CSO Staff
Kristen Fletcher, Executive Director
(202) 508-3860
Ms. Fletcher is Executive Director of CSO where she is responsible for advancing CSO’s mission by advocating for the shared state interests. Ms. Fletcher represents the interests of the Governors of coastal states and territories before Congress, federal agencies, Boards and Commissions to support federal policy goals and objectives of CSO. Ms. Fletcher’s current work includes working with federal agencies to implement the National Ocean Policy, advocating for reauthorization of the Coastal Zone Management Act, and developing legislative efforts toward adapting to climate change.
Previously, Ms. Fletcher directed the Marine Affairs Institute and Rhode Island Sea Grant Legal Program at Roger Williams University where she also taught Ocean and Coastal Law, Natural Resources Law, and Fisheries Law. Previously, she directed the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Legal Program and was founding director of the National Sea Grant Law Center. Ms. Fletcher earned a B.A. in Political Science and Spanish from Auburn University, J.D. from the University of Notre Dame School of Law, and a Master of Laws in Environmental and Natural Resources Law from Lewis & Clark Law School. Ms. Fletcher is Past-President of The Coastal Society, a Senior Fellow with the Environmental Leadership Program, and a member of the South Carolina Bar.
Kassandra (Kc) Cerveny, Director of Government Affairs
(202) 508-3862
Ms. Cerveny is the Director of Government Affairs at CSO. As the Director of Government Affairs, Ms. Cerveny works with the Executive Director and the Governing Board to develop and implement strategic goals for Congressional and federal agency relations. She also leads the Congressional advocacy efforts and the development of support for federal appropriations and legislative priorities.
Ms. Cerveny is a native of Florida and holds a B.S. in Environmental Science and a Graduate Certificate in Environmental Policy and Management from the University of Florida. She also holds a M.S. in Marine Science from the University of Puerto Rico with a concentration in Biological Oceanography-Fisheries Ecology. She has worked with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and several federal agencies including the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Park Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. She also served in the office of U.S. Senator Bill Nelson of Florida, and most recently, as Legislative Director with Marine Conservation Biology Institute.
Diana Bowen, Policy Analyst
(202) 508-3844
Ms. Bowen is the Policy Analyst at CSO. As the Policy Analyst, she provides substantive review, analysis, advice, and advocacy on congressional legislation, executive agency regulations and other initiatives related to the nation’s coasts, oceans, and Great Lakes. Ms. Bowen also monitors and researches legislation, federal regulations and policies as well as drafts testimony, talking points, and prepares briefing materials for hearings and Congressional and federal agency visits. Additionally, she provides written and oral briefings on such regulations, legislation, and initiatives for the Executive Director and CSO Members. Ms. Bowen serves as the CSO staff for the Climate Change Work Group.
Previously, she interned with EPA Region IX and worked with Senator Feinstein’s DC office on Judiciary Committee issues and served as a Staff Assistant to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Technology, Terrorism, and Homeland Security where she assisted in research and worked with hearing witnesses. Starting in 2007, she worked as a Legislative Correspondent for Senator Feinstein on environmental, natural resource, energy, climate and water policy. A native of California, Ms. Bowen received a B.S. in Environmental Biology and Management, with a minor in Political Science, from University of California, Davis and a Master’s of Science in Environmental Sciences and Policy from Johns Hopkins University.
LaKia Thomas, Operations Coordinator
(202) 508-3860
Ms. Thomas is the Operations Coordinator at CSO where she is responsible for managing the CSO office and assisting with grant management and budgeting. Previously, she worked for a DC-based think tank, providing executive level support while managing areas of office administration, Human Resources and Information Technology. Before joining Third Way, she worked for a full service asset management and independent real estate advisory firm specializing in strategic planning, fiscal and economic impact analysis. Prior to her experience with market research concerning real estate trends and issues, she worked in the media production field providing original content and program production finishing services to TV and cable networks.
Ms. Thomas earned a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism, with a minor in Human Development and Family Science, from Messiah College.