Merna Saad Email & Phone Number

Department Of State, Washington D.C.

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

• Actively manage projects in Texas funded by the Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund, a $2.54 billion fund for the restoration, protection, and enhancement of natural resources affected by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.• Collaborate with more than 10 partners including NGOs, private organizations and government agencies such as NOAA and USFWS on project development and implementation throughout the funding cycle.• Manage contracts, schedules, budgets, as well as scope of work of 28 active projects. • Assisted with facilitating successful protection of 9,820 acres of coastal habitat through either incorporation into a national wildlife refuge or by establishing a conservation easement.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

• Oversaw a portfolio of 125 projects that focused on restoring and protecting marine and coastal ecosystems. • Drafted reports, maps, and analysis graphs detailing project progress and challenges for utilization by team in order to update the Board of Directors on a quarterly basis.• Successfully monitored project portfolios to ensure all projects aligned with the outlined scope, timeline, and budget. • Created and managed a database of project metrics to track progress and draft content for media outlets.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

• Supported the Foundation’s conservation award-making activities by managing grants for projects located in southeastern U.S.• Reviewed and assessed 26 proposals to ensure alignment with foundation’s policies and requirements.• Acted as NFWF’s primary contact and represented the foundation during meetings and workshops with grantees and contractors.• Collaborated with NFWF program, finance, and compliance staff through maintaining open communication to facilitate proposal review process.

• Cooperated with the scientific community and local authorities to collect illegal wildlife trade data for analysis to aid combating wildlife trafficking. • Developed a detailed tracking and visualization tool which was utilized to identify trade patterns and help prioritize locations and strategically plan training activities. • Conducted research, reviewed publications, and collaborated with subject matter experts to develop highly educational training material that was provided to customs officers at airports, seaports, and other ports of entry which provided guidance on identifying illegal wildlife trade products. • Coordinated 4 events, managed calendars, organized travel arrangements, and performed all round administrative support functions for the team.

Fairfax, Virginia

• Served as the Teaching Assistant for the “Introduction to Environmental Science II” lab course (3 semesters).• Developed highly engaging well researched teaching material and delivered lectures. • Adhered to weekly lesson plans and ensured relevant topics were covered in lessons as required by curriculum. • Supervised and supported over 50 students during weekly lab activities.

Nasa Langley Research Center

• Coordinated between four capacity building programs: DEVELOP, ARSET, SERVIR, and GOMI to leverage resources and provide an outlet for collaboration and transparency. • Contributed to international, interagency partnerships, and legislative affairs activities through active involvement in meetings and conferences nationally.• Created innovative proposal to address water resource management issues in the Middle East through establishing a relationship and actively collaborating with the Water Resources Action Project (WRAP).• Represented NASA’s Earth Science Applied Sciences Capacity Building Program at various high-profile scientific conferences including 4th GEOSS Science and Technology Stakeholder Workshop, NASA Carbon Cycle and Ecosystem Joint Science Workshop, and the InterAction Forum.

Langley Research Center

• Performed in-depth research aimed at addressing environmental challenges, namely habitat loss, and climate change by analyzing remotely sensed and geospatial data using ArcGIS and Python. • Developed visuals, tools, and models used in consultations with end users and program stakeholder. • Managed two teams, total of 8 people, who worked on NASA’s Earth Observing System capabilities in studying environmental patterns and impacts.• Established and maintained partnerships with government entities, NGOs, and other partners.

Master’S Degree, Environmental Science And Policy

Bachelor Of Science, Biology