David Waggonner is the founding principal of Waggonner & Ball, an internationally active architecture and environment practice based in New Orleans. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, David saw an opportunity for New Orleans to reinvent itself as a sustainable city that embraces its lifeblood: water. He championed a process that examines histor…

Jacqueline Richard is the Director of Coastal Studies & GIS Technologies at Nunez Community College, where she has led the program since 2022. She has decades of experience in the field and the classroom studying Louisiana’s disappearing coast. Jacqueline was also recently named among the winners of the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana’s (CRC…

Jessica Dandridge-Smith is the Executive Director for The Water Collaborative, an organization dedicated to urban water management in the Greater New Orleans region. As Executive Director, Jessica focuses on community led adaptation and mitigation as the core to water justice and climate resiliency strategies. Today The Water Collaborative focuses …

Peter Waggonner is the Public Policy Director for Greater New Orleans, Inc., Southeast Louisiana’s regional economic development organization. His portfolio encompasses infrastructure, insurance, and the environment at local, state, and federal levels. He also manages the Coalition for Sustainable Flood Insurance (CSFI) and GNO, Inc.’s resilience w…

Halle Parker is the Coastal Desk Reporter for WWNO - New Orleans Public Radio. She reports on a wide range of environmental topics including Louisiana’s coastal landloss crisis, the energy sector, environmental justice issues, and much more. She is also the co-host of WWNO’s Sea Change podcast. WWNO’s Coastal Desk - https://www.wwno.org/coastal-des…

Dan Favre is the Director of Environmental Programs at the Greater New Orleans Foundation, an institution dedicated to driving positive impact through philanthropy, leadership, and action in the Greater New Orleans Region. Dan has spent many years working in environmental advocacy. In this position, Dan works to ensure equitable climate change adap…

Scott Ancar is the Owner and Manager of Jennie V’s Seafood, an oyster distributor based in Houma, Louisiana. Scott is a pillar in the oyster industry, bringing over 35 years of oyster harvesting and farming experience. He runs Jennie V’s Seafood together with his wife, Jennie V Ancar. Jennie V’s Seafood: https://www.jennievsseafood.com/ To watch ou…

Renee Collini, Ph.D., Director of the Gulf Center for Equitable Climate Resilience at The Water Institute, brings years of experience in providing tools and support to federal, state, and local entities pursuing adaptation and resilience strategies. In her position, Renee draws from on-the-ground experience working in underserved communities and na…

Erik Johnson is the Director of Conservation Science for the Audubon Delta office of the National Audubon Society. Audubon Delta works across Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds and their habitats. Erik joined Audubon in April 2011 as a Conservation Biologist for the Mississippi Flyway …

Jessica Henkel is the Deputy Director to the Chief Scientist at the Water Institute as well as the Director of the RESTORE Act Center of Excellence for Louisiana. Jessica brings 15 years of research, collaborative science and planning to her role coordinating technical teams at The Water Institute. Her areas of expertise include science advising an…

Dean Wilson is the Executive Director and Founder of Atchafalaya Basinkeeper. A member organization of Waterkeeper Alliance, Atchafalaya Basinkeeper’s mission is to protect and restore the swamps, lakes, rivers, streams and bayous of the Atchafalaya Basin for future generations. Dean is deeply passionate about the Atchafalaya Basin. When he is not …

Beaux Jones is the President and CEO of the Water Institute, an independent, non-profit applied research organization that works across disciplines to advance science and develop integrated methods used to solve complex environmental and societal challenges. Beaux has extensive experience in environmental and coastal law and previously served as th…

Alisha Renfro is the Senior Manager for Science Policy & the Gulf Program at the National Wildlife Federation, a conservation organization that’s part of the Restore the Mississippi River Delta’s 5-group coalition. At the National Wildlife Federation, Alisha works to ensure the best available science is used to highlight the ecological and economic…

Mark Schexnayder is the Senior Biologist at Batture, a civil engineering and land surveying firm based in New Orleans that specializes in coastal projects. Mark is a career biologist who has previously held respected roles at the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and LSU AgCenter. Mark also helped craft the Bayou St. John Management Pl…

Katie is the Executive Director of the Woodlands Conservancy, a nonprofit land trust organized to preserve and restore forested wetlands and other ecologically or historically significant lands in Louisiana. The vision of Woodlands Conservancy is to be the regional model for the conservation of hardwood forests, and a leader in the advocacy and pre…

John Sabo is the Director of the Tulane ByWater Institute, a research institute dedicated to advancing the resilience of water resources in New Orleans, the Mississippi River Basin and in tropical river basins in the developing world. He is also a Professor in the Department of Coastal & River Science and Engineering in the School of Science and En…

Susan Russell is the Executive Director for Keep Louisiana Beautiful, an anti-litter and community improvement non-profit organization focused on achieving a clean and beautiful Louisiana. Susan has served in this position since 2014. Before leading the state office, she served as the local affiliate director for Keep Mandeville Beautiful. Keep Lou…

Darilyn Turner is the Executive Director for the Zion Travellers Cooperative Center, a faith-based nonprofit and community development corporation that serves the communities of lower east Plaquemines parish. Zion provides services that are centered around educating, community organizing and leadership, and advocates for healthy, restored wetlands.…

Sal Sunseri is the Owner and Director of P&J Oysters, a New Orleans-based oyster company that has been processing and distributing oysters since 1876. P&J has long been a family-run business, with Sal following in the footsteps of several generations of Sunseri’s. P&J Oyster Co.: http://oysterlover.com/index.html For more information and past episo…

Seth Blitch is the Louisiana Director of Conservation for the Nature Conservancy, a global environmental nonprofit organization that impacts conservation in 79 countries and territories. Previously the Louisiana Director of Coastal and Marine Conservation, Seth has worked at the Nature Conservancy for over 13 years. Louisiana Nature Conservancy: ht…

Dr. Alex Kolker is an Associate Professor at the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON). LUMCON is a hub for Louisiana marine science through its dynamic and community-oriented research center. Alex is an oceanographer, geologist, and climate scientist and that has worked across the world. LUMCON: https://lumcon.edu/ Dr. Alex Kolker: htt…

Khai Nguyen is the Co-Executive Director for the Song Community Development Corporation, a nonprofit organization serving New Orleans East that works to improve the quality of life of residents through their justice work in health, climate, environment, food, education, housing, workforce as well as the culture and arts. Song Community Development …

Simone Maloz is the Campaign Director for Restore the Mississippi River Delta, a 5-group coalition consisting of the Environmental Defense Fund, the National Audubon Society, the National Wildlife Federation, the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, and the Pontchartrain Conservancy. Restore the Mississippi River Delta: https://mississippiriverd…

Regardt (Reggie) Ferreira, Ph.D., is the Director of Tulane University’s Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy, Executive Director of the Consortium for Equitable Disaster Resilience, and Associate Professor of Social Work at Tulane University. Disaster Resilience Leadership Academy: https://tssw.tulane.edu/disaster-resilience Consortium for Equit…

Austin Feldbaum is the Director of Hazard Mitigation for the City of New Orleans. The Hazard Mitigation office aims to lessen the damaging impact of future disasters for the city by taking action now to reduce risk and by working with other local, state, and federal partners to ensure a resilient future for New Orleans. Hazard Mitigation Office, Ci…

Patty Ferguson-Bohnee is an attorney at Sacks Tierney, a clinical professor of law, and the Director of the Indian Legal Clinic at the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. She is also a member of the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe and has substantial experience in Indian law, election law and policy matters, voting rights, …

James Karst is the Director of Communications for The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL), which was Louisiana’s first statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to coastal restoration. James is also a former journalist in New Orleans, having worked for many years as an editor at The Times-Picayune. He was on the newspaper’s staff that wo…

April Newman is a Project Manager at the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana, where she oversees multiple coastal restoration projects for the State of Louisiana. Her academic background is in process hydrology with published research in wetlands, landscape-scale hydrologic connectivity, and soil carbon cycling. Coastal Protec…

Polly Glover is the Project Coordinator for the non-profit coastal advocacy group, Restore or Retreat, where she plans and executes a variety of volunteer events in the field. Her family roots run deep in the Louisiana wetlands, with her father, John Edgar Land, involved in designing the state’s first large engineered river-diversion project. Resto…

Rudy Simoneaux is the Chief of Engineering for the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana, where he has worked as an Engineer since 2004. During his time at the CPRA, Simoneaux has worked on some of the largest and most complex environmental restoration projects in state history. Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority: http…

Kristi Trail is the Executive Director for the Pontchartrain Conservancy, a non-profit organization representing the Lake Pontchartrain Basin, whose mission is to drive environmental sustainability and stewardship through scientific research, education, and advocacy. Pontchartrain Conservancy: https://scienceforourcoast.org/ Watch this episode on Y…

Dr. Joseph Orgeron is the Executive Director for Restore or Retreat, a non-profit coastal advocacy group created by coastal Louisiana residents and stakeholders that seeks to identify and expedite the implementation of aggressive, large-scale restoration projects to protect this irreplaceable region. Joseph is also an elected Louisiana State Repres…

Bren Haase is currently the Board Chairman for the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) in Louisiana. Bren has over 20 years of experience working in the coastal restoration sector and has previously held a number of positions at the CPRA including Executive Director, Deputy Executive Director, and Division Chief of Planning and Rese…

Franziska Trautmann is the Co-Founder & CEO of Glass Half Full, a New Orleans based glass recycling company. In response to the lack of recycling options in New Orleans, Franziska started Glass Half Full with her co-founder Max Steitz while they were seniors at Tulane University in 2020. Franziska also serves as Glaf Half Full’s resident chemical e…

Jonathan Foret is the Executive Director of the South Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center in Houma, LA. Jonathan is responsible for the day to day operations of the organization and implementing the programs of the Wetlands Discovery Center. He has over 10 years of nonprofit administrative, management and fundraising experience on international, na…

Dr. Denise Reed is a nationally and internationally recognized expert in coastal marsh sustainability and the role of human activities in modifying coastal systems with over 30 years of experience studying coastal issues in the United States and abroad. Dr. Reed has served as a Distinguished Research Professor in the University of New Orleans’ Depa…

On Our Watch is a podcast that examines Louisiana’s coastal land loss crisis and the ways in which it impacts our communities, industries and culture. This podcast will explore issues facing the Louisiana coast through conversations with local residents, community leaders, and experts. For more information, and past episodes, visit: https://onourwa…