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
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 a 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.
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.
Darcy Young, Executive Director
Darcy joined NBEP as the Watershed Outreach Manager in 2022. After seven years with the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program in Florida, Darcy was thrilled to return to her New England roots. Her work with NBEP revolves around creating, sustaining, and celebrating community partnerships to engage people in watershed restoration. Darcy holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees in biology from Clark University. You can find her hiking, mushroom hunting, reading, baking bread, cycling, and chasing her toddler.
Former Interns
Gabriella Placido
is pursuing her Master of Environmental Science and Management (MESM) at the University of Rhode Island. She focused on development of the Estuary Program partnership and Vision 2032. Her research on collaborative governance and strategic partnerships serves as her capstone project for her MESM degree.
Katherine Altamirano
is a 2020 graduate of Dickinson College in Pennsylvania with extensive experience in GIS, data collection, and science communication. She worked on environmental justice mapping, and NBEP’s land use science update, and participated in NBEP’s social science group and the Vision 2032 process.
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.