Margaret A. Davidson
Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Management, National Ocean Service (NOS)

Margaret Davidson has focused her professional work on environmentally sustainable aquaculture, mitigation of coastal hazards, and impacts of climate vairability on coastal resources. She comes to NOS after serving as the Director of NOAA's Coastal Services Center, which works with NOAA and its partners to bring the latest scientific research and technology to state and local coastal resource managers.

Gary B. Griggs
Professor of Earth Sciences; Director, Institute of Marine Sciences, Coastal Processes and Geologic Hazards

Gary Griggs' research is focused on the coastal zone. His recent projects have focused on documenting and understanding shoreline erosion processes; evaluating the effectiveness of coastal protection structures and their impacts on coastal processes and beaches; evaluating the mechanisms that move sediment along high energy rocky coastlines; and quantifying littoral cell budgets.

Jay Barnes
Author and Historian

Jay Barnes has written and lectured widely on the hurricane history in the U.S. His award-winning books, North Carolina's Hurricane History and Florida's Hurricane History, chronicle the storm histories of these hurricane-prone states, documenting their meterological, geographical, social, and economic impacts over the last four centuries. Jay has served as Director of the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores since 1989.