NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries has selected Sarah Fangman, superintendent at Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, as West Coast region director. She replaces William Douros, who retired in June.
The West Coast Regional office of the national marine sanctuaries manages 15,333 square miles of marine protected areas around Channel Islands, Cordell Bank, Greater Farallones, Monterey Bay and Olympic Coast.
“Sarah brings to this position more than 25 years of experience managing multimillion-dollar budgets, leading large teams and executing innovative marine policies and programs,” said John Armor, director of the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. “She excels at building strategic relationships and working collaboratively across multiple stakeholder groups to address complex environmental challenges, and is well known for her ability to set the right tone in difficult situations and as a visionary and a problem solver.”
Fangman has served in many operational and management roles at NOAA. A marine scientist, early in her NOAA career, she served as research coordinator at Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. She was superintendent at Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary in Georgia, before coming to the Keys in 2017, where she was charged with managing a protected area covering 3,800 square miles.
“It has been my great honor and privilege to serve as Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary superintendent,” said Fangman. “I want to express my deep appreciation for the staff of the sanctuary who work tirelessly on behalf of our community and our marine ecosystem, and who will continue this mission. I have been inspired by working with partners who are innovative, determined and committed to protecting and improving the marine resources of the Florida Keys.”
Fangman earned a bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College in Vermont and a master’s degree in marine affairs from the University of Washington. She later obtained a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton master captain’s license in addition to being certified as a submersible pilot. She was twice a saturation diver at the Aquarius Reef Base, an underwater research laboratory located off Key Largo, and served as diver and divemaster on multiple research missions in the Keys aboard the NOAA ship Nancy Foster.
Fangman will move to the West Coast this fall.
