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Chad Leister - Coastal Training Program Coordinator for the Mission-Aransas NERR, Texas
Name: Chad Leister
What is your expertise or focus area?
My training is in environmental science and policy as well as economics. I work for the NERRS as a Coastal Training Program Coordinator. In this role I seek to provide up-to-date science-based information to coastal decision-makers in a wide variety of topics so that this information can be used to inform the decision-making process. I also interact regularly with local constituents as I try to stay informed of local issues so that I can tailor training topics and methods to meet the needs of local decision-makers.
What education, training, and experiences led you to your current job with the NERRS?
I have a Master of Environmental Management at Duke University in North Carolina. The title of my master's project is: "The Future of the Wild-Capture Shrimp Fishery in Coastal Carolina Communities." This project had a double focus: Coastal Environmental Management; Economics and Environmental Policy. I also have a Bachelor of Arts from Duke University in North Carolina with a double major in Environmental Sciences and Policy, Economics and a minor: History.
Land Conservation Analyst with The Wilderness Society. In this position I evaluated possible designations for the unprotected wilderness areas near Macon, GA. The Wilderness Society distributed my analysis of the conservation options statewide to educate diverse parties and I presented aspects of my analysis at a public meeting in Macon.
Consultant for ICF Consulting (ICF International) in Fairfax, VA. I worked on several projects at a time in a variety of fields. Some of my projects included Agro-terror defense vulnerabilities, waste and recycling management under RCRA and CERLCA and revising and updating a database for the EPA Office of Underground Storage Tanks.
Fisheries Economics Assistant for Dr. Martin Smith, Assistant Professor in Environmental Economics. Created a database for global fisheries and stock status, assisted with a survey effort of fishers in the Gulf of Mexico, and performed statistical analyses as needed.
What are some interesting aspects of your job?
Someone once described my job as being professionally enabled to do all the things in your community that you always wanted to do but didn’t have the time. This job gives me an opportunity to be a resource for my local community.
What is the most unusual or most unexpected thing that has happened to you while working with or in estuaries?
I went to Singapore and Malaysia to study tropical urban ecology and ended up walking through a mangrove at night in order to learn about the local flora and fauna. This experience was enhanced by the knee-deep mud and heavy rain than complicated our efforts.
What is your proudest achievement in your job?
My proudest achievement has been the development and distribution of a comprehensive survey evaluating the abilities of coastal decision-makers’ general understanding of coastal environmental issues, work-related experience with coastal environmental issues, and perceived need for professional training in coastal environmental issues. This information will prove extremely valuable in the development of a Needs Assessment to characterize the needs of nearby communities.
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Last Updated on: 07-01-2008
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