Established as a Sea Grant College Program in 1971, New York Sea Grant is a cooperative program of the State University of New York (SUNY) and Cornell University (Cornell), and is administratively based at Stony Brook University (SBU) and Cornell.

This multi-institution structure yields unique strengths for the implementation of NYSG, resulting in a highly diverse range of researchers (and disciplines) funded across the State, number of institutions and partners who collaborate with our extension program, and representation on our Board of Governors (Board) and Program Advisory Council (PAC).


Advisory Boards

Board of Governors

The Board provides overall program oversight, policy-setting, and strategic guidance, and approves the strategic plan and annual core budget. The Board includes representatives appointed by the SUNY Chancellor and the President of Cornell (five each). The Board also includes two university at-large members, one each appointed by SUNY and Cornell, as well as ex officio members representing the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Empire State Development. The chairperson of the Board rotates biannually between the two host institutions (SUNY and Cornell), as does the Vice-Chair, representing the alternate host institution to the Chair.

The current Chair is Dr. Kristen Eichhorn, Dean of Graduate Studies at SUNY Oswego, and Vice-Chair Dr. Margaret Smith, Associate Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Director of Cornell Agriculture and Experiment Station, Cornell University.

Full Board functions and responsibilities are codified in the Board of Governors by-laws.

New York Sea Grant Institute Board of Governors Members (as of November 2024)

Dr. Diana Aga Director, Research and Education in Energy, The RENEW Institute, University at Buffalo

Dr. Esther Angert, Senior Associate Dean of College of Agriculture and Life Sciences & Professor, Department of Microbiology, Cornell University

Dr. Kristen C. Eichhorn, Dean, Graduate Studies, State University of New York, Oswego

Dr. Katherine McComas, Vice Provost, Office of the Vice Provost, Cornell University

Dr. David H. Newman, Professor and College Ombudsman, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Dr. Phillip Ortiz, Assistant Provost for Undergraduate and STEM Education, and Coordinator, Empire State STEM Learning Network, The State University of New York

Dr. Paul Shepson, Dean and Director of the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University

Dr. Margaret Smith, Vice-Chair of the Board of Governors, Director and Associate Dean, Cornell Agricultural Experiment Station, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University

Dr. Richard Stedman, Professor and Chair, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Cornell University

Dr. Andrew Turner, Associate Dean, Director, Cornell Cooperative Extension Colleges of Agriculture & Life Sciences and Human Ecology, Cornell University

Dr. Kim Wagner Managing Partner, TBGD Partners

Michael E. White, Esq. Winters Bros.


Ex-Officio Members

Marty Gary Director, Division of Marine Resources, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

VACANT New York State Empire State Development


Program Advisory Council (PAC)

NYSG is also advised by a Program Advisory Council (PAC) of stakeholder representatives. The primary function of the PAC is to provide relevance review of pre-proposals to our biennial research call and to provide input to the Strategic Plan. The Program collaborates on specific activities and partnerships with individual PAC members related to local community objectives and interests that have been raised with the Program. The PAC meets as needed, but at a minimum during each biennial research cycle, and quadrennial strategic planning cycle. In 2018, the PAC was reconstituted to ensure the presence of the private sector as well as governments, agencies, NGOs and other relevant stakeholder groups.

New York Sea Grant Institute Program Advisory Council Members (as of November 2024)

Pat Augustine, Retired NYS Commissioner, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission

Brett Branco, Executive Director, Science and Resilience Institute at Jamaica Bay; Brooklyn College

Mike Snyder, Program Manager, NYS Department of State Ocean and Great Lakes Program

Phil Church, Oswego County Administrator

Judith Gaffney, Bridges Learning Network

Paul Kostiniak, Director, Toxicology Research Center, University at Buffalo

Angela Licata, Deputy Commissioner for Sustainability, NYC Department of Environmental Protection

Joyce Novak, Executive Director, Peconic Estuary Partnership

Julia Socrates, Assistant Division Director, Division of Marine Resources, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Robert Pirani, Program Director, New York - New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program, Hudson River Foundation

Richard Smardon, Chair, Great Lakes Basin Advisory Council; Emeritus Faculty SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry

Mark Tedesco, Director, Long Island Sound Office, Environmental Protection Agency

Shannon Dougherty, Great Lakes Coordinator, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Don Zelazny, Retired DEC Great Lakes Coordinator

John Ng, President, Hudson Valley Fish Farms

Vacant, Indian Nations Affairs Coordinator, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Retired NYSG PAC Members

Maxine Appleby, Coastal Community Resident, Sodus Point, Lake Ontario

Charles Blass, Advisor to the Great Lakes Fisheries Commission for the Lake Ontario Sports Fishery

Barb Caster, Boating Industry Association, Regional Sales Representative for Morgan Recreation

Susan Filipowich, Senior Environmental Analyst, Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Planning

Peter Haskell, Haskell’s Seafood, Owner

Linda LaViolett, NYS Agriculture and Markets

Lynn Mendelman, Seacoast Enterprises Associates, Inc.

Jayme Breschard Thoman, Genesse/Finger Lakes Regional Planning Council

David Witt, Indian Nations Affairs Coordinator, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation; SUNY Buffalo