Our Team
The MARISA team is comprised of interdisciplinary researchers with broad expertise in climate science and decision making. Our team includes personnel from the RAND Corporation, Penn State University, Johns Hopkins University, and Cornell University.
Project Staff
Lead Principal Investigators
Debra Knopman, PhD
Senior Principal Researcher, RAND Corporation
Klaus Keller, PhD
Associate Research Professor, The Pennsylvania State University
Co-Investigators
Benjamin Hobbs, PhD
Director, Environment, Energy, Sustainability & Health Institute and Schad Professor of Environmental Management, The Johns Hopkins University
Melissa Finucane, PhD
Senior Behavioral and Social Scientist, RAND Corporation
Jordan Fischbach, PhD
Senior Policy Researcher, RAND Corporation
Robert Nicholas, PhD
Research Associate, Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, The Pennsylvania State University
Michelle Miro, PhD
Engineer, RAND Corporation
Kelsey Ruckert
Scientific Programmer, Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, The Pennsylvania State University
Senior Researchers
Arthur DeGaetano, PhD
Professor of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Cornell University
Carl Hershner, PhD
Director, Center for Coastal Resources Management, Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS)
Robert Lempert, PhD
Principal Physical Scientist, RAND Corporation
Coastal Climate Extension Specialist
Pamela Braff
Coastal Climate Extension Specialist for the Chesapeake Bay Region, The Pennsylvania State University; located at the Center for Coastal Resources Management, Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS)
Program Manager
Krista Romita Grocholski, PhD
Associate Physical Scientist, RAND Corporation
Advisory Committee
MARISA has established an Advisory Committee comprised of academic, business, community, resource management, and agency representatives to provide feedback on research relevance across the region and advise the team with an external perspective on potential barriers and opportunities. Current members of the Advisory Committee include:
Kristin Baja
Climate Resilience Officer at Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN)
Genevieve LaRouche
Head, Chesapeake Bay Field Office, US FWS Region 5
Amanda Campbell
Environmental Planner III, Department of Environmental Programs, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG)
Ellen Mecray
NOAA Regional Climate Services Director-Eastern Division
Leon Clarke
Joint Global Change Research Institution and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Susanne Moser
Susanne Moser Research and Consulting