Meet Our Team
Our dedicated staff, interns, and volunteer governing committees bridge science and policy to deliver solutions to the Narragansett Bay region’s most complex challenges.
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Staff
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Courtney Schmidt
Staff Scientist
Courtney has been the Staff Scientist at NBEP since July 2014. She manages scientific projects and programs, collaborates with regional partners to synthesize data, fill data gaps, identify research needs, and manage the implementation of projects. She manages the Internship Program, supporting NBEP programs and provides meaningful learning experiences for students. Courtney earned Master’s and Ph.D degrees from the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography, and a Bachelor’s of Science from the University of Tampa. Courtney is a graduate of Leadership Rhode Island (2019 class). Courtney shares her life with her husband, two sons, mom, and a dog.
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Darcy Young
Executive Director
Darcy's work with NBEP revolves around creating, sustaining, and celebrating partnerships to engage people in watershed restoration. Darcy holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees in biology from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. She joined NBEP as the Watershed Outreach Manager in 2022. Prior to joining NBEP, Darcy spent seven years working with a sister National Estuary Program on the west coast of Florida. You can find her hiking, mushroom hunting, reading, cycling, and chasing her two young daughters.
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Danielle Moore
Watershed Outreach Manager
Danielle joined the NBEP team in August 2024 as the Watershed Outreach Manager. Her work involves collaborating with partners and communicating the work of NBEP’s partnerships to promote restoration and stewardship throughout the Narragansett Bay region. Danielle has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Marine Science and Oceanography, and a certificate in Science Writing and Rhetoric from the University of Rhode Island. She enjoys reading, music, and spending time outdoors.
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Jennifer Rogers
Staff Ecologist
Jennifer is an aquatic ecologist with experience studying coastal salt marsh, rocky intertidal habitats, and freshwater streams. She is interested in bridging the gap between science and management by bringing stakeholders together across organizations to improve restoration and conservation decisions and conducting research that is rooted in management needs. She received her B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, in 2011 and her M.S. and D.Env. from the University of California, Los Angeles in Environmental Health Sciences (2015) and Environmental Science and Engineering (2019), respectively. Jennifer enjoys spending time outside with her husband and two daughters.
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Mariel Sorlien
Geospatial and Design Manager
Mariel has been the Geospatial and Design Manager since May 2022. She works with partners to analyze data, make maps, and build story maps. Mariel has a Masters Degree in Environmental Science and Management and a graduate certificate in GIS and Remote Sensing from the University of Rhode Island. She enjoys hiking, writing, and crochet.
Interns
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Abigail St. Jean
SEAC-RI Intern
Standing Committees
We have three standing committees and several ad-hoc groups that guide the program.
Click to committee pages to view meeting schedule, meeting materials, and members.
NBEP Steering Committee
The Steering Committee is a stakeholder-driven partnership that is the primary governing body of NBEP, serving as a forum for open discussion, consensus building, and collaborative decision-making.
NBEP Executive Committee
The Executive Committee is a designated subset of the Steering Committee that offers counsel on major decisions facing the NBEP Director, Steering Committee, or program.
Science Advisory Committee
The Science Advisory Committee works to integrate science with management decision-making and offers guidance to ensure the scientific integrity of NBEP’s work.
National Estuary Program
The National Estuary Program (NEP) is an EPA place-based program founded to protect and restore the water quality and ecological integrity of estuaries of national significance. All 28 Estuary Programs are members of the Association of National Estuary Programs, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and restoration of our nation’s bays and estuaries.
Learn More About Us
Roger Williams University is a forward-thinking private university committed to strengthening society through engaged teaching and learning. RWU is leading the way in American higher education, confronting the most pressing issues facing students and families – increasing costs, rising debt and job readiness.
In overseeing and managing the national program, EPA provides annual funding, national guidance and technical assistance to the local National Estuary Programs.
The National Estuary Program (NEP) is an EPA place-based program founded to protect and restore the water quality and ecological integrity of estuaries of national significance.