On Our Watch

David Waggonner is the founding principal of Waggonner & Ball, an internationally active architecture and environment practice based in New Orleans. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, David saw an opportunity for New Orleans to reinvent itself as a sustainable city that embraces its lifeblood: water. He championed a process that examines history, soils, biodiversity, infras

Jacqueline Richard is the Director of Coastal Studies & GIS Technologies at Nunez Community College, where she has led the program since 2022. She has decades of experience in the field and the classroom studying Louisiana’s disappearing coast. Jacqueline was also recently named among the winners of the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana’s (CRCL) 2024 Coastal Stewardshi

Jessica Dandridge-Smith is the Executive Director for The Water Collaborative, an organization dedicated to urban water management in the Greater New Orleans region. As Executive Director, Jessica focuses on community led adaptation and mitigation as the core to water justice and climate resiliency strategies. Today The Water Collaborative focuses on water management, hazard mitiga

Peter Waggonner is the Public Policy Director for Greater New Orleans, Inc., Southeast Louisiana’s regional economic development organization. His portfolio encompasses infrastructure, insurance, and the environment at local, state, and federal levels. He also manages the Coalition for Sustainable Flood Insurance (CSFI) and GNO, Inc.’s resilience work. Greater New Orleans, Inc.

Halle Parker is the Coastal Desk Reporter for WWNO - New Orleans Public Radio. She reports on a wide range of environmental topics including Louisiana’s coastal landloss crisis, the energy sector, environmental justice issues, and much more. She is also the co-host of WWNO’s Sea Change podcast. WWNO’s Coastal Desk - https://www.wwno.org/coastal-desk Sea Change Podcast - https

Dan Favre is the Director of Environmental Programs at the Greater New Orleans Foundation, an institution dedicated to driving positive impact through philanthropy, leadership, and action in the Greater New Orleans Region. Dan has spent many years working in environmental advocacy. In this position, Dan works to ensure equitable climate change adaptation and mitigation in the regio

Scott Ancar is the Owner and Manager of Jennie V’s Seafood, an oyster distributor based in Houma, Louisiana. Scott is a pillar in the oyster industry, bringing over 35 years of oyster harvesting and farming experience. He runs Jennie V’s Seafood together with his wife, Jennie V Ancar. Jennie V’s Seafood: https://www.jennievsseafood.com/ To watch our feature length documentary

Renee Collini, Ph.D., Director of the Gulf Center for Equitable Climate Resilience at The Water Institute, brings years of experience in providing tools and support to federal, state, and local entities pursuing adaptation and resilience strategies. In her position, Renee draws from on-the-ground experience working in underserved communities and navigating federal, state, and local

Erik Johnson is the Director of Conservation Science for the Audubon Delta office of the National Audubon Society. Audubon Delta works across Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds and their habitats. Erik joined Audubon in April 2011 as a Conservation Biologist for the Mississippi Flyway and Gulf Coast Initiative, and sin

Jessica Henkel is the Deputy Director to the Chief Scientist at the Water Institute as well as the Director of the RESTORE Act Center of Excellence for Louisiana. Jessica brings 15 years of research, collaborative science and planning to her role coordinating technical teams at The Water Institute. Her areas of expertise include science advising and coordination, structured decisio