Mark Osler, Senior Advisor for Coastal Inundation and Resilience at NOAA

October 4, 2020

A great show from DC with insight into NOAA's coastal work

In this episode of The Capitol Beach, Derek Brockbank interviews Mark Osler with NOAA. As Senior Advisor for Coastal Inundation and Resilience, Mark works across all of NOAA (its four “Services”, two “Departments” and all sub-units) to coordinate and advance coastal resilience throughout the agency. He has a critical behind-the-scenes role with a great perspective on nearly all of NOAA’s coastal work. This 30 minute interview provides an incredibly encompassing look at how NOAA is addressing coastal resilience and serving coastal communities.  Thoughtful and thorough, Mark is someone coastal scientists and advocates should get to know. Plus, when asked how NOAA is integrating climate change adaptation into its work, Mark dives deep and takes us all the way back to Thomas Jefferson!

Show Transcription
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Derek Brockbank

Derek Brockbank is Executive Director of Coastal States Organization (CSO), which represents the nation’s Coastal States, Territories, and Commonwealths on ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes issues. With two decades of experience in Washington DC on coastal adaptation policy and organizational development, Derek is connecting state coastal management programs with federal agencies and resources in order to address the greatest coastal challenges facing society. He previously served as executive director for the American Shore & Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) where he led the strategic planning and outreach, government affairs, and development goals of the nation’s leading organization advocating for beach and coastal restoration. Prior to starting with ASBPA, Derek worked as campaign director for a coalition effort to restore the Mississippi River Delta and Coastal Louisiana, and was part of a gulf-wide campaign to pass the RESTORE Act, securing billions of dollars for Gulf Coast restoration. This followed up on his work with National Wildlife Federation on climate adaption. Derek grew up in New York City and got his coastal education from an early age playing on the beaches of Long Island, and kayaking and fishing in Peconic Bay.