Russell Callender, director of Washington Sea Grant effective September 2018.
NOAA
Russell Callender, director of Washington Sea Grant effective September 2018.

UW’s College of the Environment is pleased to announce that Dr. W. Russell Callender has been named the director of Washington Sea Grant and will join UW Environment’s ranks in September 2018. As a result of the Advisory Search Committee’s deeply consultative process led by Amy Snover, Russell emerged as the best person to lead Washington Sea Grant.

Russell is a committed champion for coastal science and conservation and brings more than 25 years of experience in science, policy and management to the director position — including several years as the assistant director of the Virginia Sea Grant Program. He has been at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for the past 18 years, most recently as the assistant administrator for NOAA’s National Ocean Service. In that role, Russell managed a yearly budget of $565 million and oversaw the work of more than 1,700 individuals at more than 50 locations across the nation. He is adept at fostering successful partnerships at multiple levels and is known as an effective and accomplished leader by building trust and ensuring accountability.  As a result of his executive leadership and strategic vision, the National Ocean Service is a widely recognized, nationally relevant office that has strong bipartisan congressional support.

Washington Sea Grant and its community are exceptional and the College of the Environment is excited to work with Russell to continue to build the program’s capacity and reputation for delivering rich and rigorous research, technical expertise and educational programming that supports our ocean, coastal communities and ecosystems. Please join us in welcoming Russell to Washington state, the University of Washington, the College of the Environment and Washington Sea Grant.