Over the past several months, there have been a few changes in key management positions within the Alaska Fisheries Science Center. As we start the New Year, we wanted to take the opportunity to introduce these new members of our leadership team.
Jeremy Rusin, Deputy Director: Alaska Fisheries Science Center
NOAA Fisheries is pleased to announce the appointment of Jeremy Rusin as Deputy Director for the Alaska Fisheries Science Center. Jeremy joined NOAA Fisheries in 2003 working on fisheries management and implementation of the International Dolphin Conservation Program in the former Southwest Regional Office. Since 2005, Jeremy has worked at the Southwest Fisheries Science Center in La Jolla, CA, initially as the Deputy Director of the Protected Resources Division and most recently as the Deputy Director of the Antarctic Ecosystem Research Division. Jeremy's experience also includes working as a fishery observer, providing scientific advice to a variety of fisheries management bodies, and completing details at the National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs and as Acting Division Chief in the NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources. Jeremy earned a B.S. in Biology from Davidson College and a Master’s in Marine Affairs from the University of Washington. Jeremy replaces Steve Ignell who retired from the agency in June 2017.
Jennifer Ferdinand, Director: Fisheries Monitoring and Analysis Division
Jennifer Ferdinand is the new Director of the Fisheries Monitoring and Analysis Division, taking over for Chris Rilling who retired in December of 2017. Jenn first joined NOAA in 1998 as a fisheries observer in the groundfish and crab fisheries. After 10 years with the Fisheries and Monitoring Division as a debriefer, observer trainer, and program manager, she moved into the position of planning officer for the Center where she was integral to developing and implementing the Center's strategic planning process. Jenn has a B.S. in Biology from SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry and a Master's of Public Administration from the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington.
Stan Kotwicki, Program Manager: Groundfish Assessment Program
Dr. Stanisław (Stan) Kotwicki is the new Program Manager for the Groundfish Assessment Program, succeeding Dr. David Somerton who retired in October of 2016. Stan has been a member of the Resource Assessment and Conservation Engineering Division and the Groundfish Assessment Program (Eastern Bering Sea Team) since 2001 where he led internally and externally-funded research projects to develop methods to improve groundfish survey estimates in Alaska. Stan is a U.S. delegate to the ICES Working Group on Improving Use of Survey Data for Assessment and Advice. He has been an important member of the Center’s eastern Bering Sea survey team, serving on multiple survey legs each year as Field Party Chief. Before coming to NOAA, Stan was with the International Pacific Halibut Commission, served as a North Pacific Groundfish Observer, and as a marine biologist at the University of Gdansk in Poland. Stan completed a M.Sc. in biological oceanography (1990) at the University of Gdansk and a Ph.D. in aquatic and fishery science (2014) at the University of Washington.
Pete Hagen, Acting Director: Auke Bay Laboratories
In December 2017, the Center’s Auke Bay Laboratories Director, Phil Mundy retired from NOAA service. Until a permanent replacement is found, Deputy Director Pete Hagen will serve as Acting Center Director. Pete currently oversees operation and management programs for Auke Bay Laboratories. Pete began his career working in the seafood processing and fishing industry in the late 1970’s. In the 1990’s he was hired by the State of Alaska to start a fish aging lab and develop and implement an otolith thermal marking program for managing hatchery and wild salmon, a method that has seen widespread adoption. In 2002 he started working for NOAA Fisheries Alaska regional office. He joined Auke Bay Laboratories in the fall of 2013. Pete has a B.S in Fisheries from the University of Washington, a Master’s of Science, from the University of Alaska, Juneau and a Ph.D. in Fisheries from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.
