News and Events

News

July 2008

Sea Grant’s Lisa Schiavinato Earns Coastal Society Honors

The Coastal Society has named North Carolina Sea Grant’s Lisa Schiavinato as the 2008 recipient of the Robert W. Knecht Award for Professional Promise. Schiavinato is Sea Grant’s coastal law, policy and community development specialist and serves as co-director of the N.C. Coastal Resources Law, Planning and Policy Center.

The award recognizes “a rising professional in the field of coastal and ocean management who best emulates the vigor, dedication, vision and generosity” of Knecht, a pioneer in the coastal zone management efforts across the country.

The award was presented at the society’s 21st biennial conference, for which Schiavinato served as program chair. She serves on the society’s board of directors. Along with Todd Miller of the N.C. Coastal Federation, she will co-chair the organization’s 2010 national meeting to be held in North Carolina.

“We are pleased that Lisa’s peers have recognized her leadership in coastal issues at the local, regional and national levels,” said Michael Voiland, North Carolina Sea Grant executive director.

Kristen Fletcher, society president and executive director of the Coastal States Organization, agrees. “Both in her work with The Coastal Society and Sea Grant, Lisa has contributed energy and thoughtful perspective for her colleagues in the coastal management field. It’s been a pleasure to have her on our board and as conference program chair.”

At Sea Grant, Schiavinato develops partnerships with federal, state and local agencies to address North Carolina’s coastal and ocean policy issues. She is leading work on an ocean policy report to the N.C. Division of Coastal Management.

As co-director of the inter-institutional coastal law center, she coordinates and applies the legal, planning, and policy expertise of the University of North Carolina System and Sea Grant to the state’s pressing coastal issues. She is also the editor of the Legal Tides newsletter, which can be viewed and downloaded from www.nccoastallaw.org.

Schiavinato’s work has appeared in a number of publications, including The Coastal Management Journal, and she has written and presented extensively about legal issues surrounding land-use planning, waterfront access, aquaculture issues, natural disaster response and rebuilding.

Previously, she served five years as the legal coordinator for the Louisiana Sea Grant Legal Program. Schiavinato holds a law degree and a certificate in environmental and land-use law from the University of Florida. She earned a bachelor’s in political science from the University of South Florida.

The memorial award honors Knecht, who served as the first assistant administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the U.S. Department of Commerce. There, he began implementation of the Coastal Zone Management Programs and National Estuarine Research Reserve Program that are now well established throughout the coastal states.

January / February 2008

Schiavinato Selected for Coastal Society Board

Lisa Schiavinato, North Carolina Sea Grant coastal law, planning community development specialist, has been elected to the board of directors for The Coastal Society. Schiavinatio also is a co-director of the North Carolina Coastal Resources Law, Planning and Policy Center.

The Coastal Society is an international organization that is dedicated to addressing marine and coastal issues. Its membership is comprised of academic, government and private sector professionals and students.

"I'm happy to be a part of the board of directors for The Coastal Society and look forward to working with them," Schiavinato says. TCS is a strong organization of dedicated coastal professionals, and I likewise look forward to help furthering the mission of TCS as a member and as one of the board of directors."

A native of Tampa, Fla., Schiavinato holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of South Florida in Tampa. She graduated with a law degree and certificate in environmental land-use law from the University of Florida in Gainesville.

Before joining North Carolina Sea Grant, Schiavinato was the legal coordinator for the Louisiana Legal Program for nearly five years. There she focused on issues such as land use, property rights, taxes and international trade laws. She also served as writer and co-editor of the Louisiana Coastal Law newsletter, and helped draft state management plans and grant proposals.

Upcoming Events

June 2008

June 29 - July 8 - The Coastal Society's 21st Biennial Conference, Redondo Beach, Los Angeles, Calif. The Coastal Society invites panel sessions and oral and poster presentations for its 21st Biennial Conference that:

• Provide scientific information relevant to solving contemporary coastal problems
• Integrate science, management, and policy
• Present questions or case studies that encourage dialogue and sharing of solutions

Preference will be given to presentations, panels, and posters that fit within one of the seven conference tracks and complement the conference’s theme of solutions to coastal issues that minimize human impact and maximize stewardship. The conference tracks are:

• Effective Integration of Coastal Science, Policy and Management
• International Coastal Management Concepts and Practices
• Integrating Social Equity into Coastal Management
• Coastal Energy Siting, Production and Consumption
• Coastal Land and Watershed Use
• Climate Change Impacts
• Working Waterfronts and Waterways

For more information, view the conference Web site.

October 2008

Oct. 24 - Shape of the Coast: 2008, 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., New Bern, N.C.

The second annual “Shape of the Coast” conference, held by the North Carolina Coastal Resources Law, Planning and Policy Center is scheduled for Oct. 24 in New Bern.

• Stan Riggs, East Carolina Universty, will discuss issues facing the middle and southern coasts, including geology, sand sources, and
  sea level rise
  
• Joe Kalo and Lisa Schiavinato, co-directors of the Center, will lead a discussion of the recommendations of the emerging ocean resources study
  committee
  
• Bob Emory, new chair of the Coastal Resources Commission, will present on current and future CRC efforts

Check back for information on how to sign up for the conference.

Past Events

October 2007

Oct. 26 - Shape of the Coast 2007: Climate Change, Stormwater and Conservation Easements, 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., New Bern, N.C.

To be held at New Bern's Riverfront Conference Center and hosted by the N.C. Coastal Resources Law, Planning and Policy Center, this continuing legal education program (5 CLE credit hours) will examine three topics important to coastal North Carolina:  climate change and sea level rise, coastal stormwater management and conservation easements.

The science behind each topic will be explained, and the policy and regulations explored. Speakers will include Stan Riggs, a coastal geologist from East Carolina University; Courtney Hackney, chairman of the N.C. Coastal Resources Commission; Richard Whisnant of UNC-Chapel Hill's Institute of Government; and Camille Herlevich and Lee Lidy of the N.C. Coastal Land Trust.

A panel discussion will be held at the end of the program based on participant questions. Questions can be sent in advance to Joe Kalo, co-director of the NCCRLPPC, at jjkalo@unc.edu.

The program is open to attorneys for a fee of $150. It is also open to academic and government officials for $125, and the general public for $100.

For questions or to sign up for the program, please contact Jacqueline Carlock at the UNC School of Law, jcarlock@email.unc.edu or 919/962-7815.

(Download a brochure)