OLIA Staff Directory

Main Office Telephone: 202-482-4981

For general inquiries, please contact OLIA's Chief of Staff, Meredith Cameron.

For inquires related to Tribal Relations, Intergovernmental Affairs, or one of NOAA's Line Offices, see
below for contact information and portfolio summaries.

Leadership

Meredith Cameron
Acting Director 
Meredith.Cameron@noaa.gov

Melanie Jackson Osborn
Acting Deputy Director 
Melanie.Jackson@noaa.gov

Intergovernmental Affairs & Tribal Relations

Molly Utter
Intergovernmental Advisor  
Tel: 202-961-4366
Molly.Utter@noaa.gov

  • Intergovernmental Affairs - state, county, and community-level outreach.

Becky Cruz Lizama
NOAA Senior Tribal Liaison
Tel: 202-482-0809
Becky.Lizama@noaa.gov

  • Tribal Relations - consultations, communication, and outreach.

Marine and Aviation Operations

Erik Juergensen
Congressional Affairs Specialist (Detail)
Tel: 202-482-3259
Erik.Juergensen@noaa.gov

Amber Fandel 
Congressional Affairs Specialist 
Tel: 202-527-3028
Amber.Fandel@noaa.gov

Atmospheric Team

Ashley Booth
Congressional Affairs Specialist 
Tel: 771- 474-3706                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
Ashley.Booth@noaa.gov
  • National Weather Service (NWS) – all weather-related issues, including: hurricanes & tropical storms; tornadoes & severe storms; winter storms; fire weather; space weather; tsunamis; and forecasts, warnings, alerts, and outlooks.
Mackenzie Solomon
Congressional Affairs Specialist
Tel. 202-525-9059
Mackenzie.Solomon@noaa.gov
  • Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) – including climate science, ocean exploration and research, ocean acidification, air quality research, invasive species, and drought research, including NIDIS, Cooperative Institutes and UxS
Molly Utter  
Congressional Affairs Specialist           
Tel: 202-961-4366                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
Molly.Utter@noaa.gov
  • Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) – including climate science, ocean exploration and research, ocean acidification, air quality research, invasive species, and drought research, including NIDIS, Cooperative Institutes and UxS
Christopher (Topher) Holmes
Congressional Affairs Specialist 
Tel: 202-482-2272
Christopher.Holmes@noaa.gov
  • National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) – satellite issues and data, including GOES, POES and the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS); Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), including NOAA-wide data and information issues; Office of Space Commerce 

 

    Fisheries Team

    Erin Seghesio
    Congressional Affairs Specialist (Detail)
    Tel: 707-578-8515
    Erin.Seghesio@noaa.gov                                                                

    • National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) – West Coast and Pacific Islands Regions. Protected Species and International fisheries.

    Gina Mason 
    Congressional Affairs Specialist
    Tel: 202-308-7224
    Gina.Mason@noaa.gov

    • National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) – South Atlantic, Gulf of America, Caribbean, and Alaska Regions. Aquaculture; Sustainable Fisheries; and Enforcement.

    Oceans Team

    Melanie Jackson Osborn 
    Congressional Affairs Specialist 
    Tel: 202-482-5111
    Melanie.Jackson@noaa.gov

    • National Ocean Service (NOS) -  including National Marine Sanctuaries, National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS), Digital Coast, coastal zone management, coral reef conservation, coastal and estuarine land conservation, and marine protected areas. 

    Michael Jarvis
    Congressional Affairs Specialist
    Tel: 202-482-3595
    Michael.Jarvis@noaa.gov

    • National Ocean Service (NOS) – including mapping and charting, geodesy, oil spill response, natural resource damage assessment and restoration, marine debris, harmful algal blooms, hypoxia, operational oceanographic products and services, and integrated ocean observing system. 

    Legislative Team

    Katheryn Patterson
    Legislative Affairs Specialist
    Tel: 202-875-3478
    Katheryn.Patterson@noaa.gov

    • Congressional testimony, Questions for the Record (QFRs), hearing transcripts, Legislative Referral Memorandums (LRMs), presidential proclamations, views letters, and enrolled bill letters.

    Velna L. Bullock
    Legislative Affairs Analyst
    Tel: 202-482-5833
    Velna.L.Bullock@noaa.gov

    • Congressional Events Report, mandated Congressional Reports, Legislative Referral Memorandums (LRMs), NOAA's Membership Outreach Database (MOD), NOAA grants, Records Liaison Officer, and special legislative projects.

     

    Administrative Team

    Velna L. Bullock
    Legislative Affairs Analyst
    Tel: 202-482-5833
    Velna.L.Bullock@noaa.gov

    • Executive correspondence, procurement, and administrative support for Legislative Affairs.

    Fellows and Scholars

    Eliza Thomas 
    2024 Knauss Sea Grant Fellow
    Tel: 202-768-3774
    Eliza.Thomas@noaa.gov

    • Office of Education, NOAA in the Caribbean, Arctic, and NOAA's Regional Collaboration Network.

    Naima Halim-Chestnut
    2024 Presidential Management Council Interagency Rotation Program Fellow