Program: M.A.M.A., graduated 2017
Current Position: Coastal Management Specialist, NOAA Office for Coastal Management via Lynker

Biography: Nelle graduated from URI in 2017 with Master’s degrees in Marine Affairs and Environmental Science and Management. Nelle is a Coastal Management Specialist for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Coastal Management through Lykner. She serves as Program Officer for New Jersey, New York, and Delaware coastal management programs and supports the designation process for a proposed National Estuarine Research Reserve in Connecticut. Prior to joining NOAA, Nelle was an Environmental Analyst with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) through NEIWPCC. At NYSDEC she led the Nutrient Bioextraction Initiative, where she assessed potential challenges to and identified opportunities for expansion of commercial shellfish and seaweed aquaculture as a nutrient resource management strategy in New York and Connecticut’s coastal waters. Additionally, she focused on advancing New York’s aquaculture industry by evaluating current regulatory conditions, making policy recommendations, and partnering with the aquaculture industry to conduct pilot projects.