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Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy

Partners

Environmental issues from urbanization to climate change extend beyond state boundaries and are outside the scope of any one organization to address. Through SECAS, federal and state agencies and other partners are leveraging resources to coordinate conservation actions and invest in cost-effective science to achieve a connected network of lands and waters that supports fish and wildlife populations and improved quality of life for people. SECAS was initiated by states of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (SEAFWA) and the federal Southeast Natural Resource Leaders Group (SENRLG).

* Indicates members of the SECAS Steering Committee, which comprises five state agency directors from SEAFWA and one federal agency representative from SENRLG. The role of the steering committee is to provide oversight and strategic direction to SECAS.

State Partners

The following states are involved through the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (SEAFWA):

Alabama

Charles F. Sykes, Director, Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division
Department of Conservation & Natural Resources

State Points of Contact:
Ericha Shelton-Nix, Nongame Wildlife Program Biologist
Traci Wood, Habitat and Species Conservation Coordinator

Arkansas

Austin Booth, Director, Game and Fish Commission

State Points of Contact:
Chris Racey, Chief of Staff
Allison Fowler, Assistant Chief, Wildlife Management

Florida

Roger Young, Executive Director, Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

State Point of Contact:
George Warthen, Chief Conservation Officer

Georgia

* Ted Will, Director, Wildlife Resources Division
Department of Natural Resources

State Point of Contact:
Matt Elliott, Chief of Wildlife Conservation

Kentucky

Rich Storm, Commissioner, Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources

State Point of Contact:
Vacant

Louisiana

Madison Sheahan, Secretary, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries

State Point of Contact:
Kenny Ribbeck, Wildlife Division Chief

Mississippi

Lynn Posey, Executive Director, Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks

State Points of Contact:
John Gruchy, Private Lands Program Coordinator
Larry Pugh, Fisheries Bureau Director

Missouri

* Jason Sumners, Director, Department of Conservation

State Point of Contact:
Nate Muenks, Natural Resource Planning Section Chief
Lorisa Smith, Government Affairs Specialist

North Carolina

Cameron Ingram, Executive Director, Wildlife Resources Commission

State Points of Contact:
Kyle Briggs, Chief Deputy Director
Shannon Deaton, Habitat Conservation Division Chief
Chris Wood, Landscape Planning Coordinator

Oklahoma

Wade Free, Interim Director, Department of Wildlife Conservation

State Points of Contact:
Wade Free, Assistant Director
Mark Howery, Wildlife Diversity Biologist

Puerto Rico

Anaís Rodríguez Vega, Secretary, Department of Natural & Environmental Resources

Point of Contact:
Miguel Garcia-Bermudez, Landscape Conservation Scientist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

South Carolina

* Robert H. Boyles, Director, Department of Natural Resources

State Point of Contact:
Ken Prosser, Assistant Deputy Director

Tennessee

Jason Maxedon, Executive Director, Wildlife Resources Agency

State Points of Contact:
Vacant

Texas

David Yoskowitz, Executive Director, Natural Resources
Parks and Wildlife Department

State Points of Contact:
Duane German, Landscape Ecology Program Manager

U.S. Virgin Islands

Nicole Angeli, Director, Division of Fish and Wildlife
Department of Planning and Natural Resources

Point of Contact:
Sean Kelly, Wildlife Biologist

Virginia

Ryan Brown, Executive Director, Department of Wildlife Resources

State Point of Contact
Cale Godfrey, Assistant Chief of Wildlife

West Virginia

* Paul Johansen, Chief, Wildlife Resources Section
Division of Natural Resources

State Point of Contact:
Scott Warner, Assistant Wildlife Resources Section Chief



Federal Partners

The following federal agencies are involved through the federal Southeast Natural Resource Leaders Group (SENRLG):

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

Jim Kendall, Gulf of Mexico Regional Director

Federal Point of Contact:
Vacant

Department of Defense

Regional Environmental and Energy Office - Southern
Ruth Forrester, Regional Environmental Coordinator

Federal Point of Contact:
Cynthia Jester, Army Regional Energy Coordinator

Environmental Protection Agency

Jeaneanne Gettle, Southeast Acting Regional Administrator

Federal Point of Contact:
Vacant

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Gracia Szczech, Southeast Regional Administrator

Federal Point of Contact:
Kari Elkins, Southeast Unified Federal Review Coordinator

Federal Highway Administration

Derrell Turner, Director of Field Services - South

Federal Point of Contact:
Vacant

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

National Marine Fisheries Service
Andy Strelcheck, Southeast Regional Administrator

Federal Point of Contact:
Kristen Laursen, Gulf of Mexico Regional Coordinator

National Park Service

Mark Foust, Southeast Regional Director

Federal Point of Contact:
Vacant

Natural Resource Conservation Service

James Tillman, Southeast Regional Conservationist

Federal Point of Contact:
Bridgett Estel Costanzo, NRCS East Working Lands for Wildlife Coordinator

Tennessee Valley Authority

Rebecca Hayden, Director of Natural Resources

Federal Point of Contact:
Shannon O’Quinn, Senior Water Resource Specialist

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

BG Daniel Hibner, Commanding General, South Atlantic Division

Federal Points of Contact:
Gretchen Ehlinger, South Atlantic Division Water Resources Planner
Dave Bauman, South Atlantic Division Regional Environmental Specialist

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

* Mike Oetker, Southeast Regional Director, Interior Regions 2 & 4

Federal Points of Contact:
Bill Uihlein, Assistant Regional Director of Science Applications

U.S. Forest Service

Ken Arney, Southeast Regional Forester

Federal Points of Contact:
Daniel McInnis, Environmental Issues and Policy Analyst

U.S. Geological Survey

Holly Weyers, Southeast Regional Director

Federal Points of Contact:
Greg Steyer, Gulf of Mexico Regional Science Advisor
Richard Rebich, Science Coordinator of the Office of the Southeast Regional Director



Nonprofit Partners

The following nonprofit organizations are involved:

National Alliance of Forest Owners

Nonprofit Points of Contact:
Kristin Sleeper, Director of Policy and Research
Kate Gatto, Chief Strategy Officer

Native American Fish and Wildlife Society

Nonprofit Point of Contact:
Mike LaVoie, Southeast Regional Director

The Nature Conservancy

Nonprofit Points of Contact:
Eric Krueger, South Carolina Director of Science and Stewardship
Laura Chartier, Southern U.S. Division Conservation Manager

Open Space Institute

Nonprofit Point of Contact:
Joel Houser, Southeast Field Coordinator

Southern Group of State Foresters

Nonprofit Point of Contact:
Gary Wood, Southeast Regional Coordinator of the Cohesive Wildland Fire Strategy



Other Organizations

The following organizations are actively involved in SECAS:

The Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center

Ryan Boyles, Deputy Director

The Southeast Aquatic Resources Partnership

Todd Ewing, Program Director