Dr. Matt Lurie is an Environmental Planner with the WA Department of Fish and Wildlife and is part of the Habitat Strategic Initiative Lead (HSIL) team where he provides expertise on nearshore habitat protection and restoration issues in Puget Sound with a focus on shoreline armoring. HSIL is a cross-agency team co-led by the WA Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Department of Natural Resources to put in place strategies that improve the health of the rivers, forests, shorelines, estuaries, kelp, and eelgrass. Matt adaptively manages and implements regional strategic plans, fosters collaboration, and provides leadership on RFP development for EPA Geographic Program Funds to support grants that carry out priority recovery work. Matt holds a PhD and Masters in Botany from the University of Hawaii as well as a BS in Marine Biology from the University of California Los Angeles. Prior to joining HSIL, Matt worked for the Milken Institute Center for Strategic Philanthropy in Washington D.C., and was the first NOAA Sea Grant Knauss Marine Policy Fellow for The White House National Ocean Council.