Sharon Cunniff
Director, Coastal Resilience
EDF
Building on her 27 years working for the federal government at the intersection of water resources engineering and environmental policy, Shannon Cunniff leads EDF’s coastal resilience program. Shannon develops strategies for accelerating the creation of engineering design guidance for natural infrastructure to ensure both engineering and environmental success and expanding means for financing restoration of natural infrastructure.
Shannon conducts research and develops strategic plans and tactics for EDF’s coastal resilience program, organizes and runs workshops and trainings on coastal community climate adaptation solutions, and provides advice on working with federal agencies to resolve issues and secure action.
Prior to EDF, Shannon worked at the U.S. Department of Defense as the executive director for Chemical and Material Risk Management, where she guided development and implementation of the Department’s Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan. Shannon was also the deputy director of the Interagency Floodplain Management Review Committee, formed by the White House in the wake of the 1993 Midwest floods, to address national policy and program implementation issues related to flooding and flood risk management.