On the Waterfront – Meet the Members of the Cook Inlet Harbor Safety Committee!

Dr. Suzann Speckman is the Marine Science Program Lead at the engineering firm HDR and holds the alternate Environmental seat on the Cook Inlet HSC.

Suzann is a marine ecologist and long-time Alaska resident who has been involved in fisheries, seabird, and marine mammal research and management in Alaska for over 30 years. Suzann earned her Ph.D. in Aquatic and Fishery Sciences from the University of Washington, researching trophic interactions, including predator-prey relationships among seabirds and forage fishes, in lower Cook Inlet. At HDR, Suzann focuses on environmental permitting, especially working with clients, state, and federal agencies to implement the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and Endangered Species Act (ESA) for marine construction projects such as vessel terminals, bridges, offshore wind, and renewables. She also designs marine mammal monitoring and mitigation plans and manages environmental compliance efforts. Permitting marine construction projects means Suzann is familiar with environmental and safety concerns, including assessment of potential impacts on the environment from construction and operation.