Ellie Cain

Project Manager

As a Project Manager with the Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute (NRI), Eleanor supports the Department of War’s Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) Program by advancing collaborative planning initiatives, aligning policy across jurisdictions, and developing mission-compatible land use strategies that protect military readiness while supporting surrounding communities. Her work emphasizes complex stakeholder coordination, strategic planning, and practical implementation at the federal, state, and local levels.

Eleanor brings more than 20 years of professional planning experience spanning federal facility planning, community and regional planning, environmental compliance, and interagency coordination. Prior to joining NRI, she served as Facility Planner and Sharing Director for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in New Mexico, where she led capital project planning efforts, chaired multidisciplinary planning committees, guided system-wide space management strategies, and managed joint VA–Department of Defense sharing agreements supporting mission efficiency and long-term infrastructure needs.

Her federal service also includes work as a Community Planner at Marine Corps Base Quantico, where she supported installation Master Plans and Area Development Plans, developed space management and facility planning solutions, coordinated MILCON and special project documentation, and facilitated NEPA compliance for installation planning actions.

Earlier in her career, Eleanor held senior planning positions with multiple city and county governments, where she managed zoning and comprehensive plan updates, development review processes, regional impact analyses, and federal housing grant programs. She also supported recreation planning, environmental analysis, and public affairs efforts with the USDA Forest Service, contributing to large-scale wildfire recovery efforts and environmental planning initiatives.

Eleanor holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Planning and Land Use from Northern Arizona University and a graduate certificate in education. She is a licensed teacher, bringing a strong foundation in communication, facilitation, and knowledge translation to her planning and stakeholder engagement work.