Contact: Anne Donovan
July 8, 1996
(617) 727-9530, x411

Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management (MCZM) announces the appointment of Meighan Matthews, who was an Environmental Program Coordinator for the Massachusetts Office of Dispute Resolution for the past two years, as MCZM's Assistant Regional Coordinator for the South Coastal Region. "Meighan's strong communication and planning skills will make her an ideal Assistant Regional Coordinator," emphasized Peg Brady, Director of MCZM. "I am confident she will effectively work with South Coastal communities to balance competing interest and pursue strong coastal policy."

As an Environmental Program Coordinator for the Massachusetts Office of Dispute Resolution (MODR), Ms. Matthews concentrated on environmental mediation case work, program development, and negotiation and consensus-building training. She coordinated MODR's Wetlands Mediation Program, which brings contentious parties together to resolve conflicts over development on or alteration of coastal wetlands. She also worked with the New Bedford Harbor Trustee Council to increase public participation in the development of a plan to restore the natural resources that were damaged as a result of the release of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into the Harbor.

Ms. Matthews received an M.A. in Urban and Environmental Policy from Tufts University and a B.A. in Government from Oberlin College. She has also worked as an Environmental Intern for Massport, a Legislative Assistant for the National Association of Counties in Washington, D.C., and a Staff Assistant for the Center for Dispute Settlement, also in Washington.

"My passion is figuring out ways people can more effectively communicate with each other, and my educational background is in planning," explained Ms. Matthews. "I look forward to working as an Assistant Regional Coordinator so I can use both my communication skills and planning degree to be of assistance to the South Coastal Region."

MCZM's South Coastal Regional Office is co-located with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Southeast Regional Office (SERO) in Lakeville. The communities covered by the Region are: Acushnet, Berkley, Dartmouth, Dighton, Duxbury, Fairhaven, Fall River, Freetown, Hanover, Kingston, Marion, Marshfield, Mattapoisett, New Bedford, Norwell, Pembroke, Plymouth, Rehobeth, Scituate, Seekonk, Somerset, Swansea, Wareham, and Westport.