Trading in Bienvenue for Howdy is both bittersweet and exciting as I transition from the GRN headquarter office in New Orleans to begin a new chapter and open our Texas Office in Austin.As a Texas native, born and raised in Houston, I’m looking forward to furthering our engagement across the expansive Texas Coast. I have fond memories of swimming in the Gulf waters at the beaches from Galveston to South Padre, as well as exploring the bayous surrounding Houston, and enjoying the vast watersheds that feed into the Gulf of Mexico. However, New Orleans will always be a heart home. Having lived in New Orleans since 2008 when I was first hired by the Sierra Club to launch the Louisiana Beyond Coal Campaign, this extraordinary city and state have helped me lay the foundation to continue to work for the communities and environment we call home. I’m delighted that I’m able to continue working with the GRN on critical issues across the Gulf Coast.Not much will change in my work with the GRN — I will continue to oversee our gulf-wide restoration work related to the BP oil disaster, and work closely with our partners across the Coast. There are a lot of exciting opportunities in store with the BP Settlement being finalized, a new phase of early NRDA restoration en route to approval, as well as the upcoming first round of projects from the RESTORE Council. The remainder of 2015 will be an important one for the Gulf Coast. I look forward to working with our partners and constituents to ensure we hold our decision-makers accountable for transparent public participation and meaningful restoration.Thank you all for the wonderful experiences, memories and friendships formed during my time in New Orleans. I’m looking forward to the next leg of this great journey. Jordan Macha is the Gulf Policy Analyst for the Gulf Restoration Network.
