Nancy Foster died 27th June 2000. She is best known to
polychaete workers for a single influential item, a near 200 page monograph on the spionids of the
Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, published in 1971. However, most of her career was spent in
U.S. government environmental agencies, where she was a pioneer for the conservation of the marine
environment. Below is the text from a NOAA web page
[June 2000 at
http://wave.nos.noaa.gov/About/nos_aa_bio.html]
summarising her career, preceeded by an e-mail
from the office of the Under Secretary NOAA.
Subject: Dr. Nancy Foster
From: Announcement@hulkhovis.rdc.noaa.gov
Date: 6/28/2000 1:49 PM
It is with deepest regret that I have to inform you that Dr. Nancy Foster,
Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Management
died peacefully in her sleep on Tuesday, June 27. Nancy was one of NOAA's
shining stars, intensely committed to protecting the environment and
instilling strong conservation and government service values in her
employees. Nancy was a pioneer for coastal stewardship and protection of
marine species, promoting programs to explore, map, protect and develop
sustainably our Nation's coastal and fishery resources. Her outstanding
leadership as Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone
Management and Deputy Assistant Administrator for Fisheries has been
recognized through numerous important awards, including three Department
of Commerce Bronze Medals, a Gold Medal (the Department's highest award),
and a Presidential Rank Award honoring her for her overall outstanding
marine conservation leadership for the Nation.
Many of us who were privileged to work with Nancy will remember her best for her strong commitment to encouraging each individual's contribution and to mentoring young employees. Many NOAA employees can trace their careers and commitment to environmental service to Dr. Foster's enthusiasm and guidance.
We all feel her loss deeply, losing a friend and a coastal advocate. I know you all join me in sending our support and sympathy to Nancy's family at this time. Her family, friends, and colleagues are planning a memorial and I have asked that NOAA's flag fly at half-mast at that time in recognition of Dr. Foster's contributions to NOAA and to the Nation.
"Dr. Foster received her M.S. in Marine Biology from Texas Christian University and her Ph.D. in Marine Biology from the George Washington University where her doctoral research focused on the ecology and systematics of polychaetous annelids. She began her career with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in 1977, first with the Office of Research and Development, followed by 9 years as the Deputy Director then Director of the National Marine Sanctuary Program and the National Estuarine Research Reserve Program.
"From December 1986 through March 1993, she served as the Director of the National Marine Fisheries Service's Office of Protected Resources, where she was responsible for National oversight, advice and guidance on the conservation, protection, and management of marine mammals, endangered, threatened and depleted marine species and environmental impact of human activities on living marine resources and their habitats. During her time there her accomplishments included the formation of the Habitat Restoration Center, the creation of a separate Office of the National Program, establishment of the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office in NMFS, establishment of the National Marine Mammal Tissue Bank and Quality Assurance Program. As a result, she was a key player in developing the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Act.
"Prior to joining NOAA, Dr. Foster worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and served as Chairperson of the Biology Department at Dunbarton College for Women. Dr. Foster's focus at the National Marine Fisheries Service was on the successful completion of the first comprehensive evaluation and reorganization of the agency since 1972. The reorganization resulted in the replacement of cumbersome, bureaucratic processes with open, transparent mechanisms which adequately involve the appropriate personnel, and the utilization of effective communication inside the agency and externally to understand and resolve issues in an efficient, effective manner.
"Another major area of focus for Dr. Foster at NMFS and NOS has been diversity. Dr. Foster has served on the NOAA Diversity Council and instituted the first NMFS Diversity Council as well as the first NMFS Diversity Charter. She established a senior managers team to oversee implementation of the NMFS Human Resources Program and initiated the first Pilot Mentoring Program which included 32 employees. Working with the Western Pacific Island Governors, she led an effort resulting in a successful amendment to the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The amendment establishes a program which provides the Islands more authority over their marine resources and establishes mechanisms for bringing user dollars back to their treasuries resulting in improved marine resource research and management in island waters. She was nominated for a Presidential Rank Award in 1996 for her efforts in these areas.
"Her conservation accomplishments were recognized by award of the Department of Commerce Bronze Medal (1991) for outstanding contributions in advancing NOAA's mission through the establishment of the NOAA Restoration Center and two Department of Commerce Bronze Medals (1992) for her accomplishments in developing a public process leading to the recovery of three species of Snake River salmon and winter-run chinook salmon. In l993, she received the highest award of the Department of Commerce - the Gold Medal - for leadership in providing stewardship of the Nation's living marine resources while Director of the NMFS Office of Protected Species."