Current Fellows

2026

MARIAH RICCI

Mariah is a marine biogeochemist who grew up in Minnesota, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and biology. She is completing her PhD in Marine Sciences at the University of Georgia’s Skidaway Institute of Oceanography. Her research investigates how marine particles transport and transform nutrients across underexplored ocean regions, advancing our understanding of global biogeochemical cycles and their role in climate regulation. She has served as an analytical lead and data manager and spent extensive time at sea for major multi-institutional research campaigns, including as part of the international GEOTRACES program. Alongside her research, Mariah has been actively involved in outreach, community engagement, and DEI-focused initiatives — organizing community events, developing professional networking opportunities for marine science graduate students, and leading coastal cleanups.

As the 2026 Banyu Carbon mCDR Fellow, Mariah will work at the intersection of mCDR research and community engagement. She believes that if mCDR initiatives are going to move forward responsibly, they will require not only technically robust MRV systems, but also decision processes that are transparent and accountable to the people and places most connected to the outcomes. Based in Seattle with Banyu Carbon and WSG, she will convene a diverse group of coastal communities, rightsholders, modelers, and model users to advance community-informed mCDR modeling and MRV development in the Salish Sea region and support broader Pacific Northwest mCDR Node and BC/WA mCDR Community of Exploration efforts. Mariah’s goal is to lead work that strengthens the credibility and accountability of ocean-based climate interventions.

2025

GABE DIEPHUIS

Gabe grew up in Whatcom County, Washington. He raised and released salmon fry at his high school’s salmon hatchery for the nearby Nooksack River tributary, which developed his passion for marine science and conservation. He graduated from University of Washington with a B.S. in Oceanography. At the UW, he worked in the Puget Sound Zooplankton Monitoring Project lab and completed a thesis on the growth rates of nanoplankton and grazing rates of microzooplankton in the east equatorial Pacific. This year he started a Master’s degree in environmental science at Western Washington University, studying the impact of porewater heterogeneity on sedimentary denitrification rates in Puget Sound. He is excited to contribute his research towards the Washington Sea Grant and Puget Sound Partnership’s missions to monitor the impacts and fate of pollution in Puget Sound as a Puget Sound Science fellow.

ISAAC OLSON

Isaac Olson is pursuing a master’s degree through the University of Washington School of Marine and Environmental Affairs. He is from Snohomish, Washington, and previously earned bachelor’s degrees at the UW in Oceanography and Environmental Studies. He researches and communicates how human-driven changes are affecting the oceans and the communities that depend on them, with a focus on driving societal change through outreach, education, and policy. He has experience studying and communicating a variety of anthropogenic ocean threats, including ocean acidification (OA), microplastics, harmful algal blooms, and anoxia. As a student assistant for WSG, he is working on communicating the impacts of changing carbon chemistry, including OA. As a Puget Sound Science Fellow, he intends to work on a master’s thesis researching the public perception of OA, how OA is communicated in informal marine education centers like aquariums, and how to overcome information gaps to drive local action to protect at-risk communities such as Puget Sound.

2025-2027

ANNABEL BAKER

Ey7 skweyel nekwilye! Anabel has held a passion for Coast Salish waters and beyond for their entire life. From pulling with their Samish canoe family to operating deep-sea robots in the Central Pacific, Anabel always finds a way to connect with the sea. Born and raised in Seattle, Anabel pursued higher education early through the Ocean Research College Academy in Everett, then studied at Oregon State University for 5 years for their Bachelor’s and Master’s in ecological engineering, where their learning ranged from hydrologic modelling to microcontroller design. During this time, Anabel kept to the sea, working an internship at the Hatfield Marine Science Center Innovation Lab designing an open source water quality sensor for tide gates. Additionally, in 2023 Anabel worked as an ROV engineering intern at sea aboard the ocean exploration vessel E/V Nautilus, returning as an ROV copilot the following two summers for a month-long expedition each. Having recently graduated with their Master’s in June of 2025, Anabel is honored to be a Coastal Resilience Fellow with Chinook Nation and the Columbia Land Trust, and is excited to see what the future holds next. Hoy7sxwq’e!

TEAGAN DARMODY

Teagan Darmody grew up on a small farm in Olympia, Washington, along the borders of the Nisqually Reservation and Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Having spent his life in communities throughout the Puget Sound region, he feels deeply connected to the people, forests, and coastlines that have shaped his identity. After high school, Teagan worked in agriculture and aquaculture before beginning his first career in logistics. He later attended the University of Washington, earning a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Resource Management while working as a research assistant with the U.S. Forest Service’s Pacific Wildland Fire Sciences Laboratory, where he studied fire behavior and post-disturbance succession.

Following graduation, Teagan worked as a GIS contractor, updating Google Maps for local governments around the world. Driven to combine his passion for the Pacific Northwest’s forests and waterways with the skills to develop effective, equitable environmental policy, Teagan pursued graduate studies at the University of Washington. He recently completed dual master’s degrees in Marine Affairs and Public Administration from the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs and the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance. As a Coastal Resilience Fellow with the North Olympic Peninsula Resource Conservation and Development Council, Teagan is excited to bring his background and experiences to helping coastal communities build resilience and adapt to the challenges of a changing climate.

RICH DESANTO

Originally from the shores of the San Francisco Bay, Rich’s connection to marine and estuarine ecosystems have been life long and formative. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and another in Art while living on the coast in Santa Cruz. Through both degrees he grappled with socio-cultural and environmental processes shaping and reshaping our planet. After graduating, Rich worked with an environmental arts organization to re-purpose a former military ship now sinking in the Monterey Bay into an eco-art park to educate the public and raise awareness on ocean health. Rich moved to Seattle in 2016 and completed a Masters of Landscape Architecture in 2019 – seeking to meld his love of working with people with creative and grounded design of socially and ecologically healthy places. After graduating, Rich continued to hone his design skills working with public artists Haddad|Drugan and spent three years teaching in the College of Built Environments at the University of Washington. He is eager to return to working with the ocean and the people who call its shores home alongside Pacific Conservation District as a Coastal Resilience Fellow.

ELYSE KELSEY

Elyse Kelsey grew up in the Seattle area with a deep appreciation for beautiful Pacific Northwest coastal ecosystems. She attended Western Washington University where she earned her bachelor’s degree in environmental science and a graduate certificate in data science for environmental applications. After a few years working in elementary education, Elyse began graduate school in order to combine her interests in environmental science and community education. Elyse recently graduated from the University of Washington’s School of Marine and Environmental Affairs. Alongside her Master of Marine Affairs degree, Elyse earned a graduate certificate in climate change and health, with the goal of developing interdisciplinary, community-engaged solutions to complex environmental challenges brought about by climate change. Through the graduate certificate, Elyse started working with the Center for Disaster Resilient Communities to conduct qualitative data analysis to determine how public health information is incorporated into hazard mitigation plans across Washington’s four Pacific Coast counties. As part of the inaugural Coastal Resilience Fellowship cohort, Elyse will collaborate with the Quinault Indian Nation to build community resilience to coastal hazards and gain experience in the field of emergency management.

MADELEINE LUCAS

Madeleine strives to make a positive difference in her community through her work as a marine geophysicist and science educator. Maddy’s scientific fieldwork has taken her on research expeditions far offshore to study underwater fault zones capable of generating large earthquakes and tsunamis in the Pacific Northwest. But her passion truly lies at the intersection between science and people – a calling that was nurtured through her involvement in the Cascadia Coastlines and Peoples Hub. Originally a Michigander, Madeleine found a home away from home along Washington’s coastline through leading the Cascadia Culture & GeoScience Exchange (CCASE). CCASE is a K-12 outreach program that teaches about coastal geohazards at tribal high schools while also exchanging culture with the Quileute and Makah Tribes. She is beyond excited to begin the Coastal Resilience Fellowship with the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe because it combines her passion for coastal hazards science and education with local, tribally-led efforts to prepare for a major Cascadia earthquake and tsunami event.

2026

DANIELLE MANTZ

Danielle grew up in Seattle and brings a unique blend of private sector experience and academic focus on climate change, coastal resilience, and environmental justice. She earned her undergraduate degree in finance and business economics at the University of Washington and began her career working for an investment management firm, where she collaborated with global teams to develop sustainable investment products and strengthen operational systems. While she valued the complexity and pace of the private sector, she felt increasingly pulled toward work that aligned more closely with her love of nature, sense of place, and commitment to community, which ultimately prompted a career shift toward sustainability.

Now a graduate student at Virginia Tech studying sustainability and natural resources, Danielle has worked on projects ranging from adaptive management planning for Chinook Salmon to researching toxic legacies in the Lower Duwamish. A first-generation college student and Filipino woman, Danielle is committed to inclusive, system-based approaches that integrate science, policy, and community voices. As a Keystone Fellow placed with the Puget Sound Partnership, Danielle is excited to support collaborative recovery efforts that advance both ecological health and community resilience. She looks forward to deepening her work in environmental planning, adaptive management, and equity-driven decision making across the Puget Sound Region.

2025-2026

DELANEY CYPHERS

Delaney grew up exploring tidepools along the Oregon coast, experiences that sparked a lifelong passion for protecting marine environments and the communities who rely on them. She holds a Master’s of Marine Affairs from the University of Washington, where she focused on perceptions of aquaculture and equitable marine resource policy. While getting her Master’s degree, Delaney worked with NOAA Fisheries’ Aquaculture Team. There she gained valuable insight in the ESA consultation process and developed policy tools. She also served as editor of NOAA’s West Coast Region Aquaculture Newsletter where she learned how to better communicate science to a large audience. As the Hershman Fellow at the Port of Seattle, Delaney will support the update and implementation of the Underwater Noise Mitigation and Management Plan. She is also excited to contribute to the Port’s efforts to restore critical nearshore habitat and promote sustainable maritime practices in Puget Sound.

CIRQUE GAMMELIN

Growing up fishing and hunting amongst the mountains of western Wyoming, Cirque is driven by a curiosity for exploring ecosystems and improving resource management practices. After earning his bachelor’s degree in biology from Bowdoin College, he landed in Seattle to peruse a master’s degree at the UW School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences. While in graduate school, he managed the UW Alaska Salmon Program field research camp in Chignik Lake, Alaska. His thesis research focused on assessing long term changes in lake habitat productivity, and describing how multiple populations of juvenile sockeye salmon exploit alternate rearing habitats. His work in a rural Alaskan community inspired interest in applying science to improve resource management strategies in coastal communities. As a Hershman fellow, Cirque is excited to contribute to the Marine Spatial Planning of the Quinault Indian Nation.

COURTNEY SKALLEY

Courtney, a fish enthusiast, is passionate about researching, communicating, and educating the public about the marine world. Though this interest developed as she grew up alongside Puget Sound, Courtney formally made the decision to pursue a career in marine and environmental science after earning a bachelor’s degree in molecular biology from Texas Christian University in 2019. She worked as a fisheries observer for NOAA in the Bering Sea, where she lived aboard commercial fishing vessels while collecting catch data and gaining firsthand insight into the fishing industry. Courtney went on to earn her master’s degree from the University of Washington’s School of Marine and Environmental Affairs, where she applied her undergraduate studies in her thesis research: a phylogenetic analysis of soft-nose skate species, a common component of bycatch in North Pacific fisheries. After graduating from SMEA in 2024, she solo-traveled through remote regions of Africa and Asia as a UW Bonderman Fellow, exploring how communities around the globe incorporate natural resources into their cuisine, clothing, and culture. Now, Courtney is thrilled to return home to the Pacific Northwest as a Hershman Fellow, where she will bring her technical skills and fisheries knowledge to The Nature Conservancy’s work on indigenous-led aquaculture initiatives in Puget Sound.

2024-2025

JASON GRONICH

If you were to ask Jason’s friends and family to describe him in one word, it would definitely be fish. By the time Jason was 12, he was spending just as much time underwater SCUBA diving in Monterey, California as he was on land. The wonderment, curiosity, and connection Jason felt with the kelp forests and its inhabitants, lit the fire underneath him to pursue a career involving understanding and conserving the world’s oceans.

Jason earned a bachelor’s degree from California State University Monterey Bay in Marine Science and while there, immediately immersed himself in all things marine. He earned his scientific diving certification, became a certified drone pilot for the purposes of conducting intertidal habitat surveys, volunteered to collect crab megalopae data, and assisted in preparing samples for various projects at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. He also received the National Oceanic and Atmospherics’ (NOAA) Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship during his junior year, which enabled him to conduct deep-sea, remotely operated vehicle research with the NOAA Office of Exploration. After two years of hard work, he published his first, first-author, scientific paper in Regional Studies in Marine Science. Upon graduation, Jason took some time from school to gain hands-on-experience working as a field technician. He worked as a scientific diver for UC Santa Cruz and collected observational data of fish, algae, and invertebrates in marine protected areas. He also worked for the Alaskan Observers program, which collects fishery discard data from commercial fishing vessels, to inform management of our natural resources.

After working in the field for some time, Jason continued his educational journey and attended the biology master’s program at Western Washington University. Here he sharpened his lab knowledge and researched the evolution of fish feeding mechanics, with the purpose of better understanding how fish diversify into their ecological niches. He specifically used zebrafish and transcriptomic techniques, to understand what genes underlie the development of the mandible (lower jaw region). As a NOAA Knauss Fellow with Washington Sea Grant, Jason is looking forward to continuing his journey with ocean policy work in Washington D.C.

AINA HORI

Aina grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii, with the ocean as a constant presence in her life. She describes the beach as her childhood playground, where she spent countless hours swimming, snorkeling, and playing in the sand. Over the years, witnessing the impacts of climate change on her local marine ecosystems ignited her passion for marine biology. She pursued this interest at the University of Washington, where she worked on various research projects examining the responses of marine species to environmental challenges, such as the biotic impacts of kelp crabs on bull kelp, factors influencing pinto abalone growth, and how mussels filter water under different stress conditions. Drawn to applied sciences, Aina continued her studies with a master’s degree at the University of Washington School of Marine and Environmental Affairs, where she focused on fisheries management, marine policy, and the critical intersection of people and marine environments. For her thesis, she researched how small-scale fishers in Nayarit, Mexico, are adapting their strategies to continue fishing despite challenges like climate change, competition, and pollution. Currently, Aina works as a Field Program Lead at the Seattle Aquarium, where she shares the wonders of the ocean and rivers with others, inspiring connections, curiosity, and a commitment to marine conservation. As a Knauss Fellow, she is excited to further her work at the intersection of science and policy, advancing marine science education and conservation efforts.

CAITLIN LAWRENCE

Caitlin is finishing her master’s degree in aquatic ecotoxicology at the Washington State University Puyallup Research and Extension Center. Her research is centered around identifying alternatives to 6PPD, a chemical used in tires that poses a threat to aquatic life, particularly coho salmon. Prior to attending Washington State University, Caitlin earned her bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in chemistry at Wells College in Upstate New York where she developed an interest in environmental chemistry and the impact of human activities on aquatic ecosystems. After graduating she worked at a lab in New York performing toxicity tests to fulfill state and federal effluent discharge permit requirements. This position inspired her to return to school to pursue a research graduate degree focused on contaminants in aquatic ecosystems.

In addition to her academic work, Caitlin has been actively involved in public outreach and policy initiatives related to salmon conservation and stormwater toxicity. As the Salmonids and Stormwater Policy Intern at Puget Soundkeepers, she organized community meetings and collaborated with several groups to standardize salmon survey methods. She has also contributed to public awareness through podcast interviews, presentations, educational lessons, and workshops about 6PPD-quinone. Caitlin is passionate about bridging the gap between scientific research and environmental policy implementation, and is excited to have the opportunity to do this as a Knauss Fellow.

HELENA MCMONAGLE

Helena mostly grew up in Maine and started undergrad at Wellesley College as a pre-medicine student, which seemed like the best fit at the time for someone who wanted to do science, contribute to her community, and work on improving wellbeing. But after learning more in college about the impacts that climate change, pollution, and other environmental issues have on nature and public health, she switched to a career in ocean sciences. Helena worked for three years as a teaching assistant and research assistant at Marine Biological Laboratory and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution contributing to undergraduate STEM education and research in fish ecology and toxicology. To strengthen her ability to work effectively at the intersection of environmental research, policy and management, she started her PhD at University of Washington in the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences. Her dissertation quantifies ecosystem services (benefits humans receive from nature) associated with the world’s most abundant fishes. She is looking forward to working as a Knauss Fellow and learning more about how science can inform policy and decision-making, and also how policy shapes what science research is done. Other professional interests include engaging with the public about the ocean, and collaborating to make science and environmental management more inclusive and equitable.

2026

ANNA SULC

Anna is an Interdisciplinary Ph.D. student working at the intersection of fisheries, marine policy and oceanography. She received her Bachelors’ in Oceanography and in French from the University of Washington. Anna worked with Dr.Dee Boersma at the Center for Ecosystem Sentinels where she studied the relationship foraging patterns of breeding Magellanic penguins and large scale oceanographic events in Punta Tombo, Argentina. Anna continued on to a Master’s in Policy Studies at UW where she specialized in marine policy and law. Her research focused on exploring the interaction of international legislation (UNCLOS) and indigenous rights in international straits.

As a PhD student, Anna aims to bring these different skills together. Her research is focused on expanding a climate-enhanced age-based model with temperature-specific trophic linkages and energetics (CEATTLE) to include Northern Fur Seal (Callorhinus Ursinus) bioenergetics and population dynamics. These additions will allow for exploration of management trade offs under future ocean conditions given the importance of the predator-prey interactions between Northern Fur Seals and commercially important fish like Walleye Pollock (Gadus Chalcogrammus).

2026

EMILY BJORNSGARD

Emily Bjornsgard grew up in rural southwest Washington. As a lifelong coastal Pacific Northwest resident, she loves exploring and sharing the wonders of the marine waters. She has earned an associate of arts transfer degree from Grays Harbor College (2018), a bachelor’s degree in biology with a marine emphasis from Western Washington University (2020), and a certificate in aquarium science from Oregon Coast Community College (2021). She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in biology (marine and estuarine science) at Western Washington University, where she is examining the effects of diatom-derived polyunsaturated aldehydes (chemical compounds) on the survival and feeding abilities of Salish Sea forage fishes.

Between undergraduate and graduate studies, she worked at several aquarium and environmental education organizations in Washington and Oregon; where she cared for hundreds of marine species, raised baby fish, and created learning opportunities about our shared waterways. Through teaching, she discovered her true passion of connecting others with the world around us. As a Washington Sea Grant Science Communications fellow, she looks forward to learning and sharing more about the incredible research and environmental projects happening throughout Washington.

SEILER GRUBB

Seiler Grubb was born and raised in Missouri and, despite growing up in a landlocked state, developed a passion for marine biology and conservation. In 2023, she moved to Seattle to pursue an undergraduate degree in environmental studies and a minor in Arctic studies at the University of Washington. During the summer of her sophomore year, Seiler began interning with the Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST), where she worked with citizen volunteers in three different states on the West Coast. Within a couple of months, she took on a senior intern position with COASST and began working on projects to increase engagement with citizen volunteers. 

Throughout her college career, Seiler has interned with several other programs specializing in environmental monitoring and fieldwork, including the Acidification Nearshore Monitoring Network and the Shilshole Light Trap Sampling team. Seiler plans on graduating in the spring of 2027 after completing her capstone project. Her academic and professional goals align with environmental policy analysis and implementation.

2024

BELLA AGUIRRE

Bella was born in California, but has lived a little over half her life in Washington. With her love of being hands on, puzzles, and the multitude of solutions to one problem, Bella got an associates of science in engineering and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in industrial and systems engineering at the University of Washington. Her academics has been guided by a goal to enter a career centered around clean energy and sustainability. During Bella’s time in living in Washington, she has fallen in love with the state’s majestic mountains and forests, serene lakes and coastline, and multi-seasonal sceneries. Inspired by a diversity class that shed light on the connections of societies and oceans, Bella felt compelled to actively contribute to preserving Washington’s nature. As a WASI intern at Valence Surface Technologies, she is eager to make an impact on environmental sustainability within the aerospace industry. Bella is excited about gaining practical insights into navigating the complexities of environmental compliance and initiatives. She sees her internship as a stepping stone towards a future where she can continue to drive positive change in environmental conservation.

ZAINAB AHMAD

Growing up in the diverse terrain of Washington state, Zainab often found herself looking towards its ecosystems to reflect on the dynamics of balance and disruption. She began working in emergency and holistic medical settings, exploring how healing can draw from contemporary and indigenous sciences of the natural world. During her clinical work in rural communities of Washington, Utah, and Nevada she witnessed immediate and chronic health impacts from wildfires, contaminated water, and food deserts. This motivated her to think about the ways science can shape community partnerships and policy that protect body and place.

Zainab received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry at Seattle University, and engaged in various projects involving forest restoration, agroecology, microbiome research, wastewater treatment, and sustainable urban development. Exposure to the resource-intensive networks in clinics and labs helped guide her interests in green chemistry to consider how material production and use can employ less polluting and demanding processes. As a WSG applied sustainability intern, she will collaborate with LOTT Clean Water Alliance to track and reduce their scope 3 emissions and toxic chemical use. Being a part of a program that supports companies on their paths towards improved resource stewardship, she is inspired to learn more about what practical sustainability in industry can look like.

CASERA PINTO

Casera (she/they) is an environmental engineering graduating senior from the University of Washington in Seattle. Growing up in California, they witnessed the impacts of heatwaves, droughts, and wildfires, igniting their passion for sustainability and climate change mitigation early on. She is driven by the vision to create an equitable symbiotic relationship between human infrastructure and the natural world, which is an aspect she has emphasized and explored throughout her time in the UW Civil and Environmental Engineering department. Since moving to Washington and studying at UW, Casera has spent extensive time studying diverse climate solutions and environmental justice. Her time as an undergraduate student was enriched by a transformative quarter abroad in India, where she delved into addressing accessibility issues in healthcare, an experience that profoundly shaped her personal and professional trajectory. Outside of their studies, Casera enjoys climbing, hiking, and watching movies with friends. Through the WASI program, she hopes to learn more about sustainable practices and gain the skills needed to tackle environmental challenges in the real world.

REIDEN EMERY

Reiden grew up in Edmonds, Washington and is working towards her undergraduate degree out-of-state in biochemistry as a third year at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Their parents had always been involved in the scientific fields and paired with their passion for nature and preservation sparked by a Studio Ghibli movie, they began looking into green chemistry. Moving far away from home and gaining freedom, experience, and independence operating in an entirely new environment, she chose to pursue the more environmental aspects of her chosen field. She conducted research in Cal Poly’s laboratories, focusing on photochemistry, and is eager to gain more experience working in laboratories and sharing research. Outside of pursuing her degree, they have been swimming, knitting, and experimenting with different cooking and baking recipes. As a WASI Grant intern, they hope to learn more about the industry, continue to diversify their skillset, and collaborate with Toray Composite Materials America, Inc. to develop their solvent recovery system.

2025

AVA VAUGHAN

Ava is currently pursuing a dual degree in business administration and environmental studies, with a minor in nutrition, at the University of Washington. Raised on the Olympic Peninsula, she is passionate about sustainable natural resource policy, food sovereignty, and building community resilience capacity. At UW, she has taken on leadership and service roles as President of Net Impact, Undergraduate Representative on the Population Health Initiative, Presidential Scholar, UWild Field Guide, Climbing Club Staff Member, and Student Farm Club Volunteer.

2024

ROBYN NORMAN

Originally, from Portland, Oregon, Robyn is a lifelong Pacific Northwest resident who spent her childhood on the sandy and not so sandy beaches of Oregon and Washington. She received her Bachelor’s degree as a research fellow in Biology from Oregon State University (OSU). At OSU she became a collaborator of the Coastal Oregon Zooplankton Investigation (COZI) and, over three years, participated in a variety of projects regarding Pacific Coast Feeding Group gray whales and their invertebrate prey. After graduation, Robyn quickly moved to Humboldt County, California for her Master’s thesis to continue researching gray whales and revive a +20-year-old study with the Marine Mammal Education and Research Program (MMERP) and Phenotype Environment Biodiversity Lab at Cal Poly Humboldt. There she worked with government agencies, tribal governments, and non-profit organizations to fund and eventually collect biological data across 100 kilometers of coastline and nearshore habitat with complex cultural, historical, recreational, and economic roots as well as ecologically important habitats and species. Through this collaborative research effort, Robyn became interested in coastal use and management within the context of changing natural resources, shorelines, and habitats. As a NOAA Coastal Management Fellow with the Washington Department of Ecology, Robyn plans to use her research background and collaborative project management experience to update and expand Washington shoreline public access data and resources for planners involved in comprehensive or coastal hazard planning as well as those interested in experiencing what the great outdoors has to offer.

KELLIE CUTSINGER

Originally from various parts of California, Kellie developed an affinity for all things related to the ocean from an early age. That affinity led her to attend the University of California, Santa Cruz and earn a bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology. During her undergraduate career, Kellie was able to gain knowledge and experience in various areas from partaking in internships, field quarters, and a study abroad program in Queensland, Australia. Her interests expanded beyond marine biology to include marine and terrestrial ecology, wetland restoration, salmon recovery, conservation, and science communication. These experiences reshaped her world-view of marine ecosystems and brought about her passion for centering human communities within coastal management through enhancing environmental equity and justice principles. This passion drove her to pursue an interdisciplinary master’s degree at the University of Washington’s School of Marine and Environmental Affairs. Working in collaboration with Iowa State University, her capstone research project focused on developing community-based mitigation and adaptation strategies with Alaska Native communities, who are facing increasingly frequent and severe flooding and erosion events along the Kuskokwim River. As a NOAA Coastal Management Fellow, Kellie is excited for the opportunity to continue to work in community engagement and aid in updating the DCRM’s wetland management plan in the Northern Mariana Islands.