Lisa Rider- Executive Director
Lisa Rider, Executive Director of the Coastal Carolina Riverwatch, is a Coastal NC native. Lisa has over 30 years of volunteer experience removing marine debris from coastal waterways and over 15 years of experience in local government, solid waste infrastructure development, and coastal resource management.
In her spare time, Lisa is a certified Dive Master and has been guiding NC divers since 2014. She also volunteers as a diver at the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores.
Since her passion is protecting the coast, it was natural that Lisa initiated the NC Marine Debris Symposium and serves on the Mid-Atlantic NOAA Marine Debris Program Consortium and leads the regional consumer debris prevention and removal planning team.
Lisa has received several awards during her career, including the NC Governor’s Conservation Achievement Award as the Conservation Communicator of the Year, North Carolina Environmental Educator of the Year, and the Carolina Recycling Association Recycler of the Year. She is a current National Recycling Coalition board member and advisor for the Plastic Ocean Project. Lisa was part of the eXXpedition Amazon crew in 2015 and sailed from Recife, Brazil to Bartika, Guyana studying ocean plastic.
Lisa joined the Coastal Carolina Riverwatch Crew in 2019 to support the organization’s mission with strategic collaborative planning and groundswell advocacy at the forefront of that vision. Lisa remarks that she is “a proud eastern NC native, but with that pride comes responsibility. The responsibility to protect our coastal community environment for future generations.”
Riley Lewis – White Oak Waterkeeper
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Stacy is a dedicated nonprofit professional specializing in empowering small organizations to amplify their impact through strategic fundraising and program development. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Mount Olive with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Criminology, and from Johns Hopkins University with a Master of Arts in NGO Management, where she also achieved Summa Cum Laude honors. Stacy currently serves as the Water Quality for Fisheries Community Ambassador through AmeriCorps, contributing her expertise to improve environmental practices and community engagement in coastal North Carolina.
A proud native of Carteret County, Stacy is passionate about supporting local farmers and advancing sustainable agricultural practices. She is a graduate of Leadership Carteret (Class of 2022, best class ever!) and volunteers with the Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI-USA) as a grant proposal reviewer. Stacy also enjoys collaborating with small nonprofits, helping them with resource development and revenue diversification strategies.
In her free time, Stacy enjoys crafting, crocheting, painting, reading, cooking, and spending time outdoors. Her deep connection to her community and her commitment to service are at the heart of everything she does, from improving water quality practices to supporting the growth of local nonprofits.
