speakers and panelists

Virginia Coastal Futures Forum

Virginia's Evolving Fisheries

Shelby White, Ph.D.

Shelby is the Marine Business Specialist in the Marine Advisory Program at VIMS and the Batten School of Coastal & Marine Science. In this role, she serves as a liaison for various industries, including commercial fishing, seafood processing, aquaculture, and working waterfronts. She is interested in livelihood diversification within and outside of marine business and understanding how people make decisions regarding participation, as well as the sociocultural aspects of fishing and impacts of policy and management.

Mike Bednarski, Ph.D.

Mike is the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources’ Chief of Fisheries. He is responsible for administering a recreational fishing program which provides opportunities for nearly half a million Virginia anglers across the Commonwealth in fresh and tidal fresh waters. In his free time, he can be found on Lake Chesdin attempting to catch trophy largemouth bass.

Michael Schwarz

Associate Director, Virginia Tech Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center.

Ethan Simpson

I’ve been with the Virginia Marine Resources Commission since 2019. Prior to being the Chief of Fisheries, I was the Programs Manager overseeing our various biological and effort-based surveys, including commercial biological sampling, the protected species observer program, and MRIP. Before joining VMRC, I managed a wholesale and retail fish market in Wrightsville Beach, NC. While working in that setting, I completed my master’s degree in marine biology from the University of North Carolina, Wilmington.

Dr. Troy Tuckey

My research focuses on understanding the biological and ecological processes that regulate fish early life history population dynamics. The early life history of fishes is a dynamic period with many factors governing rates of growth and mortality that help shape year class strength. Understanding the driving forces and variability that is observed in abundance of juvenile fishes is an important component of fisheries management. Since many marine fishes use estuaries and tidal waters as nurseries, most of my attention is on coastal systems. I incorporate modeling techniques and field based research to address ecological questions about recruitment variability.

Restoring for Tomorrow

Jeff Flood

I’m currently a Senior Coastal Planner II w/ the VA Coastal Zone Management Program, a network of state agencies & local govts led by DEQ that administers enforceable policies to protect coastal resources & foster sustainable development. My primary duties include policy development, programmatic evaluations, grant proposal writing/mgmt, stakeholder outreach & meeting facilitation. I’m currently assisting in the development of the VA Ocean Plan, creating a framework for the beneficial use of dredged material in VA, continuing to implement the VA Marine Debris Reduction Plan by addressing abandoned & derelict vessel issues & actively supporting other state agencies, NGOs & Tribal partners on a wide array of coastal management projects.

Dr. Molly Mitchell

Dr. Mitchell is an Associate Professor at the Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences in Gloucester Point, VA. Her research interests focus on shifts in coastal resources due to the interaction of sea level rise and human-driven changes. Although primarily an ecologist, she works on projects involving physical dynamics (sea level rise trend analysis, shoreline geology) and human decision making (social vulnerability, sea level rise adaptation, adaptive management application).

Erin Reilly

Erin is the Conservation and Restoration Coordinator for the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Virginia at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. She’s been working in Coastal Systems for the last 18 years and been involved with many restoration projects from Non Tidal to Tidal habitats. Her current focus is on planning and coordinating restoration projects at the CBNERR-VA Reserves. Erin’s work focuses on long term monitoring, restoration implementation, and volunteer science. Erin has a B.S. in Marine Science and Biology from the University of Miami and a M.S. in Sustainable Environmental Resource Management from the University of Malta.

Mary-Carson Stiff

Mary-Carson Stiff is the Executive Director of Wetlands Watch. She joined Wetlands Watch to help her hometown region navigate the complex issue of sea level rise. She is a 2013 graduate of William & Mary Law School, where she was in the first graduating class of the Virginia Coastal Policy Center. Stiff graduated from Bates College in 2008 with a B.A. in English Literature and a concentration in Environmental Policy. Her past work experience includes the VA Coastal Policy Center, Virginia Outdoors Foundation, Land Trust Alliance, Virginia Sea Grant, and Episcopal High School. She serves on the Boards of the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation, the Virginia Coastal Resilience Technical Advisory Committee, and the Coastal Virginia Conservancy.

Bruce Vogt

Ecosystem Science and Synthesis Manager, NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office

Beyond the Science

Dr. Mona Behl

Dr. Mona Behl is the director of the Virginia Sea Grant Program. Prior to joining VASG, for ten years Behl served as associate director of Georgia Sea Grant, where she secured millions of dollars in funding for the program and co-founded Sea Grant’s first Community-Engaged Internship program, among other success. Behl also held public service and academic appointments at the University of Georgia and serves as a non-residential policy fellow with the American Meteorological Society. With over a decade of experience and achievements in the Sea Grant network, Behl brings with her an essential foundation to successfully lead Virginia Sea Grant.

Charles Clark

Charles Clark is a Research Associate and Team Lead of the Seafood Economic Analysis and Marketing Research program at the Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center at Virginia Tech, where he has spent seven years conducting applied economic research for the seafood and aquaculture industry. His work focuses on business planning and financial feasibility analysis, market analysis, regulatory cost analysis, and translating complex economic findings into actionable guidance for coastal producers, industry stakeholders, and government agencies. His peer-reviewed research and industry extension publications have informed policy discussions, supported regulatory reform conversations, and provided coastal producers and policymakers with the economic evidence needed to make better decisions.

Carol Considine

Carol Considine is the Director of Applied Projects in the Institute for Coastal Adaptation and Resilience (ICAR) and Professor of Engineering Technology in the Batten College of Engineering & Technology at Old Dominion University. She has been active in applied research related to sea level rise since 2012. Recent coastal adaptation and resilience projects have supported localities, communities, and industry and include community level nuisance flooding design solutions, education and knowledge exchange opportunities, and supporting the growing coastal adaptation & resilience business sector.

Jackie Rondeau

Jackie Rondeau has been in workforce development in Virginia since 2008 and with the Hampton Roads Workforce Council since 2011. Initially, as Business Services Coordinator, she worked with all industries in Hampton Roads and managed the federally funded On The Job Training and Incumbent Worker Training programs in addition to managing the organization’s job board, coordinating hiring events, and representing HRWC on advisory councils and in the community. She is currently working as Director of Employer Engagement – Maritime and managing multiple collaboratives for the industry. She serves on the Virginia Ship Repair Association’s Workforce Development Planning Committee and works closely with shipbuilding and ship repair companies and companies involved with the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel expansion and Offshore Wind projects in our region.

Panelists

Panel 1: Is There Room on The R.A.F.T for Me?

Elizabeth Andrews

Elizabeth formerly was a member of the law faculty at William & Mary Law School, where she directed their Coastal Policy Center and taught practicum classes focused on real-world projects addressing environmental, administrative and land use law topics. During that time, she also co-founded the Resilience Adaptation Feasibility Tool (the RAFT) project, which works with communities across Virginia to help them increase their resilience. In 2023 she was selected as the inaugural Practitioner Fellow for the Environmental Institute at the University of Virginia (UVA), where she authored an online guide to resilience planning for local governments and community leaders in Virginia. In 2024, she was selected as the recipient of the Gerald P. McCarthy Award for Leadership in Environmental Conflict Resolution.

Andrew Larkin, J.D.

Andrew Larkin is the Assistant Director for Engagement for Old Dominion University’s Institute for Coastal Adaptation & Resilience (ICAR), a position he has held since July 2025. Prior to that he served for more than 27 years with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in a variety of NOAA programs, including legislative affairs, ocean policy, coastal zone management, habitat restoration, Chesapeake Bay conservation, and environmental education.

Ben McFarlane

Ben McFarlane is the Chief Resilience Officer for the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission, the regional planning organization for southeastern Virginia. Mr. McFarlane has been working primarily on the Commission’s coastal resources management efforts. He is the lead planner for the Commission’s work on coastal resiliency, coastal zone management, and military-locality coordination. He received a B.A. in Economics and a Master’s of Urban and Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and a Certified Floodplain Manager.

Tammy Mayer Rosario

Tammy Mayer Rosario, AICP, is the Assistant Director of Community Development for James City County. In this role, she helps manage the Community Development Department and enjoys being involved in projects that span across its divisions: Planning, Building and Safety Permits, Zoning, Neighborhood Development, Transportation Planning, and Stormwater and Resource Protection. She also administers the County’s open space program, which is focused on protecting valuable open spaces and stewarding conserved properties.

Dr. Wendy Stout

Wendy Stout is the Director of the Virginia Tech Coastal Collaborator Center in Hampton, VA, Dr. Stout is focused on leading Virginia Tech’s collaboration in the area of coastal resilience and the adaptation economy. Stout’s primary focus is connecting the extensive capacity at VT with coastal stakeholders to solve coastal resilience challenges.

Panel 2: Promoting Sustainable Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Ecosystem Health

Madison Griffin

Madison recognizes the lasting value of informal STEM education for youth, crediting the start of her scientific journey to Duke University’s Environmental Science Summer Program, now known as the Health and Environment Scholars Program. Inspired by its impact on her own trajectory, she designs her broader impacts as a PhD Candidate to support the next generation of scientists. Her outreach focuses on local youth, expanding their awareness of environmental science career paths. Drawing on her passion for statistics and data science, Madison integrates quantitative marine science skills into her outreach. She developed a 7th grade math lesson plan and mentored a rising junior through an exploratory data analysis research project. Her dissertation research at VIMS applies statistical approaches to complex ecological problems, with the goal of informing policy and management decisions. Madison holds a B.S. in Biology with a concentration in Marine Biology from Duke University.

Lisa Lawrence

Lisa Lawrence is the Associate Director of Strategic Initiatives & Broader Impacts in the Office of Outreach and Engagement at William & Mary’s Batten School & VIMS and serves as the VIMS education extension lead for Virginia Sea Grant. She earned her master’s degree in fisheries from VIMS, where her involvement in education and outreach launched her career in marine education. Lisa works with researchers and graduate students to develop meaningful broader impacts, translate research for diverse audiences, and create opportunities for scientists to engage with the public and K–12 communities. She provides guidance on science communication, outreach strategies, and broader impacts planning, helping scientists connect their research and expertise with the needs of their communities.

Dr. Sarah Nuss

Dr. Sarah Nuss is the Director of the Office of Outreach and Engagement where she provides strategic leadership for education and outreach initiatives that connect marine science with students, educators, researchers, and communities. With over two decades of experience in marine science education, Sarah has led the development and implementation of programs ranging from summer marine science camps and experiential field experiences to professional development for teachers and graduate students. She provides strategic oversight for major initiatives including Camp Launch and the Virginia Scientists and Educators Alliance (VA SEA), which connects graduate student research with K–12 education. Sarah’s work and research focus on experiential marine science education, environmental education, teacher preparation, and pathways to careers in ocean science. She is passionate about building partnerships that make marine science more accessible, meaningful, and relevant to diverse audiences.

Kristen Sharpe

Kristen Sharpe is the Associate Director of Outreach and Engagement at W&M’s VIMS & Batten School, where she also received her Master of Science degree in 2021. Kristen’s thesis research investigated the role that zooplankton and their fecal material play in the carbon cycle in the Chesapeake Bay, including diel and seasonal changes in the community. Now, she works at the exciting intersection of research and public engagement, building awareness and support for VIMS & the Batten School’s research initiatives and advisory services among a diverse group of audiences and stakeholders through engaging public-facing events.

Bethany Smith

Bethany Smith is Associate Director of Formal Education in the Office of Outreach and Engagement at William & Mary’s VIMS & Batten School. She leads the design and implementation of education and professional development programs and curriculum for K–12 students, educators, and graduate students. Smith has more than 15 years of experience in marine science education and teaching. Her work focuses on translating marine science research into engaging educational experiences and expanding pathways into ocean science careers. Smith holds an M.S. in Biological Oceanography from William & Mary’s Batten School of Coastal & Marine Sciences and a B.S. in Marine Science from Rider University.

Panel 3: Health on the Half Shell

Ryan Carnegie

Carnegie is a Professor and Chair of the Section for Ecosystem Health, Batten School & VIMS. Ryan is a biologist and parasitologist who has worked on diseases of commercially important oyster, clam, and other shellfish species for over 30 years. Much of his work has used long-term monitoring to gain insight into evolutionary trajectories of oyster-parasite relationships. He always has an eye toward translation and application, however, and his contributions have shaped the foundations of oyster resource management, shellfish restoration, and aquaculture health management throughout the region.

Karen Hudson

Karen Hudson is a Shellfish Aquaculture Extension Specialist with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) and Virginia Sea Grant (VASG) Marine Extension Program. At the core of Karen’s work with VIMS and VASG is building strong partnerships across Virginia’s shellfish aquaculture community. She combines scientific knowledge with hands-on industry insight to connect growers, researchers, and regulators—translating science into practical solutions and advancing sustainable aquaculture. Her current work focuses on shellfish biosecurity through the Regional Shellfish Seed Biosecurity Program and tracking the economic trends shaping Virginia’s bivalve industry.

Lauren Huey

Lauren Huey is the Director of Environmental Communication, Green Fin Studio. Lauren’s work at Green Fin Studio combines a research background with communication expertise to build a more scientifically literate world. Lauren graduated from VIMS in 2018 and was a Virginia Sea Grant Graduate Research Fellow.

Chris Smith

Chris Smith is the Virginia General Manager, Atlantic Aqua Farms & Mobjack Bay Lease Holdings. Chris manages Mobjack Bay Lease Holdings, a vertically integrated shellfish company located on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia. His career in aquaculture has included working in shellfish hatcheries, producing seed oysters, farming operations and seed sales, and developing relationships with oyster producers up and down the East Coast. He brings an industry perspective to concerns around oyster disease, biosecure seed transfers, and the regulatory environment.

Panel 4: Nature Based Solutions for Coastal Resilience

Dr. Sina Razzaghi Asl

Dr. Razzaghi Asl is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science and Geography at Old Dominion University. Dr. Asl specializes in hazards and environmental geography, with research focused on nature-based solutions, flood hazards, disaster vulnerability, geospatial data science, and environmental planning and modeling.

Dr. Abdullah Braik

Dr. Braik ia an Assistant Professor with the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at Old Dominion University. Dr. Braik’s research focuses on coastal and disaster resilience, probabilistic risk assessment, digital twins, structural reliability, and AI-enabled infrastructure systems, with an emphasis on risk-informed decision-making and community resilience.

Dr. Temitope Idowu

Dr. Idowu is an Assistant Professor with the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at Old Dominion University. Dr. Idowu’s research focuses on coastal sustainability, resilience and adaptation, flood risk modeling, coastal processes, GIS and remote sensing, nature-based solutions, and machine-learning applications for coastal and environmental systems.

Dr. Hyun Dong Kim

Dr. Kim is an Assistant Professor with the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at Old Dominion University. Dr. Kim specializes in coastal and ocean engineering, with research focused on coastal hydrodynamics, sediment transport, nature-based solutions, numerical and physical modeling, and AI applications for coastal resilience.

Dr. Lisa Wang

Dr. Wang is an Assistant Professor with the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at Old Dominion University. Dr. Wang’s research focuses on community resilience under multiple hazards, resilience-based design of structural systems, disaster recovery, and data-driven decision support for improving the resilience of buildings and communities.

Dr. Jessica Whitehead

Dr. Jessica Whitehead is the Joan P. Brock Endowed Executive Director of the Institute for Coastal Adaptation and Resilience (ICAR) at Old Dominion University. ICAR’s mission is to advance the practice of coastal resilience and adaptation by engaging with communities, organizations, and businesses to develop and deploy solutions based on integrated, innovative, and applied research. ICAR catalyzes the action needed to build vibrant communities, strong economies, and healthy ecosystems across the Commonwealth of Virginia despite natural hazards and climate change.

Workshops

The Elevator Pitch

Dr. Lisa Cantrell

I am a professor, media producer, and story consultant. I have a doctorate in psychology from Indiana University and a decade of experience researching how humans think. I also have years of experience in story crafting, working as a journalist producing stories for NPR and training individuals in the art of personal narrative as the founder and executive director of Capital Storytelling and the founding consultant at Stories of Science. As a story consultant, I work with businesses in their marketing strategies, coach researchers in effective presentation of data through storytelling, and work with individuals to support them in public presentations, job interviews, and speaking engagements– all by teaching them how to use narrative to connect with and compel listeners.

Mentoring Workshop

Babs Bengston, Ph.D.

Bengston is a prominent learning and development expert and the founder/Chief Learning Officer of the consulting firm 2B Your Best. With over 35 years of experience in talent strategy, instructional design, and corporate training, she specializes in organizational leadership, strengths coaching, and managerial development. She encourages others to unlock the joy of learning so they can enter the world of ideas, explore possibilities, and discover their true potential. Great leadership matters. She truly believes that everyone wins when a leader gets better. Encouraging leaders to stretch, grow, explore, learn, practice, read…is another passion.