2023 NOAA Team Member of the Year Award Winners
We are thrilled to announce that two of OAI’s employees have been selected to receive NOAA’s Team Member of the Year award for 2023!

The NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Team Member of the Year Awards recognize outstanding contributions and achievements by contractor employees who support NOAA as acknowledgment of the important role that contractors play in supporting the agency's operations and achieving its goals. These awards are part of NOAA’s broader effort to honor excellence acknowledging individuals who have demonstrated exceptional dedication, innovation, and impact in their roles.

Joe Vinarcsik (NWFSC)For his integral part in all aspects of the Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) interrogation methods study, including planning, conducting field operations, data analysis, and annual reporting.

Mary Werthwine (PIRO)For her dedication, expertise, local knowledge, and steadfast calm that have resulted in 100% dependability in managing the challenging role as the weekend and holiday Kauai Marine Wildlife Hotline manager.

Join us in congratulating Joe Vinarcsik and Mary Werthwine for this well-deserved recognition! We're proud to have them on our team!

ProTech Oceans Task Order Awarded to OAI
Ocean Associates, Inc. (OAI) has been awarded a ProTech Oceans task order to provide Tribal Hatchery Support to the NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region (WCR). Our support includes scientific writing and analyses to complete National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act and National Historic Preservation Act compliance. As tribal hatchery facilities producing salmon and steelhead address deferred maintenance and undergo new construction, OAI will serve as a technical liaison regarding tribal trust resources and threatened and endangered fish and their habitat. OAI is proud to have been providing conservation and management support to the WCR for the last 15 years.

OAI Appraised at Level 3 by CMMI
OAI prime task orders for the ProTech Fisheries and Oceans domain contracts have been appraised at Level 3 of ISACA’s Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI). CMMI is a proven, outcome-based performance model and a globally accepted standard for improving capability, optimizing business performance and aligning operations to business goals.

DOC NOAA Awards PRSSO Evaluation Services to OAI
Ocean Associates, Inc. (OAI) has been awarded a task order on NOAA’s ProTech Fisheries Domain IDIQ to provide evaluation support to NOAA’s Office of Performance, Risk and Social Science (PRSSO) within the Chief Financial Office. This is a three-year task order which started April 1, 2024. OAI is partnering with long time partner Eastern Research Group, Inc. (ERG) who is also working to develop and implement economic valuations for NOAA’s National Ocean Service (NOS).

“The OAI/ERG Team is proud to support the PRSSO work to enhance NOAA-wide integration of robust evaluations across a number of investments increasing community resilience to weather and climate hazards" said Juleen Savarese, OAI CEO.

OAI/ERG look forward to expanding our support to this PRSSO requirement to conduct and publish a preliminary impact evaluation report modeling the project benefits of Climate-Ready Coasts and Communities Grant Funded Program and Investments by summer 2024. The other two years will be focused on process evaluations of NOAA’s covered grant programs.

This first-of-its-kind report will aggregate benefits across a number of coastal resilience programs to begin to tell NOAA’s story on the transformational benefits Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act investments will bring to coastal communities, such as creating jobs and economic development, increasing resilience in underserved communities, and restoring ecosystems. The report will provide projected estimates of the benefits of up to eight coastal resilience programs and investments covering about 170 projects already underway totaling over $700 million in federal funding.

Ocean Associates, Inc. Announces New Chief Executive Officer
Ocean Associates, Inc. (“OAI”) announced that Juleen Savarese has been named Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2024. Juleen assumes the role of CEO after serving as OAI’s General Counsel and Director of Human Resources since 2010. In 14 years at OAI, Ms. Savarese worked on all aspects of the firm’s business from recruiting, to managing employees and subcontractors, to bidding on new contracts and managing the firm’s relationships with government customers and its compliance with federal, state and local regulations. In recent years, she managed OAI’s certification as a Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB). “During OAI’s next chapter,” Ms. Savarese states, “I plan to continue to support the development of an efficient and effective management team that can provide the best possible value to our government customers.”

Former CEO, Kristin Vehrs remains OAI’s majority owner. Kris and OAI’s Founder, and President, John Everett, also continue to fund and promote ocean science and conservation through the Everett-Vehrs Conservation and Research Foundation.

About OAI: OAI provides consulting and technical services to the U.S. Government, non-governmental organizations, international organizations and the private sector, specializing in scientific program and project management, strategic planning, professional support services, information technologies, and stakeholder engagement. Founded in 2003 by Dr. John Everett, who serves as President and one of OAI's Senior Associates. OAI has been a WOSB since 2021. OAI is comprised of experts on scientific and administrative projects, aquaculture, wildlife health and conservation, data management, modeling, Information Technology, engineering, acquisition office support, accreditation, outreach and education, and Federal policy, regulation, and law enforcement support. OAI’s largest Federal customer is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the Department of Commerce. OAI’s employees and subcontractors can be found in locations from Gloucester, Massachusetts to the Western Pacific Island Territories, and from the Arctic to the Antarctic.

Recognition of OAI AFS Members working on Climate Change