Erin Cooper came to Washington state and joined FEMA Region 10 in 2019. She is currently working to integrate Endangered Species Act compliance into floodplain management standards for the National Flood Insurance Program in the state of Oregon, the Puget Sound region, and at the national level. Her experience in floodplain management prior to FEMA stems from multiple roles in flood recovery and management in the Colorado Front Range. Erin holds a B.A. in Biology from Hiram College, a Masters in Environmental Science & Applied Coral Reef Ecology from Miami University of Ohio, and is an alumnus of the John A. Knauss NOAA Sea Grant Marine Policy Fellowship (NOAA Office of Education). She also serves as an advisory board member for the Inland Ocean Coalition, a national nonprofit working to engage inland communities in land-to-sea stewardship.