Long Island Sound Study Core Program Staff

The core work of the Long Island Sound Study is conducted by staff from EPA (Region 1 and Region 2), the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP),  NEIWPCC, and the New York and Connecticut Sea Grant Programs. The non-EPA staff are funded through the Long Island Sound Study with funds authorized by the Federal Clean Water Act, with the exception of the LISS New York Program Coordinator, who is funded directly by NYSDEC.

EPA

Name, Title, Email, Phone Description of Responsibilities/Activities
Mark Tedesco, Director, EPA Long Island Sound Office 
[email protected] 
203-977-1542 
Direction of office and program
Leah O’Neill, Deputy, EPA Long Island Sound Office 
[email protected] 
617-918-1633 
Overall budget, grants and program policy, nitrogen strategy 
Casey Abel, EPA Communications and Outreach Coordinator 
[email protected] 
617-918-1279 
NEPORT project reporting; Federal Partner Coordination; Indicators Review Team; Communications, Outreach and Engagement Work Group; Contracting Officer’s Representative; Project Officer: NEIWPCC, Interagency Agreements 
Ashley Desrosiers, EPA BIL Coordinator  
[email protected]  
617-918-1574 
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Program; environmental justice; Project Officer: MA State, Community Impact Fund 
Melissa Duvall, EPA Research and Modeling Lead 
[email protected]   
203-977-1545 
Research, modeling, and data analysis; Climate Change and Sentinel Monitoring Workgroup Project Officer: Sea Grant research;  
Kristen Laccetti, EPA BIL Coordinator  
[email protected]  
203-977-1544 
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Program; Sustainable and Resilient Communities Project; Officer: NY State  
Esther Nelson, EPA Federal Partnerships Coordinator 
[email protected] 
212-637-3783 
Federal partner coordination; Watershed & Embayment Work Group; Project Officer: USFWS and Dept. of Agriculture/NRCS interagency agreements 
Evelyn Spencer, EPA Monitoring and Reporting Coordinator 
[email protected] 
617-918-1176 
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Program; Sentinel Monitoring for Climate Change, LISS Tracking and Reporting Tool; Project Officer: CT State 
Cayla Sullivan, EPA Habitat and Reporting Coordinator 
[email protected] 
212-637-3607 
Habitat and Seagrass Lead; Marine Debris; Indicators Review Team; LISS Tracking and Reporting Tool; Project Officer: University of Connecticut/CT National Estuarine Research Reserve 
Nicole Tachiki, EPA Strategic Planning and Environmental Justice Coordinator 
[email protected] 
212-637-3779 
Congressional Reporting; Sustainable and Resilient Communities; Environmental Justice Project officer: CT & NY Sea Grant Programs, Interagency Agreements 
Elizabeth Tanzi, EPA Community Monitoring Coordinator 
[email protected] 
212-637-3778 
Community science; Water Quality Monitoring Work Group; Project Officer: Save the Sound, IEC 
Bessie Wright, EPA Community and Tribal Coordinator 
[email protected] 
617-918-1679 
Environmental Justice; Tribal liaison; Project Officer: Long Island Sound Futures Fund
Note: The project officers also provide support to grantees preparing Quality Assurance Project Plans (QAPPs)

Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP)

Name/Title, Email Description of Responsibilities/Activities
Timothy Hunter,  Environmental Analyst
[email protected]  
Coordinates overall Long Island Sound Study programs for CT DEEP 
Kathleen Knight, Environmental Analyst
[email protected]
Water quality modeling lead
Matt Lyman, Environmental Analyst
[email protected]
Conducts the Long Island Sound Water Quality Monitoring Program
Katie O’Brien-Clayton, Environmental Analyst
[email protected]
Conducts the Long Island Sound Water Quality Monitoring Program
Kelly Streich, Environmental Analyst
[email protected]
TMDL and technical support lead
Harry Yamalis, Environmental Analyst
[email protected]
Coordinates habitat restoration plans and projects in CT

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC)

Name,Title, EmailDescription of Responsibilities/Activities
Christopher Eagler, Division of Water Coordinator1
[email protected]
Coordinates Division of Water programs with focus on Long Island Nitrogen Action Plan
vacancy, Bioextraction Coordinator1
Coordinates Bioextraction Initiative activities
vacancy, NY Habitat Restoration and Stewardship Coordinator

Coordinates habitat restoration and stewardship plans/projects in NY
Samarra Scantlebury, LISS New York
Coordinator2
[email protected]
Coordinates overall Long Island Sound Study program in NY
1 NEIWPCC staff collocated with NYSDEC/ 2 Funded directly by NYSDEC

New York Sea Grant

Name,Title, EmailResponsibilities/Activities
Lillit Genovesi, Western Long Island Sound Outreach Coordinator
[email protected]
Develops and coordinates communications, outreach, and engagement programs in NYC and Westchester County
Elizabeth Hornstein, Sustainable and Resilient Communities Extension Professional
[email protected]
Coordinates and implements sustainable and resilient community activities in Suffolk County
Jimena Perez-Viscasillas, New York Outreach Coordinator
[email protected]
Develops and coordinates communications, outreach, and engagement programs in Nassau and Suffolk Counties
Sara Powell, Sustainable and Resilient
Communities Extension Professional
[email protected]
Coordinates and implements sustainable and resilient community activities in Westchester County
Sarah Schaefer-Brown, Sustainable and
Resilient Communities Extension
Professional
[email protected]
Coordinates and implements sustainable and resilient community activities in Nassau County

NEIWPCC

Name, Title, EmailResponsibilities/Activities
James Ammerman, Science Coordinator
[email protected]
Coordinates LISS science and
research program
vacancy, Environmental Analyst
Overall LISS coordination and
support
Robert Burg, Communications
Coordinator
[email protected]
Coordinates the LISS communications
program, ecosystem targets and indicators
Anya Grondalski, Science Communicator
[email protected]
Develops content for the LISS website,
newsletters, and social media

Connecticut Sea Grant

Name, Title, EmailResponsibilities/Activities
Deborah Abibou, Sustainable and Resilient Communities Extension Professional
[email protected]
Coordinates and implements sustainable and resilient community activities in CT
Margaret Cozens, Connecticut Outreach Coordinator
[email protected]
Develops and coordinates communications, outreach, and engagement programs in CT
Sarah Schechter, Sustainable and Resilient Communities Extension Professional
[email protected]
Coordinates and implements sustainable and resilient community activities in CT

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