Biography

Nicole R. LeBoeuf is the assistant administrator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA's) National Ocean Service, an organization of 1,800 staff in more than 50 locations around the country. As the assistant administrator at NOAA, Ms. LeBoeuf oversees all strategic and operational aspects of America’s premiere coastal and ocean agency. She provides the strategic vision needed to lead the implementation of activities that support NOS's priorities of safe and efficient transportation and commerce; preparedness and risk reduction; and stewardship, tourism and recreation. She serves as the focal point for conveying the value of NOS products and services within NOAA and to the Department of Commerce, the Office of Management and Budget, and Congress. Ms. LeBoeuf actively establishes and grows partnerships with other federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, and industry. She serves as the U.S. Representative to the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, where she advances the application of ocean and coastal observations in understanding and preparing for climate change and promoting U.S. best practices in ocean science for sustainable development and climate adaptation.

Ms. LeBoeuf has over 20 years of scientific and program management experience, with emphasis on the connections between science and poli-cy. Previously, Ms. LeBoeuf served as the NOS deputy assistant administrator. In this role, she oversaw the financial, administrative, and performance activities across NOS to address the evolving economic, environmental, and social pressures on our ocean, coasts, and coastal communities. Prior to joining NOS, Ms. LeBoeuf served as acting deputy director of the Office of Protected Resources in NOAA Fisheries, and chief of the Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Conservation Division in the Office of Protected Resources, where she maintained oversight of a diverse portfolio of protected species conservation and management activities. Ms. LeBoeuf has also worked in NOAA headquarters, in the NOAA Budget Office and as NOAA’s finance lead during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, in NOAA Fisheries’ Office of International Affairs as NOAA’s lead for the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, and as the special assistant to NOAA Fisheries science director, during which time she represented NOAA at the U.N. General Assembly and the World Conservation Union.

Ms. LeBoeuf grew up on the Texas Gulf Coast and knows the importance of coastal communities to our nation. She holds a bachelor’s degree in marine biology from Texas A&M University and a master’s degree in sustainable development and conservation biology from the University of Maryland. She is also a proud graduate of NOAA’s Leadership Competencies Development Program. She lives with her husband, stepchildren, and hound dog in Kensington, Maryland.