Leadership Programs:
Offering Depth to the
Coastal Arena
by Kristen M. Fletcher
The leadership instinct you are born with is
the backbone. You develop the funny bone
and the wishbone that go with it.
Elaine Agather, Businesswoman
A leader can be described as a person who
guides or inspires others. Leadership, on
the other hand, is more amorphous, harder
to define, although the American Heritage
Dictionary defines it as the “capacity or abil -
ity to lead" while Dictionary.com states that
leadership is “an act or instance of leading;
guidance; direction." Whether one consid-
ers leadership to be an individual act or an
individual’s ability to inspire, motivate and
offer direction to others, few would debate
that leadership is vital to the fields of work in
sustaining ocean and coastal resources.
Leadership development programs are not
new to ocean and coastal fields. Scientists,
policy-makers, students and executives are
offered training opportunities at conferenc-
es, through their companies or universities,
and through professional organizations like
The Coastal Society. But, what distinguishes
leadership programs that share informa-
tion and resources (a valuable contribution)
from those that truly “develop," that dig
deeper, push us to grow as individuals and
offer insight that translates into the ability to
inspire.
In the interest of full disclosure, I must ad-
mit up front that I am a Senior Fellow of the
TCS Bulletin
Volume 29 (2)
CHOW
2007
By Ellen Gordon
Capitol Hill Oceans Week (CHOW) was
held this year on June 5, 6 and 7. Now in its
seventh year, this annual event provides a
forum for key stakeholders to discuss impor-
tant ocean and coastal issues. The program
facilitates the exchange of knowledge and
ideas about ocean issues and policies. Topics
this year included:
A Legislative Agenda: Charting the
~
Course
Hydrography: It’s Not just for Charting
~
Anymore
Sounds in the Seas: Acoustics and Ma-
~
rine Mammals
Census of Marine Life: Incorporating
~
Biological Data in Ocean Observations
The Economics of Coastal Communities
~
Ecosystem-based Management: A Com-
~
prehensive Approach
NOAA Past and Present: A Conversation
~
with NOAA’s Administrators
Ocean Management: Planning for the
~
Future
The keynote speaker for the kickoff panel
on the legislative agenda was the Honorable
Leon Panetta. He served as White House
Chief of Staff to President Clinton from 1994-
1997; prior to that he was Director of the
Office of Management and Budget and before
that, he represented California’s 16th District
in the U.S. House of Representatives for eight
years. Mr. Panetta was also Chair of the Pew
Oceans Commission, which culminated in a
report to the nation in May 2003, advocating
for fundamental change in the nation’s pos-
INSIDE
Message from the
President....................
2
From the Editor's
Desk ...........................
3
TCS
21
..........................
3
NewsNotes.................
6
Chapter Voices...........
8
Annual Report..........
10
TCS
Internships...............
12
Chapter
Updates.....................
13
Upcoming
Conferences..............
14
Board of
Directors...................
15
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