Leadership Council

The Leadership Council for the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership works with the program office and its host agency to support, evaluate, update, advocate and guide the implementation of APNEP's mission.

The Leadership Council was most recently restructured and reauthorized through North Carolina Governor's Executive Order #250 in 2022. The Leadership Council includes representation from various interests in the basin, as well as representatives from APNEP two other management conferences including the Science and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) and the Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC).   

                                     Current Bylaws                LC Meeting Materials

Current Membership

NameOrganizationEmail Address
Dr. Kirk Havens (ChairVirginia Institute of Marine Sciences, Center for Coastal Resource Management kirk@vims.edu
Dr. Tom Allen (CAC Rep.)Old Dominion University tallen@odu.edu
Dr. Wilson Laney (STAC Rep.)North Carolina State University, Dept of Applied Ecologyrallaneys@gmail.com
Adrienne KotulaVA Deputy Secretary of Natural and Historic Resourcesadrienne.kotula@governor.virginia.gov
Dr. Rua Mordecai (STAC Rep.)South Atlantic and Southeast Conservation Blueprintrua_mordecai@fws.gov
Jeff Michael Deputy Secretary of Natural Resources; NC- DNCR, Secretary Designeejeff.michael@dncr.nc.gov
Braxton DavisExecutive Director at NC Coastal Federationbraxtond@nccoast.org
Wade LehmannSupervisory Biologist at US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)lehmann.wade@epa.gov
Eric WalbergHampton Roads Planning District Commissionewalberg@hrpdcva.gov
John NicholsonChief Deputy Secretary for the NC Department of Environmental Qualityjohn.nicholson@deq.nc.gov
Karen Forget (CAC Rep.)Lynnhaven River Nowkaren@lrnow.org
Dr. Susan WhiteN.C. Sea Grant snwhite3@ncsu.edu