Welcome
Join us in beautiful downtown Wilmington, North Carolina, for the SCDRP 9th Annual Meeting!
SCDRP Annual Meetings are different. If you’ve attended our Annual Meetings before, you know that SCDRP’s flagship event is not your typical conference. SCDRP Annual Meetings are unique and distinguished convenings marked by the attendance of diverse, multi-sectoral professionals representing the private, academic, non-profit, and public sectors from a broad geographic region stretching across the Southeastern U.S. and Caribbean. Spend two days with us and enjoy close networking with top organizations working to make a difference in the disaster resilience, recovery, and adaptation disciplines.
SCDRP Annual Meetings are intentionally small. During our gatherings, we all share in the entire experience; high-level speakers remain accessible to all, and we have the time and space for collective learning and collaborative development of ideas into future action plans. In order to ensure this, we cap our meetings at 125 attendees. We have sold out for the last 2 years, so be sure to register early!
SCDRP Annual Meetings are relevant by design. Throughout the planning process, we listen to our Partners and create the meeting agenda with them in mind. We incorporate timely issues and pressing topics that are important to our Partners and the organizations and communities that they represent. We cross geographic and political boundaries to bring together the brightest, most innovative leaders in the natural hazard resilience, climate adaptation, and disaster recovery fields in the U.S. Southeast and Caribbean. As we select speakers and topics and design educational field trips and networking events, we incorporate into the planning process a deep commitment to our core values of collaboration, learning, equity, and support. This commitment reveals itself through honest sharing, storytelling, eye-opening insights, laughter, thoughtful questions, cell phones full of new contacts, joyful reunions, high-fives, and hugs!
To learn more about our Annual Meetings, you can view previous years’ meeting reports and recordings on our SCDRP Resources webpage and SCDRP YouTube channel.
I am looking forward to spending time with you in Wilmington!
Thank you for supporting regional resilience,
Heather P. McCarthy, SCDRP Executive Director
Sponsor the 9th Annual Meeting
$5,000
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3 Complimentary Registrations
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Logos & links on promotional meeting materials & website
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Acknowledgement on all SCDRP Social Media Accounts
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Acknowledgment during Opening & Closing Remarks
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Two pages of marketing in Meeting Program
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Sponsor a session: 5 minute introduction to one session
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Gold Sponsor Table in the Meeting Ballroom
Gold
$2,500
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2 Complimentary Registrations
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Logos & links on promotional meeting materials & website
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Acknowledgement on all SCDRP Social Media Accounts
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Acknowledgment during Opening & Closing Remarks
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One page of marketing in Meeting Program
Silver
$1,000
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1 Complimentary Registration
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Logos & links on promotional meeting materials & website
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Acknowledgement on all SCDRP Social Media Accounts
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Acknowledgment during Opening & Closing Remarks
Bronze
We welcome alternative sponsorship opportunities - Sponsor a Workshop, Field Trip, Speaker or Panelist, Social Event, Nonprofit Attendee or Student! Please reach out to us at scdrp@secoora.org.
Travel & Logistics
Closest Airports (with distances from Aloft Hotel listed): Wilmington International Airport (4 miles) Myrtle Beach International Airport (79 miles) Raleigh-Durham International Airport (146 miles) Regional Airports: Albert J. Ellis Airport (59 miles) Fayetteville Regional Airport (88 miles) Coastal Carolina Regional Airport (98 miles)
Hotel Information: Aloft Wilmington at Coastline Center 501 Nutt Street, Wilmington, NC 28401, (910) 377-7600 Check-in: 4:00 pm Check out: 11:00 am On-Site Parking: $20.00 daily Valet $25.00 daily More Info and Photos: https://www.wilmingtonandbeaches.com/listing/aloft-wilmington-at-coastline-center/1831/ https://www.flipsnack.com/PremRealty/aloft-hotel-wilmington_edition-01_flipbook/full-view.html
Local Transportation: Bus Wave Transit offers 14 public bus routes that run throughout Wilmington and surrounding communities, such as Carolina Beach. Visitors can purchase tickets on board any Wave bus, but it's important to note that drivers only take cash and they won't make change: A one-way pass costs $2; an unlimited one-day pass costs $5. You can also buy passes at Forden Station, located at 505 Cando Street, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The buses run Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Take Wave bus service No. 207 to get from the Wilmington airport to downtown Wilmington. https://www.wavetransit.com/ Trolley Wilmington's Wave Transit offers a free trolley service, which makes 10 stops throughout downtown at places ranging from the public library to the city's convention center. It operates every 20 minutes from Monday to Friday, from 7:10 a.m. to 8:50 p.m.; on Saturday, from 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; and on Sunday, from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. https://www.wavetransit.com/free-downtown-trolley-schedule/ Visitors to Wilmington can also call a cab or order an Uber or Lyft . Taxi: https://wilmingtonblackcar.com/
Local Attractions: 1. Wilmington Riverwalk: Wilmington's Riverwalk stretches 1.75 miles along the bank of the Cape Fear River in historic downtown Wilmington, running from the foot of Nun Street on the south of historic downtown to the Isabel Holmes Bridge on the north. It has been named in the top 10 riverwalks across the country by USA Today over the last decade. 2. Carolina Beach State Park: Located in New Hanover County 12 miles south of Wilmington, Carolina Beach State Park is home to the Venus flytrap, a unique carnivorous plant. The park is known for habitats like Sugarloaf Dune, a 50-foot dune that once served as a navigational marker for river pilots, as well as three limesink ponds that each feature a unique plant community. The park's marina provides access to the Cape Fear River and the Intracoastal Waterway, making the area popular for boaters and anglers. 3. National Register Historic District: Visit some of the finest examples of historic Victorian-era architecture at the Bellamy Mansion, built on the eve of the Civil War; the Burgwin-Wright House and Gardens, the only structure in Wilmington from the colonial era open to the public; and Latimer House, which transports visitors back to the Victorian era to learn tales of the Latimer family. 4. Carolina Beach, Kure Beach & Wrightsville Beach: Three island beach towns a short drive from downtown Wilmington.
Meeting Schedule
Meeting Schedule and Agenda Coming Soon
FAQ
Who will attend the SCDRP 9th Annual Meeting?
The SCDRP Annual Meetings are marked by a unique diversity of individuals representative of SCDRP’s multi-sectoral and broad regional status. Professionally, attendees represent approximately equal quarters from the Academic sector (working or studying at a college or university), Non-profit sector (representing a non-governmental organization), Governmental sector (working at Federal, state/territory, or local levels of government), and Private sector (working for a company, business, or industry). Geographically, the profile of SCDRP Annual Meeting attendees represents the entire footprint of the SCDRP region including the southeastern states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, and the U.S. Caribbean territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A smaller number of attendees travel from more distant locations throughout the U.S. and Wider Caribbean.
How much does registration cost?
An Individual Registration to the SCDRP 9th Annual Meeting 2025 in Wilmington is $525 per attendee. We are pleased to offer a special discounted Student Registration at $175 each (please email a photo of your current student ID to scdrp@secoora.org) to take advantage of the discounted rate.
Discounts are available for some Annual Meeting attendees. If you fall into one of the below categories, email us at scdrp@secoora.org to receive your discount code:
SCDRP Dues-Paying Member: $100 off registration
2025 Steering Committee Member: $200 off registration
Bronze Sponsor: 100% off one registration
Silver Sponsor: 100% off two registrations
Gold Sponsor: 100% off three registrations
Session Speaker/Panelist/Moderator: 100% off registration
What does my registration include?
Registration includes admission to all Annual Meeting sessions on February 4th and 5th. Registration includes lunch on February 4th and 5th. Field trips may incur additional fees.
When is the deadline to register?
The deadline to register is Monday, January 13, 2025, but registration will close when we reach capacity at 125 attendees. Deadline to book your hotel room at Aloft is January 13, 2025.
When is the deadline to submit a sponsorship?
The deadline for submitting a sponsorship and providing marketing materials will be January 13, 2025, to provide time for the printing of the marketing materials in the Annual Meeting Program.
What is the refund policy?
No refunds will be issued after the registration deadline. Eventbrite fees are non-refundable.
Are there carpool options from nearby airports?
If you would like to carpool to the Annual Meeting, please email scdrp@secoora.org to gain access to an attendee carpool spreadsheet. On the spreadsheet, you will have the opportunity to input your contact information, departure/arrival information, and indicate whether you are seeking or offering a ride.
Is there financial assistance available?
Thanks to generous sponsors, we have 10 scholarships available to cover the registration fees for the SCDRP 9th Annual Meeting. Scholarship awards do not cover transportation or lodging. Scholarships are open to SCDRP Members in Good Standing. Applications will be accepted until December 18, 2024. Applications will be reviewed by SCDRP staff, and award recipients will be selected based on need and essay responses. Scholarship recipients may be requested to volunteer up to 2 hours during the Annual Meeting. Click here to apply.
Meet the Steering Committee
Allyssa Zebrowski
SE Regional Preparedness Coordinator, NOAA Disaster Preparedness Program | Genwest North Charleston, SC
Amber O’Quinn
Office Manager
Homewatch CareGivers
St. Pete, Florida
Anne Cabrera
Vice President
SWCA Environmental Consultants
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Brian Byfield
Resilient Communities Program Manager North Carolina Office of Recovery & Resiliency (NCORR)
Raleigh, NC
Christine M. Crespo Valentín
Landscape Architect
Jacobs
Tampa, FL
David Johnston
Founder & CEO
Hamilton Advisors, LLC
Charleston, SC
Donya Frank-Gilchrist,
Research Oceanographer
US Geological Survey,
St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center, St. Petersburg, FL
Dr. Meredith Hovis
Assistant Professor
University of North Carolina Wilmington
Wilmington, NC
Duane De Freese, Ph.D.
Executive Director
The Indian River Lagoon NEP
Florida
Garry Harris
President/CEO
Sustainability Solutions Group and Institute,
Hampton Roads VA/Atlanta GA
Geno Olmi,
Retired, formerly with NOAA for 27 years
Johns Island, SC
Jason Fleming, Ph.D.
Principal Consultant
Seahorse Consulting
Morehead City, NC
Dr. Jeremy Stalker
Associate Professor of Marine Science
Jacksonville University
Jacksonville, FL
Josiah 'Jazz' Watts
Vulnerable Communities Initiative, Inc. and Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor
Savannah, GA
Kait Morano
Resilience Planning Director & Research Scientist II
Coastal Equity and Resilience Hub, Georgia Tech, Savannah, GA
Kasen Wally
Coastal Resiliency Specialist
NC Division of Coastal Management Morehead City, NC
Kim Leonard
Savannah Riverkeeper
Savannah, GA
Knellee Bisram
Founder & CEO
AHAM Education Inc.
Miami, FL
Luke Roberson
Community Engagement and Outreach Coordinator
Institute for Water and Health at Georgia Southern University; Savannah, GA
Mackenzie Todd
Coastal Resiliency Coordinator
North Carolina Division of Coastal Management
Morehead City, NC
Maggie Steenburg
Assistant Director
Miami-Dade County Department
of Emergency Management
Doral, FL
Mariko Polk
Coastal Processes Specialist
North Carolina Sea Grant
Wilmington, NC
Megan Shaw
Office and Events Manager
SECOORA
Cincinnati, OH
Ren Martin
Eco-Justice Program Coordinator North Carolina Council of Churches
Raleigh, NC
Sharon Mesick
Director
NOAA Southern Regional Climate Services
Gulfport Mississippi
Stephanie Kelly
Professional Landscape Architect
Earth Matters Planning & Design, PLLC
Wilmington, NC
Susannah Tuttle
Southeast Climate & Energy Network SCEN
Raleigh, NC
Trinity Johnson
Doctoral Student
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, LA
Victoria Olivia
Meteorologist
NOAA National Weather Service Wilmington, NC
Vamsi Krishna Sridharan, PhD, M.ASCE
Water Resources Innovation Manager
Tetra Tech
Fairfax, VA
Here's what attendees are saying about SCDRP Annual Meetings....
"I heard numerous people here for first time comment on how great of a community this is; how great of an event; and that this was genuinely thought-provoking and different. Excellent work!"
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Anonymous from the SCDRP 8th Annual Meeting Exit Survey