Danielle Bissett
Assistant Director of Restoration Policy
Danielle Bissett is a Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner and Assistant Director of Restoration Policy at the Environmental Policy Innovation Center, which she joined at the end of 2023. In her current role on the Restoration Team, she applies her practitioner experience to improve permitting processes and policies, accelerating high-quality restoration projects. Before joining EPIC, Danielle led restoration efforts at NYC Parks’ Natural Resources Group and Billion Oyster Project. At NYC Parks, she collaborated with partners and community groups to implement the Bronx River Intermunicipal Watershed Plan—a comprehensive ecological restoration approach that improves physical, ecological, and social conditions while reducing environmental stressors to the river and riparian areas. While working for Billion Oyster Project, Danielle played a pivotal role in shaping and advancing oyster reef habitat restoration in New York City. As Director of Restoration, she led and scaled the Restoration Department and strategically established several initiatives to assist the recovery of self-sustaining oyster populations in New York Harbor, which relied heavily on collaborative partnerships and a multi-habitat restoration approach. She holds a Master of Science in Environmental Policy from Bard College’s Center for Environmental Policy and a dual Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Anthropology from Adelphi University.
Get to Know Me Further
Danielle grew up on Long Island's South Shore exploring beaches, barrier islands, and bays while climbing trees and gardening. These early experiences sparked a lifelong passion for nature, wildlife, and wild places. She lives in the Hudson Valley with her husband and three rescue cats, where she is an avid birder, works part-time on a sustainable vegetable farm, and explores natural areas in and around the area. Danielle channels this deep-rooted respect for nature into her roles as a member of her town's Conservation Advisory Council and as a board member of the Hudson River Watershed Alliance.