Margaret Davidson. Natural Hazards Center File Photo.
It’s been a year of great loss for the hazards community and we’re sad to note the passing of yet another champion in the field. Margaret Davidson passed away on May 23. She was 67.
Davidson was the senior leader for coastal inundation and resilience at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Coastal Resilience. She began her career with NOAA in 1995 as the founding director of the Coastal Service Center and held many positions over the years as she advanced the administration’s work on sustainable coastal development and extreme weather and climate risk reduction.
To her colleagues, Davidson was known for her straightforward style and her ability to foster partnerships, build cooperation, and promote community engagement. Davidson got things done. The nation’s coasts are more risk resilient thanks to her years of service.
A celebration of Davidson’s life and her contributions to the field of coastal management will be held September 7 in Mount Pleasant, Carolina. A similar event will be held in Washington, D.C. in October. Those interested in attending should contact Jan Kucklick at margaretcelebrationoflife@gmail.com.
For more information on Davidson, see her bio on the NOAA website or find her obituary—and leave your memories—online. You can also listen to Davidson discuss her early career along with other topics in this May 2016 podcast.