Governor McKee Announces Nominations to the Coastal Resources Management Council
Published on Tuesday, May 19, 2026
PROVIDENCE, RI — Today, Governor Dan McKee announced appointments of six individuals to serve on Rhode Island’s Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC): Carder Starr, Scott Rabideau, Richard Bernardo, Raymond Coia, W. Michael Sullivan , and Stephen Izzi.
"Rhode Island’s oceans, coastline, and beaches are extremely important to the social, economic, and environmental well-being of our state, and these nominees will help the CRMC continue its mission of protecting these critical resources,” said Governor Dan McKee.
Carder Starr is a local entrepreneur with 35 years of experience. He has served as founder, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Executive Officer of several Rhode Island–based companies. He also served in the U.S. Merchant Marine as a crew member on research vessels at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
Starr received a Bachelor’s degree in Geological Sciences from Brown University, with an emphasis on oceanic sedimentation and coastal geomorphology. He earned a Master’s degree in Marine Affairs from the University of Rhode Island, with a concentration in fisheries law, coastal zone law, and international ocean law. Starr is nominated as a public member.
Scott Rabideau was the President and Principal Biologist of Natural Resource Services, a private environmental consulting firm specializing in freshwater and coastal wetland studies, which he founded in 1987. He is certified as a Senior Professional Wetland Scientist by the Society of Wetland Scientists.
Rabideau has served Rhode Island in many capacities over the years. He has been a member of the Rhode Island Ethics Commission since 2024. He previously served in the Rhode Island House of Representatives from 1995 to 2002 and was a member of the Judicial Nominating Commission for over six years.
Rabideau received a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources from the University of Rhode Island and a Master of Science in Applied Management from Lesley College. He is a member of the Wildlife Society, the Society of Wetland Scientists, and the Rhode Island Forest Conservators Organization. Rabideau is nominated as a public member who is also a coastal biologist.
Richard A. Bernardo, PE, is the Executive Vice President of Crossman Engineering. He is a licensed Professional Engineer with more than 45 years of experience in civil and environmental engineering. His work has included public infrastructure projects, transportation systems, and municipal engineering services across New England. ,
He graduated from Roger Williams with a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering as well as an Associate’s Degree in architectural engineering. He has been a member of the Rhode Island Society of Professional Engineers, the Providence Engineering Society, the Rhode Island Board of Registration for Professional Engineers, and the National Society of Professional Engineers. He is nominated as a public member who is an engineer.
Raymond Coia serves as Administrator for the New England Laborers’ Health and Safety Fund and is President of the Laborers’ International Union of North America, Local 271. He is also an attorney and a member of the Rhode Island and Massachusetts Bar Associations. Coia is highly experienced in the work of the CRMC, having served on the council for 22 years.
In addition, Coia is the Chief Judge of the Cranston Municipal Court and Chair of the city’s Juvenile Hearing Board. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Providence College and his Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School. Coia is nominated as a public member.
W. Michael Sullivan served as Executive Director of the Rhode Island Nursery and Landscape Association from 2023 to 2025. He also previously served as Executive Director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Services Agency, a Professor of Plant Sciences at the University of Rhode Island, and the Director of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.
Sullivan holds a Bachelor of Science in Plant and Soil Science from the University of Rhode Island, a Master of Science in the same field from the University of Vermont, and a Ph.D. in Agronomy from the University of Nebraska. He is affiliated with the Southern Rhode Island Conservation District and is a member of the International Horticultural Society, the American Society of Agronomy, and the Crop Science Society of America. Sullivan has been nominated as a public member affiliated with an environmental organization.
Stephen Izzi is an attorney who has served on the CRMC since 2022. Izzi has over 30 years of experience practicing in business law, real estate, land use, and commercial litigation.
He is the founder of the Law Office of Stephen A. Izzi. His legal practice has represented clients in real estate development, zoning matters, corporate disputes, and regulatory proceedings.
Stephen Izzi is a graduate of Providence College and the University of New Hampshire School of Law. Izzi is nominated as a public member.
The names have been submitted to the Rhode Island Senate for advice and consent.