NOAA Celebrates
Black History Month: 2008
NOAA’s 2008 Black History Month Biographies
NOAA
HIGHLIGHTS CONTRIBUTIONS OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN EMPLOYEES DURING BLACK
HISTORY MONTH
 Nancy J. Munroe, Biological Science Technician, NOAA's Northeast Fisheries Science Center — Munroe has been instrumental in bringing diversity to NOAA and has served as an exceptional role model for young, female scientists. Munroe started her career at NOAA's Northeast Fisheries Science Center's Woods Hole Laboratory (Woods Hole, Mass.) in 1983 as a part-time biological aide. Working in the Fishery Biology Program, she demonstrated unusual expertise in fish ageing. In 2002, Nancy was promoted to biological science technician. Munroe has trained many of the Program's current staff in the ageing of key species, such as cod, haddock, and yellowtail flounder. Her attention to detail and quality of work is unsurpassed. Munroe also has been active in Woods Hole Laboratory and community programs, promoting African Americans and women in science. She has served on the Woods Hole Black History Month Committee for more than 20 years. |
 Michael Washington, Meteorologist, NOAA’s National Weather Service’s Policy and Strategic Planning Office — Washington has utilized impressive diplomatic and leadership skills throughout his professional career with NOAA. In 1990, Washington was the Observing Program manager for the Eastern Region of the NWS where he helped transition in new observing programs. He went on to serve as the next generation radar program manager where he helped the agency successfully install Dopplar Radar systems throughout the Eastern U.S. Washington also served as a warning coordination meteorologist at the NWS's Weather Forecast Office in Charleston, W.Va., were he championed several new technologies, including the Console Replacement System and the Emergency Alert System. Washington also taught meteorology as an adjunct professor at Beckley University in West Virginia. Washington served as NOAA’s Blacks In Government president for four years were he led the chapter's first strategic planning effort. He has served on several committees and received numerous certificates and awards, including NWS's Regional Employee of the year, NOAA Bronze medals for Eastern Region transition team and NOAA Facilitator, and his role as NWS Team Captain for the Combined Federal Campaign. An avid saxophone player, Washington performed during the Open Plenary Session at the BIG National Training Conference in Denver, Colo. His musical abilities also were featured in Access NOAA (Sept. 2001 issue). |
 Wanda L. Cain, Chief, Planning and Program Coordination Division, NOAA's Office of Protected Resources, NOAA's Fisheries Service — Cain is a proven leader in government and military service. She began her NOAA career with NOAA's Fisheries Service directly out of the Cooperative Fishery Unit at Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio), where she earned a master’s degree in Fishery Biology. After two years at NOAA's Northeast Fishery Science Center (Woods Hole, Mass.), Cain transferred to NOAA's Fisheries Service headquarters (then in Washington, DC), where she helped to implement the Marine Mammal Protection and Endangered Species Acts by processing applications for scientific research and public display permits. Cain also has worked for NOAA’s Fisheries Service as the headquarters liaison on the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean tuna-dolphin program; as a program analyst responsible for NOAA's Office of Protected Resources budget implementation; and as the division chief for the Endangered Species Division in NOAA's Office of Protected Resources. Concurrent with her service at NOAA's Fisheries Service, Cain also served in the U.S. Army Reserve as a marine engineer and first sergeant for a Marine Watercraft Unit at Ft. Belvoir, Va., and most recently as command sergeant major of a training battalion at Ft. Dix, N.J., until her retirement from military service in 2005. Cain also holds an E.J.D. from Concord Law School. |
 Otis L. Jackson, Programmer, NOAA's Fisheries Science Center's Woods Hole Laboratory — Jackson is an inspiration to us all for his self motivation and achievements. He started his career at NOAA's Northeast Fisheries Science Center (Woods Hole, Mass.). Jackson was recruited through NOAA’s Scientific Technician Program and hired as a statistician to assist fisheries biologists with data analysis and assessment studies. He was responsible for the statistical analysis of primary data collected from both commercial fisheries and research surveys. Jackson applied statistical, mathematical, and programming techniques to the center's statistical data sets to provide the background analysis for assessing the status of fishery resources and fish population estimates. Jackson taught himself several programming languages and within a year he was providing routine programming support for NOAA's Resource Assessments Division, as well as performing his statistical analysis duties. In 1979, Jackson received a Superior Achievement Award for his work. After transferring to NOAA's Data Management Systems staff, Jackson now serves at the Help Desk and started a newsletter called “Fish Bytes.” He moved on several programming languages, and specialized in PC-based fisheries data collection systems. Jackson is still adapting data collection system to the constant changes in the fishing industry. Jackson also helps with Black History Month activities, is active in his church, the Freemasonry, Eastern Star, and gives back to his community by helping senior citizens with home repairs. |
 Ambrose Jearld, Jr., Chief of Research Planning and Coordination, NOAA's Northeast Fisheries Science Center's Woods Hole Laboratory — As a biologist and administrator, Jearld has provided NOAA with leadership on national and international affairs in South Africa. He also is a strong advocate of NOAA's commitment to diversity and equity in employment. Jearld joined NOAA's Northeast Fisheries Science Center's Woods Hole Laboratory (Woods Hole, Mass.) as a fisheries biologist in 1978. He served as a researcher, administrator, and manager. His appointments include chief of NOAA's Fishery Biology Investigation (now known as the Fishery Biology Program); chief of NOAA's Research Planning and Evaluation Section; and chief of NOAA's Research Planning and Coordination Staff. Today, Jearld is the director of Academic Programs at the science center. Jearld is a charter member and former chair of the Woods Hole Scientific Community's Black History Month Committee. He also chairs the Woods Hole Diversity Advisory Committee, a multi-institution committee that advises six Woods Hole science organizations. He graduated from Maryland State College (now University of Maryland Eastern Shore) with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology. Between earning his Master of Science and doctorate at Oklahoma State University, he served two years in the U.S. Army. |
 Natalie Huff, National Program Manager, Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity office, NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service — Huff serves as the senior advisor to the assistant administrator regarding the agencies responsibilities relating to Equal Employment Opportunities and Diversity Initiatives. A U.S. Department of Commerce employee since 1978, Huff has served in the Office of the Secretary handling personnel issues, the International Trade Administration as an employee development specialist and awards officer, and NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service as a management and program analyst and later as the national program manager. She is a certified management professional who has received numerous awards for her management and execution of NOAA's NMFS. |
 Salim Abddeen, Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management Specialist, NOAA's National Weather Service, Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management — A champion for equal opportunity and diversity, Abddeen serves as a collateral duty EEO counselor and a member of NOAA's Alternative Dispute Resolution cadre. Abdeeen joined the United States Army in 1978 as a HAWK Missile System electrical and mechanical technician. He then served as an equal opportunity representative — conducting equal opportunity training, assessing command climate, conducting ethnic observances, and collecting demographic data for quarterly and annual reports. In 1994, Abdeeen attended the Department of Defense's Equal Opportunity Management Institute and became an equal opportunity advisor for large organizations. Before joining NOAA, Abdeeen went on to serve as a senior PATRIOT System evaluator, senior PATRIOT instructor/writer, and a Metal Deposition Final Test engineering technician at Applied Materials, Inc., the world’s largest manufacturer of semiconductor equipment. |
 Barbara Tobe, Acting Branch Chief, NOAA’s National Weather Service - Operations Support and Performance Monitoring Branch— Tobe recently served as deputy project leader and contracting officer's technical representative for replacing NOAA’s National Weather Service’s Telecommunication Gateway and creating the Backup Telecommunication Gateway. These are the primary NWS weather message switching and dissemination facilities for the U.S. and the world. During her tenure at NOAA, Tobe also served as the African American program manager under NOAA’s Equal Employment Opportunity Office. In this role, she coordinated annual Martin Luther King Essay contests for junior high and high school students, and served as both an instructor at the Saturday Academy and a lecturer for NOAA community outreach efforts. She also was a proud charter member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Council. For eight years, Tobe served as vice president of the NOAA Chapter of Blacks in Government and Chairman of several Black History Month programs, which featured such notables as former Congressman, Ron Dellums and entertainer and activist Dick Gregory. She also served as chairman of the Scholarship and Grants Committee and developed the NOAA BIG Scholarship program in 1996. Since then, Tobe and members of the Scholarship Committee, through the generosity of the community and the CFC, have given more than $44,000 in scholarships to highly talented college-bound graduating high school seniors. Tobe is the recipient of numerous awards including volunteer service, Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity, Community Outreach, Special Recognition, Outstanding and Superior Performance, and NOAA's Administrators Award for 1997. |