The Virginia Coastal Resilience Collaborative (VCRC) Core Advisory Team (CAT) consists of faculty and staff members from W&M and VIMS who assist in accomplishing the VCRC’s mission.
The mission of the Core Advisory Team (CAT) is to:
Serve as an advisory group to the Assistant Provost for Coastal Resilience/Director of the Virginia Coastal Resilience Collaborative.
Serve as an advocate for the VCRC to increase the visibility and impact of existing programs at W&M and VIMS.
Identify opportunities for a university-wide approach to coastal resilience through research, scholarship, and education.
Provide recommended connections and advice on collaborating with other institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
To accomplish its goals, the Core Advisory Team will:
Commit to regular attendance of VCRC Core Advisory Team meetings.
Provide strategic planning guidance for the initiative.
Promote opportunities for collaboration with the VCRC within their school/department.
Assist the initiative in continuously evaluating objectives, assessing outcomes and proactively recommending improvements.
Bring knowledge from their school, department, program and field of study.
Team Members
Floyd, Kay Director of Whole of Government Center of Excellence (COE) Office/Department: Whole of Government Center of Excellence
Team Role: Member
Contact Information: {{https://www.wm.edu/offices/wholeofgovernment/aboutus/directory/floyd-kay.php,Directory Page}}
About: Kathryn H. Floyd '05, Ph.D., is the Director of William & Mary’s Whole of Government Center of Excellence (COE). She is also the Director of the e-internship program, at Global Research Institute, William & Mary. Prior to this, she was the Project Director for the COE, which was commissioned by Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe and Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs John C. Harvey, Jr. Floyd has taught courses in the Government Department on terrorism and security while conducting research on youth and adolescent developments prior to radicalization.
Henshaw, Graham Clinical Associate Professor & Executive Director Office/Department: Alan B. Miller Entrepreneurship Center
Team Role: Member
Contact Information: {{https://mason.wm.edu/faculty/directory/henshaw-g.php,Directory Page}}
About: Graham Henshaw has been teaching in the areas of Entrepreneurship and Innovation & Design at the Raymond A. Mason School of Business since 2012. He earned an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Industrial Design from Virginia Polytechnic Institute.
Luckenbach, Mark Associate Dean of Research and Advisory Services Office/Department: Office of Research and Advisory Services
Team Role: Appointee
Contact Information: {{https://www.vims.edu/people/luckenbach_mw/,Directory Page}}
About: My research interests broadly include the ecology and restoration of shallow-water marine habitats. For the past several years my research has been focused on four areas: (1) the ecology and restoration of native oyster reefs, (2) the biology and ecology of Asian oyster species, (3) interactions between shellfish aquaculture and the environment and (4) land-use practices and water quality in tidal-water environments. Much of this work has involved interdisciplinary and team-based approaches that have included working with physical oceanographers, numerical modelers, and toxicologists.
Manna, Paul Isabelle and Jerome E. Hyman Distinguished University Professor of Government Office/Department: Government
Team Role: Member
Contact Information: {{https://www.wm.edu/as/government/faculty-directory/manna_p.php,Directory Page}}
About: Professor Manna joined the Government Department in 2003, and he also has been a faculty affiliate of the Public Policy Program since arriving at W&M. He earned a B.A. from Northwestern University in 1992 and a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Wisconsin in 2003. Prior to graduate school, he was a high school social studies teacher and debate coach. His research and teaching interests primarily focus on American politics, public policy, and applied research methods.
Mitchell, Molly Assistant Professor of Ecosystem Health Office/Department: Center for Coastal Resources Management
Team Role: Member
Contact Information: {{https://www.vims.edu/people/mitchell_mm/,Directory Page}}
About: My research interests focus on shifts in coastal resources due to the interaction of sea level rise and human-driven changes. Although primarily an ecologist, I work on projects involving physical dynamics (sea level rise trend analysis, shoreline geology) and human decision-making (social vulnerability, sea level rise adaptation, adaptive management application). Changes in shoreline resources are dependent both on the physical processes that drive the natural dynamics of the coastal system and the way in which humans react to those changes. Coastal adaptation (shoreline stabilization, flood walls, etc.) change the physical characteristics of the systems and affect the natural adaptations of the ecological system. Understanding the interaction of these different disciplines is critical to projecting the future of our coastal resources.
Ruppert, Thomas Assistant Provost for Coastal Resilience & Director of the Virginia Coastal Resilience Collaborative Office/Department: Office of the Provost
Team Role: Chair
Contact Information: {{https://www.wm.edu/about/administration/provost/about/leadership/ruppert_t.php,Directory Page}}
About: Thomas Ruppert, Esq., directs the Virginia Coastal Resilience Collaborative and serves as Assistant Provost for Coastal Resilience. In this role, he works with others inside and outside of William & Mary to develop and implement projects to improve the resilience of Virginia local governments. This includes developing collaborations among educational institutions, researchers, communities, governments to determine scientific needs, conduct research, and translate research results into meaningful policy analysis for decision makers.
Stafford, Sarah Professor & Chair of Economics & Professor of Public Policy Office/Department: Economics
Team Role: Member
Contact Information: {{https://www.wm.edu/as/economics/faculty-directory/stafford_s.php,Directory Page}}
About: Sarah Stafford received her B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University in 1990 and her Ph.D. in Economics from Johns Hopkins University in 1998, the same year in which she joined the William and Mary faculty. Her teaching interests include law and economics, regulation, environmental economics, and industrial organization. Professor Stafford's research focuses on the effect of environmental regulations on firm and industry behavior.
