About Us

TODD MILLER
Executive Director

Todd Miller founded the NCCF in 1982. He is a coastal North Carolina native and holds a Masters Degree in City and Regional Planning from UNC-Chapel Hill. He received the Southern Environmental Law Center's Southern Environmental Leadership Award in 2000. Todd serves on the national boards of Restore America Estuaries and Coast Alliance. As Executive Director, Todd formulates policy positions, serves as NCCF's spokesperson and provides staff and operations oversight. Email

RACHAEL CARLYLE
Director of Operations

Rachael joined the staff in March 2004 as the new Volunteer Coordinator. A native of Pennsylvania, Rachael spent most of her summers in Emerald Isle. She graduated from Gettysburg College with a BA in environmental studies. She also has a master's degree in marine policy and affairs from the University of Miami. Before joining the Federation, Rachael worked in environmental and marine science education and as a research technician at the Duke and UNC's marine labs. Email

JAN DeBLIEU
Cape Hatteras Coastkeeper^®

Jan DeBlieu joined the Federation in March 2003. As a long-time resident of the Outer Banks, Jan is active in many environmental efforts and was a co-founder of LegaSea – the regional coalition that successfully prevented Mobil and Chevron from drilling off the Outer Banks. In her work as an environmental activist and natural history writer, she has developed an intimate knowledge of the coastal ecosystem. She is responsible for the northern coast and Outer Banks area and works out of the Manteo Field Office. Email>

ERIN FLECKENSTEIN
Coastal Restoration Specialist

Erin joined the staff in 2008. She has had more than eight years of environmental experience. Her last position was teaching assistant at UNC-Wilmington for undergraduate biology and field-based ecology. Erin holds a bachelor of science degree in marine and freshwater biology from University of New Hampshire and a masters of science in marine biology from UNC-Wilmington.Email

MIKE GILES
Cape Fear Coastkeeper^®

Mike joined the staff in May 2006. Mike is a North Carolina native, and before joining NCCF, he served as the open-space land manager for Durham County for five years. Mike has extensive stewardship, enforcement and advocacy experience, gathered from positions with the National Park Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and as chief park ranger for Mecklenburg County.  He studied wildlife management at N.C. State University, which included additional research and course work in coastal ecology. Mike monitors the southern coastal region from the Wilmington field office.

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SARA HALLAS
Coastal Outreach Specialist

Sara came on board in February 2008. Before arriving at NCCF, she worked as special activities instructor at the N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island for three and a half years.  She interned at Tecumesch Land Trust in Yellow Springs, Ohio, and conducted research on blue-legged hermit crabs in the Bahamas. She holds a bachelor of science with a major in biology.  Email

LAUREN KOLODIJ
Deputy Director

Lauren Kolodij has worked for the NCCF since 1992. She holds a BS in Environmental Conservation from NC State University. Lauren coordinates many of NCCF's conferences and coastal issue meetings. In addition, she staffs the Coastal Caucus, a coalition of grassroots and formal environmental organizations. Working with the Executive Director, Lauren's primary responsibility is to ensure implementation of NCCF Program goals and objectives. Email

JO ANN MARSH
Business Manager

Jo Ann Marsh started with the Coastal Federation in July of 1993. She brings over 30 years of business and accounting experience to the job. Her duties include handling the day-to-day business for the Federation, financial reporting, personnel and the management of the membership database. She has an associate degree in accounting and computer technology. Email

CHRISTINE MILLER
Planning & Communications Director

Christine Miller joined the staff in April 2006. She oversees external communications and staff and program planning for NCCF's three offices. She also manages special policy initiatives and programs from the main office. She  has worked on coastal policy and protection issues for over ten years. Christine holds a BA in English from the University of Southern California and a master’s degree in marine policy/coastal management from the University of Delaware.

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SARAH PHILLIPS

Coastal Outreach Specialist

Sarah Phillips, originally from the mountains of Virginia, has worked in coastal North Carolina since 2001.  She received a degree in Education from Longwood University and has been teaching in traditional and non-traditional settings for over eight years.  With the Coastal Federation since August 2004, Sarah develops and orchestrates all educational programming out of our Newport office.  Email

TRACY SKRABAL
Staff Senior Scientist

Tracy Skrabal has led NCCF's field office in Wilmington for six years. She holds a Masters Degree in Marine Science and a BS in Geology from the College of William and Mary. Having held positions with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, she has accumulated more than 17 years experience planning and implementing coastal conservation projects. Tracy oversees restoration and stabilization projects for the NCCF. Email

SALLY STEELE
Development Director

Sally Steele joined NCCF in mid-1996. Prior to coming to Ocean, she was with the North Carolina Zoological Society for 23 years where she served in progressive positions including Retail Director, Membership Director and Associate Director. Duties at NCCF include membership, grant writing, fund-raising, communications and organizational development. Sally serves on the board of directors of the Carteret Community Foundation and Friends of Cape Lookout National Seashore. She is also an instructor for the Duke University Certificate Program in Nonprofit Management. Email

JIM STEPHENSON
Policy Director

Jim Stephenson came to the NCCF in July 1999 and oversees NCCF policy efforts in the areas of industrial and barrier island development, and serves as NCCF's legislative liaison. Jim is a member of the Marine Fisheries Commission's Habitat and Water Quality Advisory Committee. Before coming to NCCF, Jim served as Executive Director of the Pamlico-Tar River Foundation, and as Advisor to the Governor of Pennsylvania, providing research and guidance on policy issues. Jim holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Gettysburg College, PA. Email

FRANK TURSI
Cape Lookout COASTKEEPER^®

Frank Tursi joined the NCCF staff in January 2002. He was a newspaper journalist for almost 30 years – the last 23 at the Winston-Salem Journal where he was the environmental and special-projects reporter. He has won numerous state and national writing awards for his environmental reporting, including the Scripps-Howard National Environmental Award and The Sierra Club's lifetime achievement award in 2002. Frank is responsible for the central coastal region. Email

DR. LEXIA WEAVER
Coastal Restoration Specialist

Lexia Weaver, originally from Hialeah, Fl, joined NCCF in April 2007 after living in coastal North Carolina since 2002.  Her background is in estuarine water quality and aquatic plant ecology and she has conducted over 10 years of research in estuarine environments in Delaware and North Carolina.  Lexia holds a Masters degree and a Ph.D. in Marine Studies from the University of Delaware and a BS in Biology from Barry University in Miami Shores, FL.  Lexia manages coastal restoration activities within the central region of coastal North Carolina. Email

TED WILGIS

Coastal Outreach Specialist

Ted works in the Wilmington office focusing on oyster restoration projects and implementation of the Oyster Plan. Previously, he served as the Cape Fear COASTKEEPER^® for 5 years and as NCCF's education director for 5 years. Before coming to NCCF, Ted worked with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation for nine years managing and developing education programs and a watershed planning initiative. Ted holds a BA in Zoology from Connecticut College and a US Coast Guard Captain's license and is currently enrolled in the Marine Biology Graduate program at UNCW. Email