The NOAA General Counsel serves as the chief legal officer for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The position of the NOAA General Counsel was established in section 2(e)(1) of Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1970 that created NOAA.
The General Counsel is appointed by the Secretary of Commerce, with the approval of the President. The Office of the General Counsel provides legal service and guidance for all matters that may arise in the conduct of NOAA's missions. These functions are carried out subject to the overall authority of the General Counsel of the Department of Commerce, as provided in Department Organization Order 10-6.
The NOAA Office of General Counsel is managed by the General Counsel, two Deputy General Counsels and an Executive Officer. The Office consists of a Headquarters Office and 13 sections throughout the country, which are located in Washington, D.C.; Silver Spring, Maryland; Gloucester, Massachusetts; St. Petersburg, Florida; Long Beach, California; Seattle, Washington; Honolulu, Hawai'i; and Juneau, Alaska.
John Luce serves as the NOAA General Counsel. NOAA's Deputy General Counsels are Kristen Gustafson and Jeff Dillen.
General Counsel - John Luce
John Luce is the General Counsel for NOAA. He is responsible for advising the agency on legal matters arising from the conduct of NOAA’s mission and he also oversees the Office of General Counsel’s personnel, budget, and strategic planning. Mr. Luce previously served as the NOAA General Counsel from 2018 to 2021. Prior to returning as NOAA’s General Counsel in 2025, John served as the Director of the U.S. Coast Guard’s National Pollution Funds Center where he was responsible for administering all aspects of the liability and compensation provisions of the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, including the management of the multi-billion dollar Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund. Mr. Luce has also worked for the Department of Homeland Security as an attorney advisor focusing on issues of congressional oversight, strategic oversight (OIG and GAO), and litigation. He retired from the Coast Guard in 2018. During his time on active duty, his leadership assignments included Chief of General Law, Executive Assistant to the Judge Advocate General and Chief of Legal Policy and Program Development, and Chief of Claims and Litigation. He also served as an admiralty trial attorney at the Department of Justice, Coast Guard senior appellate government counsel, and staff attorney assignments in operational law and procurement.
In addition to his legal assignments, Mr. Luce served as a Coast Guard Budget and Programs Reviewer. Prior to attending law school, he served aboard the Coast Guard Cutter HORNBEAM and at Coast Guard Headquarters. Mr. Luce is a graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy and The George Washington University Law School.
Deputy General Counsel - Kristen Gustafson
Kristen Gustafson is one of two Deputy General Counsels for NOAA's Office of General Counsel. Ms. Gustafson oversees the legal work of the National Marine Fisheries Service nationwide. She has over 20 years of environmental law experience. Before coming to NOAA in March 2016, she worked from 2001-2016 in the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice, first as a trial attorney and then as an assistant chief in the Wildlife and Marine Resources Section. During that time, she defended federal agencies in district and appellate courts in litigation brought under wildlife, natural resource, and other statutes. Ms. Gustafson was also detailed to the Division's Law and Policy Section for over a year where she gained speech writing and legislative experience. Before joining the Department of Justice, Ms. Gustafson clerked for the Honorable Ellen Segal Huvelle of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. She began her career as an associate in the litigation practice at Arnold & Porter, a private law firm based in Washington, D.C. Ms. Gustafson received her undergraduate degree (B.A.) in history from Princeton University in 1994 and her law degree (J.D.) from New York University School of Law in 1997.
Deputy General Counsel - Jeff Dillen
Jeff Dillen is one of two Deputy General Counsels for NOAA's Office of General Counsel and oversees the legal work of a broad range of NOAA programs, principally the National Ocean Service, the National Weather Service, and NOAA's research and satellite programs. Mr. Dillen's appointment as Deputy General Counsel in February 2016 followed a decade of service leading a Section of NOAA's Office of General Counsel specializing in legal issues related to hydrographic services and ocean and coastal stewardship.
Mr. Dillen has over 20 years of environmental law experience. Prior to coming to NOAA, he spent nearly four years in the Natural Resources Section of the Department of Justice, defending federal agencies in suits arising under the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, and other natural resources-related statutes. He began his career at Dorsey & Whitney LLP, a private law firm based in Minneapolis, as part of the firm's environment and regulated industry practice group.
Mr. Dillen received his B.S. in environmental resource management from the Pennsylvania State University in 1993 and joint degrees from the University of Wisconsin Law School (J.D.) and the University of Wisconsin Institute for Environmental Studies (M.S. in land resources) in 1997.
Executive Officer - Kenneshia Ruto
Kenneshia Ruto is the Executive Officer for NOAA's Office of General Counsel and oversees all matters related to financial management, human capital management and implementing the organization's strategic goals and vision. She joined the Office of General Counsel in 2019 after serving five years in the NOAA Budget Office as the Budget Formulation Section Chief and Corporate Financial Management Division Section Chief.
Kenneshia has 20 years of human resources and financial management experience and has served as a leader in numerous organizations. Prior to coming to NOAA, Kenneshia spent over twelve years working with Defense Agencies to include the Civilian Personnel Management Service, the Army Budget Office (Pentagon), the Deputy Chief of Staff G-8 Programs (Pentagon) and the United States Army Reserve Command. Kenneshia is a graduate of the Army Comptroller Civilian Intern Program.
Kenneshia is the recipient of the NOAA Silver Sherman Award, the Department of the Army Commander's Award for Civilian Service and the Army Superior Civilian Service Award. Kenneshia received her undergraduate degree (B.S.) in management and computer information systems from Park University in 2002 and her graduate degree in public policy from George Mason University in 2010.