Erica Rule is the chief of staff for science planning and operations at NOAA's Southeast Fisheries Science Center. In this role she supports the leadership of the center, making recommendations and providing timely and informed guidance in support of the center's mission. Erica serves as a coordinator for the center’s reintegration and realignment processes and leads the center's evolving strategic planning process, aligning the strategic objectives and initiatives with budget planning and execution. Erica coordinates implementation of the annual budget planning process, Priority Based Resourcing, ensuring the timely and effective allocation of resources in alignment with annual guidance priorities. She recommends and implements courses of action to support a newly expanded supervisor network.

Prior to working in NOAA Fisheries, Erica worked as the communications director at NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory. In this capacity she led strategic communications, congressional affairs, public affairs, digital communications and website design, science planning and evaluation, and strategic planning. Erica also established an internship program for science communications. Erica is a graduate of NOAA's Leadership Competency Development Program where she completed details in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (deputy superintendent) and with the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System Program Office (deputy director). Erica earned a Bachelor of Science in biology at the University of Mary Washington in 1997, then came to the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science to study marine affairs and policy. She graduated in 1999 with a Master of Arts and began her career at the NOAA in Miami.

Meet Erica Rule, Chief of Staff for Science Planning and Operations