Gulf Restoration Network

PROGRAM STAFF

Aaron Viles

Aaron Viles, Deputy Director

Phone: 504-525-1528 ext. 207
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Aaron leads GRN’s response to the BP drilling disaster and the organization’s efforts to protect and restore coastal habitats throughout the Gulf.  Aaron began his work for the environment while studying biology at the University of Washington and worked for many years as a Regional Field Director for U.S. PIRG. Aaron serves on the Executive Committee of the Delta Chapter of the Sierra Club, and the Board of Advisors of the Gulf Coast Fund for Community Renewal and Ecological Health, and the Marine Fish Conservation Network.  He is a graduate of Green Corps: The Field School for Environmental Organizing, a fellow of the Loyola Institute for Environmental Communications, and served on Governor Bobby Jindal’s environmental transition team. He has appeared on CNN, the PBS NewsHour, NBC News, CNBC, and has been quoted in the New York Times, the Washington Post, USA Today and many other newspapers and media outlets.

Matt Rota, Director of Science and Water Policy

Phone: 504-525-1528 ext. 206
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Matt is the Director of Science and Water Policy for the Gulf Restoration Network.  Through his work with GRN, he advocates for healthy waters throughout the Gulf of Mexico region.  He also works with Mississippi River Basin organizations to promote policies that will reduce the Dead Zone-causing pollution flowing to the Gulf of Mexico.  Matt currently focuses on water pollution issues in Louisiana, the Mississippi River, and the Gulf of Mexico, working to ensure adequate policies regarding the BP oil drilling disaster, wetlands, water quality, and nitrogen and phosphorus pollution are adopted and implemented in order to protect and restore waters of the Gulf of Mexico region. He is co-Chair of the Nutrients Workgroup for the Mississippi River Collaborative and has given numerous presentations on water pollution issues including the Dead Zone, sewage pollution, wetlands, the BP Oil Drilling Disaster, at professional and technical conferences throughout the country.   He earned his B.S. in Ecology, Evolutionary, and Organismal Biology from Tulane University and his Masters of Earth and Environmental Resources Management from the University of South Carolina.

Dan Favre, Communications Director

Phone: 504-525-1528 ext. 209
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Dan works to bring the story of the Gulf and Gulf Restoration Network's efforts to the public. Working closely with GRN staff, Dan drives the organization's communications strategy through media outreach, GRN publications, public presentations, web presence, correspondence with e-activists, and grassroots outreach. Before focusing on communications, Dan was GRN's Campaign Organizer and ran a campaign to successfully protect thousands of acres of cypress forests in Louisiana. He has also built GRN's summer outreach program, began the Healthy Gulf Krewe and student organizing efforts, and paved the way for starting our Florida program office. Dan holds a BA in Sociology from Brown University and is a graduate of Green Corps: The Field School for Environmental Organizing.

Michelle Erenberg

Michelle Erenberg, Special Projects Coordinator

               Scott Eustis

Scott Eustis, Coastal Wetlands Specialist

Phone: 504-525-1528 ext. 212
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Cathy HarrelsonCathy Harrelson, Florida Organizer

Jonathan Henderson, Coastal Resiliency Organizer

Phone: 504-525-1528 ext. 211
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Jonathan is the Coastal Resiliency Organizer for GRN. Currently, Jonathan is managing GRN's BP drilling disaster field monitoring operations in the Gulf of Mexico and is the GRN liaison with the Gulf Monitoring Consortium. Jonathan is the current writer of GRN's bi-weekly on-line newsletter, GulfWaves and is advocating for better stormwater management with the Flood-Less New Orleans campaign. Jonathan received a bachelor’s degree in Theater from LSU, a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Louisiana, and a law degree from Southern University Law Center. Jonathan has worked in government relations for many years including as a legislative assistant at the Louisiana State Legislature and as Director of Governmental Relations for the Brylski Company, a full-scale public relations firm.

Raleigh Hoke, Mississippi Organizer

Phone: 504-525-1528 ext. 204
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Raleigh works to protect the natural resources of the Mississippi Gulf Coast by empowering and organizing individuals and groups within the community to fight for the health of their environment.  He has a B.A. in Political Science from Tulane University and has worked with the GRN over the past year as a Campaign Associate and Assistant Canvass Director.

Harry LowenburgHarry Lowenburg, Fisheries Restoration Organizer

Phone: 504-525-1528 x208
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Harry works to engage and activate the Louisiana environmental, business, and fishing communities to support the Gulf Surface Longline Closure Campaign to transition surface longline fishermen to more selective gear and prohibiting surface longline fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. Harry began his career as a community organizer in 1977 working for Seattle Light Brigade. He subsequently served as a chapter organizer for Oregon Fair Share; Executive Director of the Council Bluffs Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement and a founding organizer of a congregation-based organization in Louisiana which later became All Congregations Together.

Helen Rose Patterson, Outreach Team Manager

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Phone: 504-525-1528 ext 200 

Helen Rose leads the Outreach Team, working to unite and empower citizens to protect and restore the Gulf by approaching individuals and offering information and opportunities to engage through GRN's work. She also serves as the Mississippi Campaign Assistant, primarily working to expand GRN's presence and efforts by seeking the support of business and community leaders. She has worked with GRN intermittently since 2008. She has a BA in Cultural Ecology from Bennington College in Vermont and served in the Peace Corps in Morocco as an environmental education volunteer. 

Jennifer Myles, Outreach Team Organizer

Phone: 504-525-1528 ext 213
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Jen works with the Outreach Team to build and maintain GRN's membership base and develop public support for our campaigns through door-to-door canvassing and phonebanking. She also works with the administrative team to maintain our database system, supports the Development Director and Office Manage, and assists with special events, volunteer nights, and general office duties. She is a graduate of North Park University and worked as a Marine Biology Instructor at the Catalina Island Marine Institute on Santa Catalina Island, CA before moving to New Orleans. 

Ayn Pivonka

Ayn Pivonka, Campaign Assistant

Andrew WhitehurstAndrew Whitehurst, Asst. Director of Science and Water Policy

DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

Natasha Noordhoff

Natasha Noordhoff, Development Director

Phone: 504-525-1528 ext. 210
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Natasha is responsible for the GRN major donor campaign and fundraising.  She received her B.A. in Sociology, Women’s Studies, and French from Tulane University.  After working with the GRN as a field manager for the 2009 summer outreach campaign, Natasha continued her work on GRN's membership development and fundraising for two years before becoming development director.

Irene Dowling

Irene Dowling, Office Manager

Phone: 504-525-1528 ext. 201
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Irene is in charge of the GRN’s bookkeeping and day to day operations. Irene received her B.A. in History and A.S. in Computer Science from Southeastern Louisiana University. She has worked as a full charge bookkeeper for a CPA, in accounts payable for Hotel Management of New Orleans, and as an IT manger for the law firm of Jones, Walker.

E. Jezelle Hebert, Membership Coordinator

Phone: 504-525-1528 ext 214
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Jezelle is responsible for the strategic development and implementation of the GRN’s membership recruitment and fundraising and assisting the development director with event fundraising.  Jezelle has a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Southwestern Louisiana. Jezelle has worked as a Director of Fund Development for Project Lazarus, Marketing and Public Relation Consultant for Felicity Harmony Development, Marketing and Sales Associate for Vaucresson Sausage, and Assistant to the Director of the Delta Festival Ballet.