Dr. Jessica Renee Henkel

Dr. Jessica Renee Henkel currently serves as the Deputy Director to the Chief Scientist and Director of the RESTORE Act Center of Excellence for Louisiana at The Water Institute since June 2022. Previously, Dr. Henkel held various roles at the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council, including Science Advisor and Coordinator, as well as Ecosystem Science Specialist from June 2016 to June 2022. Dr. Henkel's experience also includes a fellowship position with the Gulf Research Program at The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and an EPA STAR Research Fellowship with Tulane University. Dr. Henkel obtained a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Tulane University, a Master of Science in Conservation Biology from the University of New Orleans, and a Bachelor's Degree in English from Stony Brook University, further complemented by education at the Sea Education Association. Additionally, early career work included roles at Cambridge University Press.