[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 179 (Tuesday, November 13, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1515]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING ELLIE COHEN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JARED HUFFMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 13, 2018

  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
accomplishments of Ellie Cohen, who is stepping down as the President 
and CEO of Point Blue Conservation Science after 20 years 
oftransformative leadership. Recognized internationally for her work, 
Ellie Cohen has turned Point Blue from a regional bird observatory to a 
globally recognized powerhouse in climate-smart, multi-benefit 
conservation.
  Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Ellie Cohen earned a bachelor's degree 
in Botany from Duke University with honors. After moving to California 
in 1979 to conduct field studies in butterfly ecology, Ellie went on to 
earn a Master in Public Policy degree from the Harvard Kennedy School 
of Government. There she was honored with the first annual Robert F. 
Kennedy Public Service Award, voted on by her fellow students, as well 
as the coveted Policy Analysis Exercise Award.
  In 1999, Ellie Cohen became President and CEO of Point Blue (founded 
as Point Reyes Bird Observatory). During Ellie's 20-year tenure, she 
managed significant growth of the organization, from 30 employees with 
an annual operating budget of $2.5 million, to 180 employees with an 
operating budget of $14 million. She also established a strong 
financial foundation including securing the organization's 20,000 
square foot headquarters and the Rich Stallcup Conservation Science 
Intern Center, both in Petaluma.
  Ellie Cohen was an early leader in promoting healthy ecosystems as 
essential to the climate change solution's tool box for both mitigation 
and adaptation. In 2017, she secured recognition of Point Blue as an 
official observer organization to the United Nations Framework 
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and oversaw Point Blue's 
contributions to the UNFCCC's considerations of how agriculture can be 
part of the climate solution.
  During Ellie Cohen's impactful tenure, Point Blue's scientists helped 
secure the largest Marine Protected Area in the world at the Ross Sea 
Antarctica, helped protect 400,000 acres of post-fire Sierra forests 
for birds and other wildlife, and guided changes in shipping lanes of 
California's coast to protect whales from ship strikes.
  Beyond improving Point Blue's financial, research and conservation 
capabilities and impact, Ellie Cohen worked tirelessly to expand the 
organization's partnerships which today include thousands of local, 
regional, national and international agencies, governments, private 
landowners and fishers, as well as NGO's, collaboratively bridging 
cultural divides through conservation science to advance a healthy 
future for wildlife and human communities.
  Mr. Speaker, Ellie Cohen's leadership has transformed Point Blue 
Conservation Science, and in the process has helped governments, 
private land owners, and our communities better prepare for the 
challenges of climate change through nature-based solutions. Therefore, 
please join me in thanking Ellie Cohen for her two decades of 
leadership and service to the public.

                          ____________________