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Organizational Excellence powered by diverse perspectives.

Our Staff work to engage the scientific community and interdisciplinary partners to understand and adapt to changing ocean conditions and challenges in marine and coastal communities.

Meet Our Team

Director
Position to be filled
Dwight Gledhill
Deputy Director
Dwight Gledhill, Ph.D.
Program manager
Erica Ombres, Ph.D.
Education and Outreach Coordinator
Liz Perotti, PhD
Administrative Management Specialist
Temmie Taylor
Coral Reef Coordinator
John Tomczuk
Gabby Kitch, NOAA marine carbon dioxide removal lead
Carbon Dioxide Removal Program Lead
Gabby Kitch, PhD
Field Operations Manager
Liza Wright-Fairbanks, PhD
Extramural Project Specialist
Alexandra Puritz
IWG-OA Coordinator
Courtney Witkowski
Intramural Project Specialist
Kaity Goldsmith
INTERNATIONAL POLICY FELLOW
Kalina Grabb
CAPACITY BUILDING AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT FELLOW
Natalie Lord

Commitment to Diversity, Equity,
Inclusion & Accessibility

Letter from Our Director
OAP's Action Plan to Address Diversity & Inclusion

NOAA and NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) are committed to furthering the core values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility by “creating, promoting, and sustaining a workplace where the talents of all individuals are nurtured, recognized and appreciated.” The NOAA Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan and the NOAA OAR Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Strategic Plan outline the strategies for furthering these core values. The Ocean Acidification Program (OAP) is dedicated to supporting the broader NOAA missions through program-level action and engagement.

At OAP, we recognize that our work benefits from the diverse perspectives of our staff, stakeholders, and the public we serve. We strive to create an equitable and inclusive work environment free from discrimination and harassment so that all community members are able to contribute and thrive. We have the responsibility of supporting work that will better prepare society to respond to ocean change, and we acknowledge that our goals can only be fully realized by encouraging interdisciplinary, equitable representation in that work. We are committed to the long-term, sustained effort it will take to fulfill this mission.

Learn more about OAP’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility on the NOAA Research DEIA web page.

We have identified key goals for increasing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEI&A) in OAP activities. Below is an overview of our efforts toward achieving these goals. 

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ADAPTING TO OCEAN ACIDIFICATION

The NOAA Ocean Acidification Program (OAP) works to prepare society to adapt to the consequences of ocean acidification and conserve marine ecosystems as acidification occurs. Learn more about the human connections and adaptation strategies from these efforts.

Adaptation approaches fostered by the OAP include:

FORECASTING

Using models and research to understand the sensitivity of organisms and ecosystems to ocean acidification to make predictions about the future, allowing communities and industries to prepare

MANAGEMENT

Using these models and predictions as tools to facilitate management strategies that will protect marine resources and communities from future changes

TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

Developing innovative tools to help monitor ocean acidification and mitigate changing ocean chemistry locally

REDUCING OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT

On the Road

Drive fuel-efficient vehicles or choose public transportation. Choose your bike or walk! Don't sit idle for more than 30 seconds. Keep your tires properly inflated.

With your Food Choices

Eat local- this helps cut down on production and transport! Reduce your meat and dairy. Compost to avoid food waste ending up in the landfill

With your Food Choices

Make energy-efficient choices for your appliances and lighting. Heat and cool efficiently! Change your air filters and program your thermostat, seal and insulate your home, and support clean energy sources

By Reducing Coastal Acidification

Reduce your use of fertilizers, Improve sewage treatment and run off, and Protect and restore coastal habitats

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TAKE ACTION WITH YOUR COMMUNITY

You've taken the first step to learn more about ocean acidification - why not spread this knowledge to your community?

Every community has their unique culture, economy and ecology and what’s at stake from ocean acidification may be different depending on where you live.  As a community member, you can take a larger role in educating the public about ocean acidification. Creating awareness is the first step to taking action.  As communities gain traction, neighboring regions that share marine resources can build larger coalitions to address ocean acidification.  Here are some ideas to get started:

  1. Work with informal educators, such as aquarium outreach programs and local non-profits, to teach the public about ocean acidification. Visit our Education & Outreach page to find the newest tools!
  2. Participate in habitat restoration efforts to restore habitats that help mitigate the effects of coastal acidification
  3. Facilitate conversations with local businesses that might be affected by ocean acidification, building a plan for the future.
  4. Partner with local community efforts to mitigate the driver behind ocean acidification  – excess CO2 – such as community supported agriculture, bike & car shares and other public transportation options.
  5. Contact your regional Coastal Acidification Network (CAN) to learn how OA is affecting your region and more ideas about how you can get involved in your community
       More for Taking Community Action