Council include:
· Dr. Donald Boesch – Professor of Marine Science and President of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
· The Honorable Norman Dicks – Senior Policy Advisor, Van Ness Feldman; former U.S. House of Representatives Member for Washington State’s 6th District
· Vice Admiral Conrad Lautenbacher, U.S. Navy (Ret.) – CEO, GeoOptics, Inc.; former Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator
· Dr. Jane Lubchenco – Valley Professor of Marine Biology and Distinguished Professor of Zoology, Oregon State University; former Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator
· Mr. John Pappalardo – Executive Director, Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance; former Chair of the New England Fishery Management Council
The Joint Initiative was created in 2005 as a collaborative effort between the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy and the Pew Oceans Commission. Since its formation, the Joint Initiative has sustained a broad-based, bipartisan effort to catalyze meaningful ocean policy reform and action at the national, regional, and state levels. These reforms are grounded in the recommendations embodied in the two commissions’ reports, with the Joint Initiative regularly updating the recommendations for continued relevance in the face of changing challenges and political circumstances.
The Joint Initiative looks forward to working closely with national, regional, and state leaders as well as with the private sector to advance positive and lasting changes in the way we manage our nation’s oceans and coasts.