The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC) has a new leader.

Elaina Jorgensen will take over as the new AFSC chief of staff, where she will oversee the agency's Strategic Support Team, according to an announcement from NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) made Friday (July 19).

Jorgensen has worked as a fisheries research, administrator and lab director for nearly three decades, according to NMFS.

Dr. Elaina Jorgensen. Photo: NOAA Fisheries

"Throughout her career, Elaina has proven herself as a capable scientist, talented communicator and critical thinker," said AFSC's science and research director Robert Foy. "She is well suited to assist me and the rest of the leadership team in successfully implementing strategic initiatives and tackling new challenges so we can continue to provide resource managers and interested parties with the best available science to support and understand our marine resources."

AFSC is tasked with a wide array of data and ecosystem monitoring across Alaska's fisheries. That includes overseeing the research being done at several laboratories within Alaska and the US Pacific Northwest.