Moderator

Lauren Alexander Augustine

Executive Director for the Gulf Research Program

Speakers

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1. Moderator: Dr. Lauren Alexander Augustine is the Executive Director for the Gulf Research Program. She is responsible for overseeing all aspects of management and use of the criminal settlement funds from the Deepwater Horizon disaster that were entrusted with the National Academies by the federal government. This includes fulfilling the vision, defining the strategic direction, and leading the development and implementation of this multi-dimensional, science-based program. Since her tenure at the National Academies began in 2002, Lauren has gained experience working in a variety of roles on a broad range of topics pertaining to water, natural disasters, and resilience. Prior to joining the Gulf Research Program in 2018, she served as Director of the Resilient America Program, which supports communities’ efforts to build resilience to extreme events using science and diverse stakeholder engagement. In addition, she has formerly served as Country Director for the African Science Academy Development Initiative (ASADI), a decadal program that built scientific capacity in national academies across Africa; as Director of the Disasters Roundtable; and as a study director for the Water Science and Technology Board. Outside of her work at the National Academies, Lauren has served on the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Risk and Resilience; was a member of the Advisory Board for the American Geophysical Union’s Thriving Earth Exchange program; and was a juror for two resilience competitions, Rebuild by Design for recovery after Hurricane Sandy and Resilience by Design in San Francisco. She is also a NATO Expert for the Civil Protection Group.  Lauren earned her B.S. in applied mathematics and systems engineering and her M.S. in environmental planning and policy from the University of Virginia, and her Ph.D. in an interdisciplinary program that combined physical hydrology, geomorphology, and ecology from Harvard University. 

2. Panelist: Courtney McGeachy currently serves as the Director of the Ocean Visions – UN Decade Collaborative Center for Ocean Climate Solutions. Courtney previously directed the GOLD+ Program (planetGOLD) at Conservation International. Prior to joining Conservation International, Courtney served as the Principal of the Pew Marine Fellows Program at the Pew Charitable Trusts, as well as the Manager of the Marine Conservation portfolio at the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. During her time at the National Fish Wildlife Foundation, Courtney managed several marine conservation programs including the Fishing for Energy Program, Coral Reef Conservation Program, and the Emergency Prescott Grants Program just to name a few. Courtney holds a B.Sc. degree in Marine and Environmental Science from Hampton University, and a M.Sc. in Marine and Estuarine sciences from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Courtney also previously served as a co-chair for Integrity, Diversity and Equity at the Citizen Science Association. 

3. Panelist: Dr. Amanda Tritinger is a Research Hydraulic Engineer with expertise in Coastal Engineering with a focus in numerical modeling and Engineering with Nature.  In the past year, she has worked with the Engineering Research and Development Center’s Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory (ERDC’s CHL). Her research goal is to help create a more resilient future for America’s coastal communities.  Amanda Tritinger received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Engineering at the University of Central Florida, her Master of Science Degree in Civil Engineering at the University of North Florida, and her Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Coastal and Oceanographic Engineering at the University of Florida.  She has been the Assistant Program Manager for the Engineering With Nature program since March of 2021. In 2021, Dr. Tritinger received the CHL’s Team Member Award and CHL’s Achievement of Army Award. She is also Leadership and Development (level 1) graduate. Her work has been published in Environmental Modeling & Assessment and she is regularly involved in EWN research collaboration with the University of Georgia. 

4. Panelist: Jean Cowan is the Senior Project Manager with The Water Institute. After 15 years working on applied research at marine science laboratories, Cowan worked at Louisiana Department of Natural Resource as a coastal resource scientist during a pivotal time in Louisiana’s coastal work 2002-2007. In 2007, Cowan moved to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration where she spent nine years as a marine habitat resource specialist working on Natural Resources Damage Assessment and Restoration until May 2016. As restoration from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill continued, Cowan became the associate director of science, planning, and program operations for the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council. Most recently, Cowan was the director of the Ecosystem Restoration Programs for the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council where she led the development of programmatic documents that guide the Council’s restoration decisions, worked to develop consensus among council members and coordinated the development of the Council’s science-based monitoring and adaptive management guidelines. 

4. Panelist: Camille Manning-Broome is the President and CEO of the Center for Planning Excellence, a nonprofit that delivers visionary plans, model land use tools, and policy guidance to the state of Louisiana and its local governments. Camille’s leadership on issues around climate adaptation, climate-induced migration, people-first infrastructure, and resident-led community planning has contributed to the transformation of cities, towns and parishes throughout Louisiana, and her expertise is sought out by peers across the globe. She has been instrumental in developing a whole-of-government framework for integrating climate data and risk management into state decision making. Her collaborations with international partners have placed Louisiana in the center of the conversation around climate change issues, promoting a bold, inclusive, and sustainable vision for the future while ensuring Louisiana maintains its unique strengths. Camille’s prior career experience includes work in nonprofit, private and government sectors. After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, she was among the first planners on the ground, working across 36 parishes to develop the Louisiana Speaks regional plan. She served as Assistant Deputy of Operations for FEMA’s Long-Term Community Recovery group and was later recruited to the Shaw Group where she co-authored Louisiana’s first Coastal Master Plan. She has attended Congressional delegation trips to the Netherlands and Japan to study water and disaster management. Camille has a B.A. in Art History and an M.A. in Environmental Science with an emphasis on Disaster Science and Management from Louisiana State University.