Resource Access International, LLC

Identifying needs and finding solutions for challenges in the seafood industry



"The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever."
Jacques Yves Cousteau  (1910 - 1997)

 

 

Our Team
Darcie Couture - Lead Scientist

Darcie established RAI in the spring of 2012, as the first private lab in the country that has been inspected by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is approved for performing Mouse Bioassay testing for shellfish toxins, which may be used to make regulatory decisions.  RAI services have rapidly expanded to also provide environmental and habitat studies.  Darcie earned a B.A. in Marine Biology from Southampton College in 1991, and pursued a dual M.S. in Marine Biology and Marine Policy at the University of Maine at Orono. Over the last 20 years, Darcie has worked in the field of environmental science at Cosper Environmental Services, Northeast Laboratory, and the Maine Department of Marine Resources.  In addition to her lab experience, Darcie has also worked as crew aboard several traditional-rig sailing school vessels, traveling all over the US east coast, Canadian Maritimes, the Caribbean, and parts of Europe.  After working and traveling to many other places, Darcie is returning to her native Maine roots, and building RAI into an important and effective new company to identify research gaps and solve challenges in the seafood industry and the environment that supports that industry.
Evan Patierno - Associate Scientist

Evan is originally from Groton Massachusetts, where growing up on several lakes and ponds drew him toward the field of environmental science.  He graduated from the University of New England in 2012, receiving a B.S. in Psychobiology and a minor in Marine Biology, with a focus on Ecology.  As an undergraduate student he was an accomplished athlete, as well as researcher.  Evan's focus in college was ecology and evolutionary psychology.   He is interested in continuing research on invasive species, ecology in changing ecosystems (particularly as it pertains to invertebrates), and the ecology needed for native species to maintain a healthy population.  He has previous work experience as a field technician for the Department of Marine Resources. 
Lauren Rice - Field Technician

Lauren’s love for wildlife stems from a mixed background of swimming and Venturing. From an early age, Lauren’s deep interest remained focused on the oceans, which guided her towards the field of Marine Science. Having recently moved to Maine from New York, Lauren is currently attending the University of Maine to achieve a degree in Marine Science with a concentration in Marine Biology and a minor in Geology. Presently interested in benthic studies, she hopes to focus her future research on the deep ocean and bioluminescence. For a more short term goal, she simply aims to get experience in the Marine Science field while she completes her undergraduate degree. 
Derek Devereaux - Science Intern

Derek grew up in Brunswick, Maine and has always had an affinity for the outdoors and a deep interest in Environmental Science and Marine Biology, sparked by his personal experience digging clams for three summers during high school, as well working with his father on the tidelands of Casco Bay assisting with intertidal resource surveys.  Derek currently attends Roger Williams University, where he is majoring in Criminal Justice and planning to minor in Marine Biology, while he also plays on the RWU golf team following his club championship at Brunswick Golf Course in 2014.