The role of the Communication and Education Committee (CEC) is to provide the Barnegat Bay Partnership (BBP) and collaborating entities with objective expert advice and peer review for overall communication, education, and outreach matters related to National Estuary Program activities and goals, such as those specified in the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP), BBP’s Strategic Plan, and BBP’s Communication Plan (see links below for access to these documents). The CEC works with the BBP Advisory Committee to identify and prioritize communication and outreach needs within the Barnegat Bay watershed, and assists with the BBP’s efforts to raise awareness and resources for addressing these needs. The CEC also facilitates public participation and diverse stakeholder involvement in BBP-related activities and assists with the selection of the Citizen Representative to the BBP Policy Committee. Through its Communication and Education Grant Program, the CEC supports projects which advance Barnegat Bay education and public participation activities.
The functions of the CEC are to:
- Oversee the implementation of the BBP’s Communication Plan;
- Assist the BBP office in periodic updating of the Communication Plan in concert with the updating of the BBP’s Strategic Plan;
- Provide priority Communication Plan funding recommendations to the BBP Office for inclusion in annual work plans;
- Assist the BBP office in looking for additional sources of funding for Communication Plan implementation activities;
- Serve as the planning committee for the annual Education and Outreach Retreat for the Barnegat Bay watershed;
- Provide input for the Barnegat Bay Festival; and
- Oversee the nomination process of the BBP Citizen Representative and Alternate.
CEC MEMBERS
Joel Mott (Chair), New Jersey Pinelands Commission
Kaitlin Gannon, Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve (JC NERR)
Shari Kondrup, Brick Township Municipal Utilities Authority
Will Ruocco, Brick Township Municipal Utilities Authority (Alternate)
Bailey Sanders, Barnegat Bay Partnership (Staff liaison)
Angela C. Andersen, Long Beach Township
Peter Brandt, US EPA, Region 2, Public Affairs Director for Estuaries & Lakes and Senior Communication Advisor
Barbara Spinweber, US EPA, Region 2 (Alternate)
Lynette Lurig, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP)
Kelly Scott, Island Beach State Park and NJDEP Alternate
Becky Laboy, Ocean County Soil Conservation District
Christine Raabe, Ocean County Soil Conservation District (Alternate)
Chris Claus, Ocean County Department of Parks & Recreation
Dr. John Wnek, Ocean County Vocational Technical School (MATES)
Wes Dalzell, ReClam the Bay
Chelsea Kulp, New Jersey American Water
George Murnyak, Citizen Representative to the BBP Policy Committee
Murray Rosenberg, Citizen Representative to the BBP Policy Committee (Alternate)
Stan Hales, Barnegat Bay Partnership (ex officio)
Related Links
Communication and Outreach Plan to Support the BBP 2012 – 2016 Strategic Plan This is the current Communication Plan guiding the actions of the CEC.
Putting All the Pieces Together: A Communication and Outreach Plan to Support the BBNEP 2008-2011 Strategic Plan This is the original Communication Plan, which is now replaced by the 2012-2016 plan.