Lisa Desfosse, Ph.D.

Lisa Desfosse, Ph.D. is the Deputy Director for Science and Operations for the Southeast Fisheries Science Center.

As Deputy Director for Science and Operations, Lisa oversees Southeast Fisheries Science Center's administrative, budgetary, and information management activities. She also provides oversight to the Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Division and the Population and Ecosystem Monitoring Division. 

Lisa grew up in Pennsylvania and received a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from Millersville University of Pennsylvania. She worked for three years as a marine science instructor at a field laboratory on the Virginia Eastern Shore before returning to receive her Ph.D. in Marine Science from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary. She then worked for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources for three years as a Research Statistician before accepting a position with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) in 1995. Lisa was the ASMFC Science Director for 10 years working with the Atlantic coastal states on stock assessments, data collection, research and many other state and federal science activities. She accepted a position in 2004 as the National Cooperative Research Program coordinator with the National Marine Fisheries Service in Silver Spring, MD. After two years Lisa accepted a position as the National Observer Program coordinator. Both positions required a close working relationship with the regional Fisheries Science Centers to develop and maintain national cooperative research and observer programs to support national and regional priorities. In 2008, Dr. Desfosse accepted the position of Mississippi Laboratories Director and provided leadership to SEFSC resource surveys, gear conservation activities, and advanced technology development. In 2019, Lisa accepted the position of Deputy Director for Science and Operations with the Southeast Fisheries Science Center and continues to provide operational and programmatic oversight to several Center programs.

Lisa's profile was featured on the center's Faces of the Southeast Fisheries Science Center series. Meet Lisa Desfosse, Deputy Director for Science and Operations