Abigayl Farr – Author
she/her
Email: abigaylf@uw.edu
Interests: climate change, shark conservation, environmental and social justice
Abby grew up in San Diego, California and studied Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology at California State University of Monterey Bay. She currently studies in the Marine and Environmental Affairs graduate program at the University of Washington. Her focus is on gaining skills and knowledge to help further marine conservation efforts.
Articles written by Abby:
Sharks and the Balance of Life Below the Surface
The Near Extinction of the Salish Sea’s Gentle Giants
Amie Kusch – Social Media Coordinator
she/her
Email: akusch@uw.edu
LinkedIn
Amie grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and moved to Bozeman, Montana, for college. Ironically, she discovered her passion for ocean advocacy during her eight years living in the landlocked state. After graduating, Amie worked as a Field Representative for U.S. Senator Jon Tester, and later as a Program Assistant at Natural Resources Defense Council, where she supported initiatives focused on protecting wildlife. At SMEA, Amie is focused on developing Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture for the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.
Articles written by Amie:
Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures: A Path Towards Equitable Biodiversity Conservation
Mount Rainier: Lessons Learned
Anna Lewis – Art Director
she/her
Email: alewis37@uw.edu
Interests: books, backpacking, and critical minerals
Anna grew up in Virginia and studied international affairs at James Madison University. Here at SMEA, she is combining her love of the environment with international energy transition politics.
Articles written by Anna:
Weaknesses in US/Canadian Transboundary Whale Conservation
Mining the Ocean Floor
Bea Pickett – Copy Editor
she/her
Email: bpickett@uw.edu
Interests: climate justice, science-informed policy, and environmental education
Drawn to this field by her love of coastal systems and her commitment to social justice, Bea intends to tackle environmental issues at the intersections of science, policy, and law. Believing that effective environmental governance depends upon an informed and meaningfully engaged public, she strives to build bridges through scientific communication and environmental education.
Articles written by Bea:
The future of the EPA? Reflecting on climate policy in the Biden administration and beyond
Stand Up for Science
Bella Brandes – Author
she/her
Email: isbrande@uw.edu
Interests: climate adaptation science, environmental justice, restoration, ecosystem-based natural resource management
Bella was born and raised in the waters of the pacific, on the island of O‘ahu. Her passions come from seeing first hand how coastal communities are being affected by climate change stressors like ocean acidification and increasing storm surges. Through her time at SMEA, Bella hopes to build the skills necessary for a career working at the nexus of scientists, practitioners, and policy-makers to shape climate adaptation strategies for overburdened coastal communities.
Articles written by Bella:
Standing for What We Surf On: Conservation Movements in the Surfer Community
Ellen Koch – Author
she/her
Email: eekoch@uw.edu
Interests: climate change mitigation and adaptation, food systems, climate law, science communication
Originally from Minnesota, Ellen attended UW-Madison for her undergraduate degree in Environmental Science and Life Sciences Communications. Having worked in clinical guidelines for a few years, she is pivoting back into the environmental field at SMEA. She hopes to combine her passion for art and communications with her interest in the environmental sciences to make a difference in her community and beyond.
Emily Bews – Managing Editor
she/her
Email: ebews@uw.edu
Gabby Laipenieks – Author
she/her
Email: laipeng@uw.edu
Interests: fisheries policy & management, environmental politics, science communication
Born and raised in Alaska’s wild lands, Gabby has long held an interest in the intersections of environment and people. She’s made her way to UW’s School of Marine and Environmental Affairs to build professional skills for a career in fisheries policy. Her graduate research focuses on the advocacy role of Alaska Native organizations in the regulatory process for the proposed Pebble Mine in Bristol Bay. When not at work or school, you can find her on a bike ride, backpacking in the Cascades, or watching live music.
Articles written by Gabby:
Current Contentions: The century-long battle for the Skagit Hydroelectric Project
Haley Walk – Author
she/her
Email: hwalk@uw.edu
Interests: environmental policy and governance, eDNA, marine conservation, fisheries management, science communication, climate engagement, environmental law, science-to-policy translation
Haley studies the intersection of environmental science, policy, and communication. Her work focuses on how emerging scientific tools, particularly environmental DNA (eDNA), can be integrated into environmental governance and conservation practice under existing legal frameworks such as the Endangered Species Act.
Before pursuing her master’s degree, Haley worked as a Fisheries Observer in Alaska, collecting data that informed federal fisheries management and regulatory decision-making. She currently serves as a Teaching Assistant in UW’s Biology Department and has developed projects spanning environmental policy analysis, climate engagement, and science communication. Haley is particularly interested in science-to-policy translation, environmental governance, and helping scientific knowledge become more accessible and useful for decision-makers and communities alike.
Articles written by Haley:
It’s Time to Move Out
Hannah Pikel – Author
she/they
Email: hpikel@uw.edu
Interests: habitat restoration, climate resiliency and justice, coastal resource management
Originally from Indiana, Hannah came to Washington in 2017 to study marine science and policy. Her current research focuses on building ecological resiliency against sea level rise through nature-based solutions. Through her work, she hopes to prepare her community and beyond for climate change.
Articles written by Hannah:
Taking Matters into Our Own Hands: Community-Driven Restoration of the Duwamish River
Isaac Olson – Author
he/him
Email: ido77@uw.edu
Isaac is interested in turning scientific understanding into accessible and impactful environmental communication. Isaac lives on the unceded lands of the Coast Salish people, including the Duwamish and Suquamish Tribes, who have stewarded the lands since time immemorial, and uplifts work to undo historical inequities and inspire more just stewardship of our shared environment.
Articles written by Isaac:
Why is SMEA still so white?
Why aren’t we all talking about Palestine?
Why is the University of Washington Still Partnered with the Department of War?
Jo Harris – Author
she/her
Email: hannahja@uw.edu
Interests: aquatic conservation, restoration, resource management, science communication
Jo was born and raised near the Puget Sound, so loving all things aquatic was a non-negotiable. She’s a Double Dawg, having gotten her undergraduate degree at UW in Sociology and Environmental Geography, focusing on environmental pollution and its impacts on community health. After teaching middle school environmental science over the past few years, she realized she wanted to learn more about how to preserve the environment for future generations. She found her way back to UW, where she is thrilled to learn more about resource management and conservation in the place she has always called home!
Articles written by Jo:
Feeling Crabby? A Guide to Crabbing in the Puget Sound
Kylie West – Author
she/her
Email: kyliew1@uw.edu
Interests: wildlife conservation, coastal resource management, Marine Protected Areas (MPA)
Articles written by Kylie:
Treading Lightly: The Power of Observation in the Natural Sciences
Lia Minckler – Author
she/her
Email: lianem@uw.edu
Interests: international marine policy, climate adaptation and mitigation, coral reef conservation, environmental journalism
Despite growing up in Colorado, she found an affinity for all things marine. Having worked for the USGS Washington Water Science Center, she’s looking forward to pivoting her policy work away from the nuances of bureaucratic administration and back towards environmental topics. She is thrilled to be in a place where she can indulge in both mountain and water activities, and is looking forward to seeing her first whale in person!
Articles written by Lia:
Going Nuclear: The Future of Clean Energy
Lou Guionnet – Author
she/her
Email: loug2@uw.edu
Interests: plastic pollution reduction, lamprey, sharks, co-productive science
Lou grew up in a family of divers in the San Francisco Bay Area and quickly fell in love with the ocean and its creatures. Her passion for protecting and conserving this incredible ecosystem has led her to recognize the need to involve affected communities from the start.
Articles written by Lou:
Plastic on Salish Sea Shores
The Near Extinction of the Salish Sea’s Gentle Giants
Madison Gard – Editor-in-Chief
she/her
Email: mlgard@uw.edu
Interests: marine ecology, eDNA, science communications
After growing up in the Sonoran Desert of Tucson, Arizona, Maddie moved to the Pacific Northwest to pursue marine ecology and environmental stewardship. She’s researched pinniped foraging behaviors as well as worked on a trail crew stewarding Washington’s Greenway National Heritage Area. As a graduate student, she’s merging her loves for ecological research and science communication with effective interdisciplinary strategies for making an impact.
Articles written by Maddie:
Artificial Reefs to the Rescue: Puget Sound’s Success Stories and Lessons Learned
Blooming Concerns
Plant Power: Turning Wastewater into Biofuels
Tara Flood – Author
she/they
Email: tflood@uw.edu
Interests: environmental justice, climate change, Pacific fisheries
Tara has spent most of her life growing, playing, and learning on the traditional lands of the Diné, Multnomah, and Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute Nations and now resides and works in Seattle, on the lands of the Duwamish Peoples. Her upbringing in the Pacific Northwest shaped her admiration and curiosity of fish, water, and people and led her to pursue undergraduate studies in ecosystem science and diversity, equity, and inclusion in natural resources. As a current SMEA thesis student, she is researching the cascading impacts of climate change mitigation strategies on Pacific salmon and the socio-ecological networks that rely on them.
Articles written by Tara:
Current Contentions: The century-long battle for the Skagit Hydroelectric Project
Tessa Marks – Author
she/her
Email: tmarks1@uw.edu
Interests: sustainable coastal development, climate mitigation and adaptation, environmental justice, carbon sequestration
Articles written by Tessa:
Thoughts on Sustainable Travel: Perspectives from Costa Rica
Currents 