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Cathy McCague
Cathy rarely misses a day without her beloved chips-n-salsa!
Cathy joined EnviroIssues in 2005 and has been facilitating ever since, whether it’s on environmental clean-up issues or helping to design an anti-theft car prowl campaign. She enjoys working with a multitude of stakeholders and finding out best ways to work with them. Drawn back to her native Colorado, Cathy now assists agencies to collaborate and share information on natural resources issues.
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Andrea Johnson
Andrea lives in a house-divided: Cougs vs. Huskies. Which makes the holidays interesting!
Andrea joined EnviroIssues in October of 2015 after 17 years of communications, marketing, event planning and resource development experience in the non-profit sector. Raised in the Northwest, Andrea draws on her housing and environmental land use planning experience as EI’s Business Development associate. She’s the former chair of the King County Women’s Advisory Board, and when she’s not in the office, she’s often found fishing, crabbing or shrimping the waterways around the San Juan Islands…or on the hunt for the best taco in Seattle.
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Kathryn Murdock
Kathryn was born in Japan and lived in five different states, all before she was eight years old.
Kathryn joined EnviroIssues in 2014 after graduating from the University of Puget Sound and comes in with nearly two years of experience in the non-profit sector. She has a passion for community outreach and involvement, and looks forward to digging into projects that engage communities and stakeholders in the public process. When not at work, you can find Kathryn attempting to create the latest project she found on Pinterest, walking around Greenlake, or exploring a new Seattle restaurant!
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Jenny Katz
No pun intended, but Jenny really loves cats.
Jenny has worked in visual communication design and video production for local agencies at the city, county, and state level. She has created outreach materials covering a range of topics including public utility improvement, economic development, transportation, and long range planning. Her degree is in fine art and she focused her studies on the intersection between art, communications, television, film, and social media. She always hoped to reconcile her art background with her passion for public service and enjoys doing so at EnviroIssues. On a lighter note, Jenny loves brunch and her go-to karaoke song is "Dreamlover" by Mariah Carey.
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Lauren Dennis
Lauren has steered exactly one-fourth of the Atlantic Ocean, having served as part of a 4-person crew that sailed from the U.S. to England.
Lauren joined EnviroIssues in early 2014 and is thrilled to be helping communities engage in decision-making for better public policy and project design. She has supported stakeholder engagement processes addressing both water resource challenges and energy infrastructure projects, drawing from her M.S. in Water Resources Policy & Management, previous work in energy policy, and training as a certified mediator. When she isn't dreaming about another ocean adventure, this native Bay Stater is usually either in the kitchen attempting to make a decent loaf of sourdough or out on the road gawking at the Pacific Northwest's natural beauty.
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Seth Baker
Seth plays traditional tunes from Zimbabwe in a marimba band.
Coming from a background of environmental studies and philosophy, Seth is fascinated by the way value systems can shape a community’s relationship with their resources and neighbors. Gaining a familiarity with the geography and beliefs that inform a community's opinions is essential to forming an effective public involvement plan. When he’s not wondering about place-based values, you can find Seth running just about anywhere in the Portland metro area searching for his next 200-mile relay.
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Liz Johnson
Liz loves living in Seattle, but on most weekends you’ll find her climbing, skiing or backpacking in the beautiful Cascades.
A firm believer that more voices lead to better solutions, Liz enjoys collaborating with stakeholders to find creative ways to tackle the challenges in their communities. Liz holds a Masters in Urban Planning degree from the University of Washington. Having specialized in urban design and community development, she is passionate about creating sustainable, vibrant and inclusive communities. In addition to urban planning, Liz brings a background in international education. She has a bachelor’s degree in international studies and has previously taught English in the Czech Republic, coordinated exchange programs in Washington, D.C. and has visited every continent except Antarctica.
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John Chaney
John believes that everyone should have a monthly "At Ease" weekend.
John has developed, implemented and delivered a broad range of projects out of our Seattle office since joining EnviroIssues in 2008. John helps clients successfully manage contentious projects through his ability to predict issues before they arise, connect with stakeholders and provide transparent, useful information that is easy to understand. With a background in environmental policy, John has extensive experience with interdisciplinary teams that can be used on any project, large or small, public or private. When he's not responding to clients and stakeholders, John likes to play basketball and relax in Washington's Methow Valley.
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Ray Outlaw
Ray worked at Walt Disney World during high school and also played the bagpipes in his high school band.
Ray has spent the better part of a decade with EnviroIssues, building a resume almost as diverse as his dream of simultaneously becoming a race car driver, engineer, and self-made millionaire turned motivational speaker. Ray is currently managing outreach activities related to permitting processes for several high-voltage transmission lines. He is also focused on the integration of technology with traditional public involvement practices. Ray spends every possible minute outside of work with his family. Whether at a Sounders game or working on projects around the house one, if not both, of his two sons will be by his side.
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Rachel DeCordoba
Rachel plays the steelpan, which she maintains is the happiest instrument in existence.
Rachel graduated with a degree in Environmental Science from the University of Washington, where she implemented waste reduction programs, coordinated student outreach efforts and advocated for expanded public transit. A Seattle native, she believes in the importance of building relationships with diverse communities. In her free time, she enjoys attending musicals, dancing and searching for the perfect cup of coffee.
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Dennis Sandstrom
Dennis has been to Sweden five times. No, it’s not because he likes lutefisk; he’s half Swedish.
For nearly four years, Dennis supported the Columbia River Crossing Project by informing and collaborating with key stakeholders. Prior to that, Dennis educated communities about the Port of Portland. Just last year, he moved to the Seattle office to apply his public participation expertise on a smaller-scale and get his hands dirty managing construction outreach. With his attention to detail and knack for developing reader friendly materials, Dennis implements public outreach tools all over Seattle, and in surrounding cities. Dennis is an avid soccer player and a loyal member of the EnviroIssues soccer team. He's also a loyal fan of the PTFC - apologies, Emerald City Supporters.
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Cecelia Gunn
You can find Cecelia researching historic buildings for fun, reading books about public works in the early 1900s, and almost coming in first at MOHAI’s monthly pub trivia.
Cecelia has four years of experience in public outreach, community development and event planning in both the public and nonprofit sectors. She also has several years of experience working in the environmental and land use department at a Seattle law firm, providing her with an understanding of local environmental issues. With a master’s in urban planning, Cecelia’s combination of education and experience makes her well-versed in local transportation, land use, and other public policy issues.
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Lisa Wharf
For the past 15 years Lisa has immersed herself in the world of visual communications. As the senior art director, she knows creating effective brands and communication materials involves the right mix of words and visuals. Whether the medium is a website, interpretive panel, infographic, video or fact sheet, Lisa understands it takes more than an attractive layout to be successful. Outside of work, Lisa flexes her creative muscle by writing and producing independent films.
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Elise Johnson
Elise is always up for an adventure. Previous adventures have included skydiving, winning a Sound of Music costume contest, and working as a camp counselor for three summers.
Originally from Puyallup, WA, Elise graduated from Western Washington University in 2014 with a B.S. in Environmental Science and a minor in Environmental Education. She brings her previous experience in customer service and planning community events to EnviroIssues, along with a passion for connecting science and people. When she’s not at the office Elise likes to root for the Mariners, try new hiking trails, and eat copious amounts of ice cream.
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Sarah Ballew
Sarah is a firm believer that you drink pop and bake with soda.
After graduating from the University of Michigan with her degrees in Environmental Studies and American Culture, Sarah joined EnviroIssues bringing experience that ranges from assisting with policy work as an intern on DC’s Capitol Hill to conducting ecological field research, data coding and database entry. She also brings her rich experiences with community outreach and advocacy and event planning from being highly involved in her Native American community throughout her life. She values a public involvement process that includes all stakeholders and that results in sustainable, equitable and socially-aware solutions. In her free time, Sarah enjoys hiking and running, staying up to date with political news, participating in all forms of dance, and perusing used and rare book stores. As she is new to Seattle, she is continuously searching for the city’s great seafood restaurants.
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Nicole Schmidt
With her gift of spatial awareness Nicole can get everything to fit in the moving van or a one-page layout.
With over a decade of design under her belt, Nicole has seen trends come and go but knows great design rises above what is popular. Her experience with logo development, branding guidelines, advertising, web design, and print material has taught her that great design is more than making things look good, it's about creating powerful communication. From lifestyle brands to public involvement Nicole can create powerful messaging through great design. In her down time from saving the world with design, she can be found drinking coffee and consulting with her son (art director) as to what costumes they will wear for Halloween.
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Nicholas Mirra
Nicholas spent two years writing headlines for The Onion. He's not allowed to say which headlines, so let's assume they were your favorites.
Nicholas believes there is no issue too boring, thorny, or technical that it cannot be conveyed with clarity and a sense of humor. A Tacoma native, Nicholas spent his twenties in Philadelphia, including three years managing communications for a bicycle advocacy nonprofit. A skilled writer, he enjoys finding creative ways to bridge the gap between the public and the process, and knows that engaged stakeholders can be a project's greatest asset. Nicholas spends his free time playing ultimate frisbee and second-guessing Seattle Mariners' roster decisions.
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Liz Mack
Liz desperately wants Seattle to acquire a NBA team so she can occasionally watch her hometown team—the San Antonio Spurs.
Liz specializes in making technical environmental information understandable and relevant to the public, believing that this is key for meaningful public participation. A strong background in the sciences partnered with extensive teaching experience gives Liz the tools to make this happen. Liz has worked with a diverse range of subject matter including wastewater treatment, oil spill preparedness, forest ecology, and marine conservation. She is especially passionate about engaging traditionally underrepresented communities in the environmental decision making process. When not in the office, Liz can be found climbing the many peaks of the Cascades, traveling to faraway lands, or perfecting her tikka masala recipe.
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Kristin Sandstrom
Kristin aspires to attend a baseball game at every Major League ballpark in the U.S.!
Kristin has been implementing successful public involvement strategies on the SR 520 team for almost six years. She navigates a complicated mega-project and interdisciplinary teams to build partnerships and a common understanding among multiple stakeholders. With an interest in healthy and livable communities, and an education in environmental studies and public policy, Kristin helps the SR 520 team deliver key project elements that improve how people live, work and play in Seattle. When she’s not geeking out on transportation blogs, Kristin enjoys yoga, hiking, and Seattle sunsets.
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Alayna Linde
Alayna firmly believes Ultimate Frisbee is better in costume.
Alayna has experience in outreach and education and an interdisciplinary background that bridges chemistry, social sciences, and sustainability. At EnviroIssues, she provides project support on a broad range of topics including environmental cleanup, community construction, and energy infrastructure. Alayna likes active outdoor activities—bike commuting, hiking in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, and playing Ultimate Frisbee are some of her favorites. She enjoys documenting her travels abroad through a collection of foreign beer labels.
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Ethan Bancroft
Ethan participated in the 2013 Seattle to Portland bicycle double-century ride, and has run three full marathons and three half marathons in the Northwest.
Ethan Bancroft is an Associate at EnviroIssues, specializing on communications and public involvement on the SR 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Program. Ethan has been with EnviroIssues for over four years and is the captain of The Issues basketball team. He serves on the board of the Women's Transportation Seminar (WTS) Puget Sound chapter. Ethan was born and raised in Seattle, though he attended college in Oregon at Willamette University, majoring in Rhetoric and Media Studies and minoring in Spanish.
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Andrew Richardson
Andrew is an all-in kind of guy—he learned how to use crampons while climbing Mt. Rainier.
Andrew is the deputy communications manager for the $3.1 billion Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program where he assists in the oversight of all communications. With more than 10 years of experience, his work includes strategic planning, media relations, and engaging a wide variety of stakeholders that include industry leaders, local and state government officials, and public audiences. If you don't see Andrew cycling up a mountain, you might see him skiing down one.
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Bridger Wineman
Sometimes Bridger carries bear spray, but not to public meetings.
Originally from the railroad town turned fly fishing capital of Livingston, Montana, Bridger offers a perspective grounded in community development. His master’s degree is in urban and regional planning from Portland State University where he coordinated a grant program for community-based projects to improve watershed health. He now supports planning, permitting and public involvement for energy infrastructure, coordinates a campaign to protect rivers and streams and supports a public process to update how signs are regulated. Bridger lives with his lovely wife and daughter in SE Portland—the perfect staging ground for any adventure.
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Diana Brown
Diana has climbed six pyramids, none of which were in Egypt.
From conducting environmental education outreach in the deserts of Arizona, to facilitating community workshops in diverse cities around Western Washington, Diana has a wide variety of experiences engaging communities and stakeholders in the public process. With a Master’s degree in Urban Design and Planning from the University of Washington, Diana understands the complexity of planning projects and the importance of community engagement to their success. A Seattle native, Diana spends her free time cheering on her hometown sports teams and taking advantage of the region’s outdoor and cultural treasures with her daughter and husband.
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Alex Sheldon
Alex is a lover of old cars, her first being a 1947 Ford Club Coupe that she drove in high school.
With seven years of experience in public affairs, communications, and outreach, Alex is skilled in communicating complex issues in a clear, straightforward way. She enjoys navigating projects involving sensitive political issues and working with groups from varying viewpoints and interests while engaging them in the public process. When not planning community events or crafting strategic communications, you can fine Alex walking her two Wheaten Terriers, Giggs and Pippa and indulging at her foodie habitat hotspots around Seattle.
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Daniel Brody
Daniel can be spotted heading to yoga on Foxy, his silver Vespa, multiple days a week.
Daniel has four years experience engaging and empowering communities to improve environmental decision-making. Combining a technical background in environmental science with policy, planning, and communication experience, Daniel effectively engages a variety of audiences by making technical project aspects understandable and clear. His experience ranges from engaging with community members one-on-one, to planning and documenting public meetings, synthesizing and analyzing community input, providing outreach in a variety of media, and assisting in decision making processes.
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Penny Mabie
The only time Penny ever loses track of time is when she’s fly fishing. It's her zen time.
For more than 20 years, Penny has thrived on that zing she feels when she's helped someone "get" why this project is important, why that person's opinion is valuable, why those decisions just must be made. Whether facilitating a group to consensus on level of flood protection or helping a family prepare for construction on their street, Penny finds joy in explaining, engaging, and educating community members, stakeholders and elected officials in and about public processes that lead to durable decisions. With a bachelor’s in public policy and environmental studies, a master’s in organizational leadership, and a PhD in life, Penny is right where she wants to be, doing what she loves.
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Stacey Howery
Stacey's birthday always falls during the week of Thanksgiving, so it shouldn't be a surprise that she is famous among friends and family for the most spectacular Thanksgiving feasts.
Stacey joined our Seattle office with a strong science background and is skilled at taking technical information and conveying it in understandable language for a variety of audiences. Her attention to detail and passion for accuracy helps to support both internal and external communications and she has supported the public involvement efforts for the release of more than five environmental impact statements. Her most recent endeavor is leading the construction communications for the new SR 520 floating bridge, the longest in the world. An expert at Excel, Stacey has been known to build workbooks in her spare time just for fun.
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Elizabeth Faulkner
Elizabeth takes her love of food and grammar too far—she has a bad habit of editing restaurant menus!
Elizabeth has spent the last decade helping clients deliver infrastructure projects—small and very large—throughout the Pacific Northwest. From concept planning to construction cones, Elizabeth has experience leading public outreach and communications programs during all stages of project development. She specializes in strategy development, the creation of clear and concise graphics and messages, and supporting clients with project emergencies. As the president of the local chapter of the Women's Transportation Seminar, she loves to geek out about transportation at any time in any place. When she's not busy at work, you can find Elizabeth in her kitchen, on the Zumba dancefloor, or enjoying the world's most beautiful places (preferably by boat!).
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Darcy Edmunds
Darcy spent six months in Iowa as an AmeriCorps conducting residential energy audits and weatherizations.
A transplant from both California and Alabama, Darcy joined EnviroIssues in early 2014 after three years of experience in the nonprofit sector coordinating communications and community outreach for sustainability, transportation, and conservation organizations. At EnviroIssues, Darcy is passionate about the public involvement process, providing outreach, communications and event support to energy infrastructure projects. When not at the office, you can find Darcy running around with her dog Sgt. Pepper, thrifting through Seattle's Goodwills and vintage shops, occasionally competing in local pool tournaments, and cultivating an indoor jungle.
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Tricia Tillmann
Tricia’s career goal at age 7 was to be a brain surgeon, professional baseball player and first female president of the United States – all at the same time.
Tricia is passionate about science, environmental justice and ensuring people have the information and access they need to participate fully in decision making processes. She brings a strong research background, interdisciplinary education in chemistry and public policy, and four years experience translating complex technical information for decision makers and engaging stakeholders in decision making processes in the ecosystem services and climate change adaptation fields. With EnviroIssues, Tricia is excited to engage individuals and communities in infrastructure and environmental clean-up decisions, and to provide strategic communications support in the natural resources and energy sectors. In her spare time, Tricia teams up with her fiancé to grow tomato plants taller than she is, play sports and dance.
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Sarah Brandt
Sarah played on the Harvard University basketball team, the only #16-seed to upset a #1-seed (Stanford) in the NCAA tournament's history.
Sarah has more than fifteen years of experience in community involvement, facilitation, agency coordination, and regulatory compliance. Her most recent experience focuses on environmental communications management, technical facilitation, transportation project support, and habitat conservation planning. When not chasing two small children, Sarah has also been known to climb Mt. Rainier, drain three-point shots, and keep tabs on the local music scene.
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Suanne Pelley
When not at work, she enjoys backyard gardening and weekend naps.
Suanne is a senior associate at EnviroIssues, where she has served as a project manager since 2004. Her main role is serving as the communications manager for the SR 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Program, managing a team of consultant and state employees on public, media, and intergovernmental communications. Suanne has 30 years of experience working on public endeavors—from nonprofit organizations, to political campaigns, to major infrastructure projects. Suanne's outreach skills started in sixth grade when she went door-to-door raising money for a new park in Spokane.
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Matt West
Matt brings more than nineteen years of information systems experience. A native of Seattle, he started out in technical support at former tech pillar WRQ, Inc. He keeps all of the EnviroIssues offices running smoothly with stable and efficient systems. Outside of work he enjoys watching feature films borrowed from the library and trips to desert climates.
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Audrey Wu
Audrey has had a fair amount of professional athlete sightings. She once saw Seahawk’s quarterback Russell Wilson in Seattle’s University Village and met K.J. Wright, Jordan Babineaux, and Kevin Pierre-Lewis from the Seahawks when they were filming a segment at the Northwest Outdoor Center.
With a balance of outreach, event planning, and customer service experience, Audrey brings a wide variety of experience to EnviroIssues. She firmly believes that it takes team work for communities to flourish and loves working for a company that is passionate about making sure voices are heard in a growing city full of diversity. When she isn’t working in the office, you’ll be sure to find her trying to soak up as much sun as possible as she finds new trails to explore in the beautiful mountains or spending time in a kayak. Otherwise, she’s always looking for new places to eat, concerts to attend and puppies to play with.
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Samantha’s passion for the outdoors has cultivated in the newest addition to her bucket list: setting foot in every U.S. National Park.Samantha Herman
Samantha Herman
Samantha’s passion for the outdoors has cultivated in the newest addition to her bucket list: setting foot in every U.S. National Park.
Samantha is a recent graduate from the University of Washington, where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies, coupled with a minor in Environmental Science Resource Management. Her passion and enthusiasm for facilitating stakeholder engagement on environmental issues stems from her strong interest in public policy and communications. Prior to joining EnviroIssues, Samantha aligned herself with organizations in both the public and non-profit sectors, including working in the Environmental Affairs Division at Seattle City Light where she honed her data management and technical writing skills. Growing up in the Cascade foothills of Washington State, Samantha seeks solitude by way of hiking in the mountains where she aims to climb 100,000 feet in elevation every year. When not exploring new terrain, she enjoys a nice Sunday ritual of eating brunch and shopping at a local farmers market.
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Anne Pressentin
Anne once ear tagged bighorn sheep as part of a transplant operation to help rebuild the herds of Central Oregon.
Anne has 20 years experience working to educate and engage people on natural resource, environmental, and transportation issues. She has delivered communications and outreach strategies, including facilitated meetings, community presentations, print and electronic communications, and media relations. Anne earned a communications degree from the University of Washington and then moved east – first to a small town in north Idaho and then Indiana University for a Masters of Public Administration. She has called Oregon home since 1999 where she enjoys running road races, rafting rivers, and feeling the salt spray of the Pacific on her face.
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Ashley has seen the sunrise and sunset over the ocean in the same day – the perks of a 2 square mile island off the coast of Belize.Ashley Selvey
Ashley Selvey
Ashley has seen the sunrise and sunset over the ocean in the same day – the perks of a 2 square mile island off the coast of Belize.
Ashley transplanted from Southern California to attend Western Washington University. She graduated in 2015 with a degree in Environmental Policy, emphasizing in economics and law. She loves a challenge – like studying the relationships between complex systematic topics such as gentrification, environmental preservation, economic development, generational poverty and private property rights compensation for public access easements. Ashley is passionate about the environment and fascinated by people. Her years of experience in community outreach, volunteer development and public speaking make her great at balancing the various priorities of different stakeholders. In her free time, she loves exploring new cities, adventuring with friends, going to the movies and is always looking for coffee shops with cozy reading nooks and good people-watching.
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Allan once made a seven-hour detour on a road trip to visit a famous bakery. It was worth it.Allan Vann
Allan Vann
Allan once made a seven-hour detour on a road trip to visit a famous bakery. It was worth it.
Allan is a recent graduate from the Community, Environment & Planning program at the University of Washington. During his time at UW, he discovered a passion for community outreach and engagement in regards to large urban projects. He fell in love with the Pacific Northwest after exploring the various contrasting natural (and built) environments the region has to offer, especially after spending the majority of his life in a small rural farming town. He hopes that his work in outreach and engagement at EnviroIssues will help inspire the same passion for projects in others, so they can become civically engaged with the changes surrounding them. Outside of work, you can find him planning his future meals and daydreaming about making a good sourdough starter.
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Katie DeLeuw
One of Katie's many souvenirs from her archaeology adventures in Turkey was a German Shepherd puppy.
Katie is a talented community engagement project manager who has implemented public involvement strategies through all project phases – from conceptual planning, to environmental review, to design and construction. She has worked across many sectors including water, transportation, planning and environmental review; and has supported public agencies at the state, county and local levels. A native Californian with roots in the Bay Area, Katie manages EnviroIssues’ Oakland office. She has proudly mastered the art of multimodal commuting through her three-part train/bike/BART commute.
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As a youngster Joe once won first prize at the Dauphin County fair for having the “Most Interesting Fun Fact”.Joe Basile
Joe Basile
As a youngster Joe once won first prize at the Dauphin County fair for having the “Most Interesting Fun Fact”.
Hailing originally from the Keystone State, Joe moved to the Pacific Northwest nearly eight years ago and instantly fell in love with the majestic peaks, clean air, and towering trees of Cascadia. Joe has moved from the small town of Roseburg OR to Seattle to Portland and now back to the Emerald City to join the EnviroIssues crew. In that time he has gained experience in community outreach and policy analysis on diverse issues including farmland preservation, wetland mitigation, and transportation. Joe’s passion for public policy also inspired him to pursue a Master of Public Administration degree from the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at UW. Joe is excited to bring his knowledge and experience in public engagement to the SR 520 communications team. When Joe is not at work he enjoys coaxing his elderly and reticent canine life-partner, Yip, to go on short walks through the park next to his house.
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Though she never saw Russia from her house in Anchorage, Gwyn won gold at the Russian Olympiad language competition.Gwyn Howard
Gwyn Howard
Though she never saw Russia from her house in Anchorage, Gwyn won gold at the Russian Olympiad language competition.
Gwyn has more than three years of outreach and communications experience and most recently worked in the nonprofit sector connecting organizations to needed resources and support. She’s a self-professed transportation wonk and is excited to be part of the team at EnviroIssues where she’ll be providing communications support to the SR 520 project. As a Seattle transplant, originally from Anchorage, Alaska, Gwyn graduated from Seattle University with degrees in International Studies and Spanish. Following graduation she was fortunate to have the opportunity to live and travel in South and Central America and continues to enjoy travels abroad. Gwyn enjoys riding her bike, playing volleyball and being an engaged member of her community.
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Ara Swanson
Ara was once an extra in a movie starring Harrison Ford and Kristin Scott Thomas, called Random Hearts.
With nearly a decade of experience in public involvement, outreach and communications, Ara's worked on a wide variety of projects, from major transportation corridors and new energy infrastructure to brownfields assessments and community planning efforts. She is passionate about public involvement, and in fostering relationships between projects and the public they serve. When she's not busy traversing the western United States for her projects, she spends her free time traveling, hiking, skiing, experimenting with new recipes, and hanging out with her family and adorable pug, Sophie.
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Deepa has been lucky enough to live on five of the continents at various points in her life.Deepa Sivarajan
Deepa Sivarajan
Deepa has been lucky enough to live on five of the continents at various points in her life.
Having previously worked as a conservation and electoral organizer for non-profit campaigns in the Puget Sound region, Deepa is passionate about environmental justice and inclusive outreach. She has a Master’s in climate change policy from Columbia University and a Bachelor’s in gender studies and political science from Georgetown University; her degrees were fueled entirely by consuming too much tea, a pattern she intends to continue at EnviroIssues. Deepa was born and raised in West Seattle, where she acquired both a love of the outdoors and a compulsion to refer to all intersections as junctions. She spends her free time obsessively refreshing the news, singing Broadway showtunes during chores, cuddling with her dog and taking personality tests too seriously.
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Ryan Orth
Ryan is an ordained Minister of Love, having performed marriage rites on a Portland eco-roof and a Waikiki beach.
Ryan is a skilled facilitator and public participation practitioner working on a range of projects addressing water, cleanup, natural resources, energy, and transportation. He has worked in communities across the Northwest and served in our Portland office before returning home to Puget Sound. Ryan brings over 10 years of experience helping clients communicate more effectively, engage stakeholders in critical dialogue, and reach agreement. He’s enthusiastic about tackling complex community issues, working with diverse perspectives and exploring creative and collaborative solutions. In his spare time, Ryan is formulating his next homebrew recipe.
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Allie Belyaev
The only genre Allie can’t help but move to: Funk
Allie is a born and raised Seattleite, who swapped the rain for snow to receive her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a minor in Environmental Studies from Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota. At EnviroIssues, Allie puts to use her passion for creative community-led natural resource management and urban planning, believing that community members hold the most important knowledge to foster resilience. In her free time, Allie can be found rollerblading around a lake, finding new food spots and toying with the idea of purchasing yet another velvet item.
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Meon Yu
Meon’s love for music is no joke. She once traveled all the way to Tokyo to see her favorite band on their reunion tour.
Meon’s passion is to engage in collaborative efforts that improve community living environments and quality of life. She has extensive experience in outreach and communication efforts for rail expansion projects in Hong Kong, and in civic engagement activities within Seattle’s diverse communities. Meon believes that cooperative relationships are strongest when they are built on equity and common objectives. She likes to volunteer, check out live music and treasure hunt at thrift stores in her spare time.
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Erin Taylor
Erin has honed her facilitation chops teaching Irish Dance to six and eight year-olds (for better or worse?).
Erin Taylor has been at EnviroIssues 10 years because she gets a kick out of putting a face on a project...which has meant throwing a first pitch at the Everett Aquasox, moderating online live stream discussions, and picking local, handmade ice cream flavors for commemorative events. It's all in the name of readying Washington residents for infrastructure upgrades from the bottom up. Whether managing engagement associated with installing a safe seawall foundation on the Seattle waterfront, converting an entire community from septic to sewer near Hood Canal, or light rail planning across Puget Sound, Erin’s asset is an eye for combining big picture policy and delivery with relatable, simultaneous details. These skills also mean she loves planning a mean road trip!
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Quin enjoys playing table games, arcade games and yard games, but don’t ask him to play board games.Quin Benzel
Quin Benzel
Quin enjoys playing table games, arcade games and yard games, but don’t ask him to play board games.
Quin has been in the Business Development department at EnviroIssues for three years, helping manage proposal teams to track, bid on and interview for public projects throughout the Pacific Northwest, ranging from strategic communications, low impact development, wastewater master plans and transportation. Quin has at one time called Seattle, Spokane, Portland and the small town of Mukilteo home. He’s never felt unappreciative of the landscapes that have surrounded him throughout his life, still taking the time to stop and admire the Northwest scenery when in a pensive mood. Before joining EnviroIssues, he worked in Corporate Communications at Puget Sound Energy and even spent some time as a contributing editor at a small alt weekly newspaper.
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Angie once spent six weeks on an Antarctic icebreaker in the middle of winter—the sun didn't break the horizon once.Angie Thomson
Angie Thomson
Angie once spent six weeks on an Antarctic icebreaker in the middle of winter—the sun didn't break the horizon once.
Angie has over 17 years of experience in facilitation, communications and outreach, and project management. With a master’s in oceanography, she is grounded in natural resource issues and brings a technical perspective to challenging and controversial projects. Angie's a practical, no-nonsense communicator who loves to find creative solutions to complicated problems. Based part-time in Tacoma, Angie leads EnviroIssues' growing south Sound portfolio. And after surviving the toddler years with her triplets, it's tough to find a challenge that Angie can't handle!
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Alice Sherring
A contemporary artist, in her spare time you’ll find Alice in front of a canvas with a paintbrush in hand, or enjoying the nearest ski slope in the winter.
An urban and regional planner, Alice has over a decade of public involvement and local government experience. She facilitated a range of large scale community participation and organizational engagement initiatives in Australia before relocating to Portland. Alice developed a respect for public participation in her work across major projects, including large scale greenfield development, urban-infill projects, community and master planning and the development of local laws, policy and strategy. An accredited IAP2 trainer and the winner of two IAP2 Core Values Awards, she has delivered stakeholder engagement training to more than 400 practitioners from all levels of government, health, mining, infrastructure, community and emergency services sectors. Alice holds degrees in Environmental Science and Urban and Environmental Planning, as well as qualifications in management and training.
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Brett Watson
Brett owns a needy golden retriever and a codependent cat. Brett thinks that these relationships say more about him than they do about his pets.
Brett is a firm believer that, in some cases, 2 + 2 can equal a whole lot more than 4. His history of working with Western communities, agencies, and individuals struggling to overcome difficult natural resource management issues has taught him that creativity and experience sharing are great strategies for expanding the pie and creating resilient solutions to thorny conflicts. After spending his first 23 years in Pennsylvania, Brett traveled to Oregon for graduate school and joined EnviroIssues in early 2014 with his M.S. in Environmental Sciences. In his free time, Brett can often be found roving a national park with his camera—he’s visited 25 in the last five years— or trying to convince himself that running long distances is fun.
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Cory Baranski
Cory is an avid reader. Over the years her interests have ranged from quilting, the life of Einstein, painting with watercolors, wilderness survival skills, growing bonsai, the poetry of Robert Frost and anything by Tana French.
A graduate of the University of Washington, Cory received her B.S. in Biological Oceanography combined with a minor in Arctic Studies and was a member of the UW Competitive Sailing Team. Her ability to assimilate complex subject matter and distill the key facts allows for clear communication to stakeholders and community members. Her passion for a sustainable environment is evidenced at home where she has a strict “no paper towels” policy. Cory hails from the Midwest, but Seattle is where she is truly in her element. When she’s not at work at EnviroIssues, you’ll find her sailing Lake Washington, cruising dog parks or trying a new recipe.
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Connie Kim
Connie enjoys taking pictures of her food almost as much as she enjoys consuming it.
A recent graduate of the University of Washington, Connie joined EnviroIssues after completing her double major in Law, Societies, and Justice and Political Science. Connie has a passion for environmental justice and equity and has a background in policy, writing, political outreach, and event planning through nonprofit work in Seattle. She is a firm believer in the development of sustainable and efficient communities through civic engagement and awareness. In her free time, Connie enjoys maintaining a healthy balance between traveling, yoga and hiking and finding the best happy hour spots in Seattle.
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Jackie Dagger
Jackie and her identical twin try to visit one national park together every year- Among the parks they have visited are Alaska’s Denali National Park, Washington’s Mt. Rainier National Park and Florida’s Everglades National Park.
Drawn to Seattle by the city’s love for urban agriculture and accessibility to green spaces, Jackie has thrived while managing outreach initiatives to educate and involve communities in outdoor opportunities and land use decisions. She is a skilled systemic thinker and loves dissecting complex issues into relevant messages. At Enviroissues Jackie appreciates the opportunity to work on projects that engage multiple stakeholders in making important planning decisions and that give all voices the chance to be heard. In her free time, Jackie can be found knitting on the bus, heading out to the mountains to enjoy one of her many outdoor hobbies, or just relaxing by Greenlake.
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Ben Lennon
Ben once spent two and a half months backpacking through New Zealand, and while there fulfilled his lifelong dream of visiting the Shire.
A native Seattleite, Ben grew up in Ballard before attending the University of Washington and graduating with a degree in Political Science. Ben has worked with the Seattle Office of Emergency Management and the Washington State Legislature, engaging various communities in public policy conversations. At EnviroIssues, he uses his experience with public correspondence and outreach to pursue his passion of ensuring diverse communities feel a sense of involvement and ownership when it comes to public projects. When not in the office, Ben enjoys hiking, visiting Seattle’s beautiful parks and relentlessly believing that this will be the year the Mariners finally reach the playoffs.
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Chad's only slightly ashamed to admit he wears a Seahawks jersey on game days, even though he's a grown man with family responsibilities.Chad Schuster
Chad Schuster
Chad's only slightly ashamed to admit he wears a Seahawks jersey on game days, even though he's a grown man with family responsibilities.
Chad always has at least one eye on the news. Before joining EnviroIssues, he wrote for more than a dozen Seattle-area newspapers and was twice honored as "News Writer of the Year" by the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association. His knowledge of local media and government has only deepened during the five years he's spent supporting the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program, one of the region's most high-profile transportation efforts. When he isn't working with the reporters and developing public-friendly informational materials, Chad likes to read, play/watch sports and spend time with his wife and two young children.
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Diane Adams
Diane loves to watch professional tennis. Nothing like a match with plenty of sportsmanship and great play to make her start crying.
Diane has 25 years of experience in natural resources management, environmental policy analysis, public involvement, and facilitation. She leads EnviroIssues' work in the energy sector and has spent much of the past decade helping utilities, regulatory agencies, and communities from Wyoming to Oregon explore energy alternatives and the development of new facilities. She loves managing the company alongside Amy, because she believes in the integrity of our work and our people. She holds a graduate degree in land resources management from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and a political science degree from the University of Idaho.
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Susan Hayman
No one loves their vehicle more than Susan loves her Jeep. Seriously. No one.
Susan is an enthusiastic and engaging certified professional facilitator and public participation practitioner. She started her career as a field-going, horse-back riding, wildland fire-fighting natural resource specialist with the federal government, transitioning mid-stream into private practice. Susan’s casework spans national-scale to community-based projects. She has invested 30 years in successfully enabling others to bring their passions, interests, and expertise to the table to develop solutions to challenging issues in environmental cleanup and natural resource policy and management.
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Kristin Hata
Haven't had the chance to visit Palm Springs, California? Try hitting up the next best place - Kristin's hometown, "The Palm Springs of Washington."
A native Eastern Washingtonian, Kristin is a Business and Human Resources Associate, focusing on the company’s secret to success - its human capital. Graduating from the University of Washington’s Foster School of Business, she applies her business background toward recruiting the most qualified applicants, selecting the most suitable candidates, and retaining the most talented employees. Kristin values the task of managing the company’s benefits package –balancing keeping the company strong, successful and functional while administering a generous benefits package to our staff. Kristin puts employees first to positively influence the success of the business. Outside of the office, you can find Kristin on the sofa with her beloved English bulldog, Spam, or scouring her favorite craft store to find the perfect ribbon and paper to wrap her gifts.
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Erin Tam
Obsessed with her Vitamix, Erin will tell you it makes the best smoothies, it warms the soup as it makes it, and it literally cleans itself.
From planning small neighborhood parks to developing design guidelines for interstate corridors, Erin is experienced in public involvement and communications for all types of projects. An excellent communicator with a keen understanding of public perspective and the issues facing communities today, Erin finds creative ways to engage people in the issues that affect them - whether brainstorming the future of transit with local students or working with local television and film makers to bring public meetings right to your living room. Erin is a recent inductee to the cult of stand up paddle boarding. Look for her on a lake near you.
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Jeff does it all at EI. He keeps the office running – just don’t ask him for a fun fact about himself.Jeff Woodbridge
Jeff Woodbridge
Jeff does it all at EI. He keeps the office running – just don’t ask him for a fun fact about himself.
Jeff, a NW native, is most happy when it’s grey and raining outside. He has lived in 7 different states and traveled to 5 continents, but Seattle keeps calling him back. Jeff manages the front desk activities at EI and when he’s not, he directs plays, spends as much time in the beautiful outdoors as possible, and experiments with making cheese.
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Lynnette Bradbury
Lynette loves nothing more than spending time with her daughters.
Lynnette joined EnviroIssues as Controller in 2014, bringing over 20 years of experience in Finance, Accounting, and Human Resources Management. When she’s not crunching numbers, Lynnette can be found on the soccer field (watching!) or planning her next adventure.
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Lauren Stensland
Lauren spends her winter weekends on skis at Crystal Mountain and she has fallen down steep slopes in Utah, Italy, and France.
Lauren has a passion for communications that build trust and move projects forward. She provides clear and compelling information that connects with the right audience, whether it’s a personal visit to a local business or a website viewed by thousands of people. Lauren is skilled at building relationships with stakeholders, anticipating and problem-solving community issues, and providing outreach techniques and strategies for everything from roadway construction to rain garden design. On the weekends, she continues her search for Seattle’s best breakfast.
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Kaila So
Kaila enjoys playing volleyball, hanging out with family and friends at Alki, and watching football.
Kaila joined the EnviroIssues team in 2007 as an administrative team member working on a variety of projects in office management and human resources. She is responsible for accounts receivable, accounts payable and payroll. She is a graduate of the University of Washington with a degree in American Ethnic Studies and a minor in Diversity.
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Lauren's biked across the country twice and spends her free time exploring Washington's incredible mountain ranges.Lauren Boling
Lauren Boling
Lauren's biked across the country twice and spends her free time exploring Washington's incredible mountain ranges.
Lauren has a passion for public engagement. She started in the food banking world advocating for greater food access and found she had a passion for the intricacies of public outreach. She earned her B.A. in Public and Urban Affairs from Virginia Tech with a focus on community development and sustainability. She has experience in conflict negotiation and community engagement. When she’s not on the job, Lauren can be found traversing a mountain, napping in her hammock or at the dog park with her puppy, Oliver.
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Amy Ashton
Amy enjoys reading everything under the sun and taking advantage of the Northwest's legendary rock climbing.
Amy is a graphic designer who works to implement new, and maintain existing brand identities, designs a variety of print and web materials, and coordinates production of printed pieces. She's innovative in imagining and fulfilling creative solutions and approaches to projects.
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Candace Goodrich
Candace has lived along two of the world’s largest rivers.
Candace has over three years experience communicating complicated issues spanning from climate change adaptation to transportation megaprojects. As a trained anthropologist, she has a knack for connecting with people and understanding their perspectives. She also has a wide range of experience working on technical issues ranging from atmospheric dynamics to mitigation compliance. She has a master’s from Columbia University in climate change and a bachelor’s from University of Puget Sound in sociology. In her spare time, Candace loves to travel whether it’s just across the Cascades or across the world.
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Harrison rides and breathes bikes. He has yet to find a climb that is too long or too steep.Harrison Price
Harrison Price
Harrison rides and breathes bikes. He has yet to find a climb that is too long or too steep.
Harrison has a degree in environmental studies from Santa Clara University. In addition to his education, he has a wide variety of past work experiences in multiple sectors, all centered around lessening human impacts on the natural environment. At EnviroIssues, he draws on both his education and past work to understand, communicate and find solutions to environmental, transportation and urban development challenges. When Harrison is not in the office, he is either riding his bike, drinking coffee or exploring Puget Sound.
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Kristine Edens
Who has a Boston Terrier, is irrationally passionate about Husky football, and loves avocados? Kristine Edens!
As a certified planner and Seattle native, Kristine contributes a strong foundation in urban planning and local knowledge to her teams. She has over 11 years of experience in facilitation and public outreach. Kristine has successfully supported her clients through a broad range of complex projects, including land use and transportation planning processes, construction implementation, and energy infrastructure development. When she is not keeping her projects running, she is running to keep up with her little boy and train for half marathons.
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Sarah Sanborn
Sarah is an avid trombone and piano player, and was once in a college marching band.
Skilled in environmental communication and research, Sarah’s background ranges from writing sustainability articles for a local PBS station to calculating air emissions for tribal reservations. She completed her Bachelors from the University of Washington’s Program on the Environment, and joined EnviroIssues in early 2014. Sarah enjoys supporting a variety of transportation and restoration projects. When not getting confused with other Sarah’s in the office, this vegetarian can be found walking around Seattle neighborhoods and watering her houseplant collection.
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Wren McNally
Wren loves spending time in the great outdoors and connecting with people through language and cuisine.
With a passion for uniting diverse interests to solve complex problems, Wren brings a decade of cross-sectoral experience in sustainable global business and urban development. She has led program development, strategic planning, and community engagement initiatives focused on equitable urban development, health impacts of the built environment, and responsible business. Wren holds graduate degrees from the University of Washington in urban planning and the George Washington University in international affairs. Her interests center around the nexus between sustainable urban planning, health, and the impacts of space on wellbeing.
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Roger is no athlete, but he did haul in a pass some years ago from NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton.Roger Thompson
Roger Thompson
Roger is no athlete, but he did haul in a pass some years ago from NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton.
With three decades of experience in journalism, public relations and public affairs, Roger brings solid communications savvy and writing skill to bear for EnviroIssues clients. Above all, he helps advance their goals through smart, strategically honed messaging. Roger started his career as a newspaper scribe before changing horses to pitch news for state lawmakers. From the statehouse he moved into the consulting world, managing the development and execution of strategic communication programs for a wide range of public- and private-sector organizations here in the Pacific Northwest. These days, Roger spends most of his time thinking, talking and writing about the reconstruction of the world’s longest floating bridge.
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Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Megan owns raincoats for every season…and no umbrella.Megan Burns
Megan Burns
Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Megan owns raincoats for every season…and no umbrella.
During their academic career, Megan studied abroad in Tanzania and Denmark before graduating from Portland State University with a degree in Community Development, focusing on sustainable urban development. Megan brings direct experience in community engagement and communications working on multi-stakeholder projects specifically focused on reaching and engaging with marginalized communities. Megan looks forward to applying their global academic and professional experiences to various projects with Enviroissues. In their spare time, Megan can be found roasting a fresh batch of coffee for the following week, propagating house plants or out adventuring with their dog.
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Iris Picat
Between sky diving, spelunking and scuba diving, there are few adventures that Iris will turn down
With a background in journalism and natural resource management, Iris has a broad range of experience in both personal and non-personal communications. Prior to joining EnviroIssues, Iris briefly wrote for a science magazine in Sydney, Australia, and for American Archaeology magazine in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She then spent four years with the Bureau of Land Management in southwest Utah expanding their community outreach and education program through environmental education field trips, social media forums, and wayside exhibits. She is especially apt at generating information and ideas that connect with the target audience, bridging gaps between sectors and developing and fostering community partnerships. Growing up as a dual citizen in Paris, France, Iris has an innate appreciation for cultural diversity. Iris also has experience in graphic design, video editing and photography.
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Derek Allen
An irrational cetaphobe, Derek loves Seattle’s waterways but is wary of the whales lurking beneath the surface.
Derek holds a degree in Strategic Communications from Seattle University, which he has used to support public relations efforts in various fields, including higher education, publishing and the nonprofit sector. A lover of words, he believes in the power of intentional communication to bring about positive change in communities. Derek works with the Business Development team at EnviroIssues, where he helps ensure that its public involvement professionals are involved in diverse projects. Derek’s work – and recreation – is informed and inspired by the climate, culture and creativity of the Pacific Northwest.
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Alex Cousins
Born in Puerto Rico and raised around the U.S. and overseas, traveling the world is in Alex’s blood.
With 17 years of local communications, outreach and engagement experience as both a consultant and public sector employee, Alex is one of the Portland area’s most trusted and well connected public involvement professionals. Whether it’s for a community engagement project, a marketing effort, or a neighborhood volunteer committee, he excels in bringing people together productively around a common purpose. In EnviroIssues’ Portland office, Alex will continue his work delivering strategic stakeholder involvement programs in transportation, water resources and community planning. An avid Portland Timbers fan, Alex also enjoys foreign travel, bike commuting and horror movies.
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Audrey Musewe
Audrey is a trilingual, avid comic book and graphic novel reader.
Since graduating from Seattle University, community outreach and social justice has always been a passion. Her experience ranges from working with youth in the Central District and South Seattle to raise gun violence awareness, to working with community members of rural parts of Kisumu, Kenya in communicating how tribalism can hinder the importance of education and testing regarding HIV/AIDS. Advocating for those who do not have a voice has been the driving force for her work and volunteer experience. Audrey is excited and humbled to be a part of the EI team and is eager to learn from the many great people here. When she isn’t working, she is playing with her niece and nephews or hanging out at comic book stores passionately discussing why Batman is the greatest.
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Kate has an extensive house plant collection and knows that talking aloud to them daily is key to their health.Kate Cole
Kate Cole
Kate has an extensive house plant collection and knows that talking aloud to them daily is key to their health.
Kate has over six years of community engagement experience, from the neighborhood to the federal level. She is a skilled event planner and loves developing creative ways to convey ideas and gather public input. Kate received her Master's in Public Health from the University of Washington, and appreciates the opportunity to work on projects that improve wellbeing in the Puget Sound, from traffic safety, to bike infrastructure, to water quality. When not biking or hiking, Kate is slowly learning to quilt and memorizing all the two-letter Scrabble words.
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Chelsea Ongaro
Chelsea once made a quilt out of vintage Star Wars sheets she bought on eBay.
Chelsea has a passion for promoting advocacy, public involvement and civic engagement through social media and public outreach. Making projects and systems function more efficiently by developing and improving policies and procedures is her specialty. She comes to EnviroIssues with experience in non-profit and public health communications and project coordination, and is thrilled to be putting her experience and education to use at EnviroIssues. Chelsea spends her time away from the office volunteering to support women’s rights and animal shelters, playing board games and co-ed rec sports, and reading.
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Rochelle Stowe
Rochelle works to improve relationships with stakeholders, from elected officials to neighboring restaurant owners. She understands the value of visual communication, telling a complex story that everyone can understand, while capturing the right “voice” for each client. Her projects are diverse, and range from building wastewater infrastructure to major roadway redevelopment. She thrives on finding creative solutions to any public involvement challenge – online or on-the-ground. Every weekend, she joins fellow Seattleites in pools around the city for some good old-fashioned water polo (one of the oldest sports in the Olympics).
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Rachel Baer
Rachel is trained to run through fire.
Rachel joins EnviroIssues with a background in a communications and event planning and a degree in Politics from Occidental College. After working with the City of Los Angeles and a number of Seattle non-profits, she is excited to bring her passion for civic engagement to projects that improve Puget Sound communities. A Washington native, Rachel enjoys cooking meals with friends, volunteering, and staying active. She is always searching for the perfect cup of coffee.
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Laura Treadway
Laura has lived and studied abroad in Japan, Kenya, and Nicaragua, but is happiest calling the fjords and forests of Puget Sound home.
Laura brings extensive nonprofit management, public policy, and program management experience to her work at EnviroIssues. A master’s degree in Environment and Community from Antioch University, Seattle prepared her well to explore the intersections between people and natural systems, as well as how we build and develop our cities. Laura is skilled at developing in-depth knowledge about complex issues and explaining these issues to diverse audiences. She enjoys coalition-building and knows that bringing as many perspectives as possible to the table results in better decisions. In her spare time, Laura enjoys nature photography, spins wool into yarn, and knits somewhat obsessively.
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Alecia has been to Walt Disney World at least 50 times, and one of those times was to get married.Alecia Duane
Alecia Duane
Alecia has been to Walt Disney World at least 50 times, and one of those times was to get married.
Alecia moved to Seattle from Jacksonville, Florida and will never get over the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. As someone used to only two seasons - hot and hotter, Alecia appreciates every day in the cool, Seattle climate.She is a graduate of the University of North Florida with a degree in Accounting and has utilized her skills in multiple accounting and administrative positions. At EnviroIssues, Alecia works on invoicing and the hiring and onboarding process. On weekends, you’ll find her searching for treasures at the nearest Goodwill and exploring the city with her husband.
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David Gitlin
David flirted with rock stardom in his college years as the drummer for the Motives, one of Western New York's greatest ska bands. (Yes, it's as glamorous as it sounds.)
Since joining EnviroIssues, David has shown a talent for breaking down complicated information into understandable bites for any audience, whether it take 3,000 words or 140 characters. In addition to leading public materials and messaging development for the $4.65 billion SR 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Program, David is happy to manage all types of special projects: media events, crisis communications, social media campaigns, and more! Though a New Yorker by birth, David is well adapted to the Pacific Northwest, enjoying the clean air, mountain views, and rainy days.
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“Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.” -William Bruce CameronAlison Peters
Alison Peters
“Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.” -William Bruce Cameron
Alison got hooked on politics and policymaking at a young age; she was a legislative page in Olympia in high school, ran for student body president and organized a student letter-writing campaign during the first Gulf War. She headed to college during 1992’s Year of the Woman and took a job in a phone bank to pay for school. Technology innovation was years away and so interviewers manually completed telephone surveys on paper (while chain-smoking) and printed crosstabs on a dot-matrix printer. In the 20 years since, Alison has been designing voter and community surveys on a wide range of topics, moderating focus groups around the state, interviewing stakeholders and implementing online surveys with hard-to-reach populations. Alison earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in Political Science from Santa Clara University and Boston College. She spends her free time serving on the board of the Northwest Literacy Foundation, planning road trips and cheering on her two sons, Ryan and Charlie.
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Amy Grotefendt
Amy likes to cook so much she helped cook at her own wedding.
Amy has 20 years of experience helping clients navigate complicated and controversial situations to arrive at sustainable solutions. She designs and executes strategic communication plans that reach across multiple agencies, interests, and geographic boundaries. Her work has helped the SR 99 tunnel in downtown Seattle and new SR 520 bridge across Lake Washington become a reality. When Amy isn’t working on projects, she loves to cook and ski. If she is not at the Queen Anne farmers market, you can find her at one of the Pacific Northwest’s many wonderful ski mountains.
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Taylor Hodges
Taylor can play four different musical instruments, but not at the same time.
Bringing with him over four years of experience in the fields of communications, public outreach, and project planning, Taylor adds value to any project through creative problem solving and focusing on the “big picture” while staying keen to details. Taylor is skilled in public outreach, materials development, photography, video production, writing, and facilitating collaboration between diverse stakeholders.
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Chris Themelis
Chris danced in a Greek dance group for several years, and his group took first place in the nation at the Folk Dance Festival in Anaheim, California.
Proficient at navigating the Pacific Northwest’s dynamic seasons, Chris is a Seattle native with a passion for the environment, sustainability and wildlife management. He graduated with a degree in Environmental Science, with an emphasis on water quality from the University of Washington. It is his strong belief that cultivating the relationship between people and their surroundings is crucial to the success and development of a healthy society. Outside of work look for Chris in the mountains, skiing, exploring, fishing, hunting and gathering mushrooms to stock his separate deep freezer dedicated to sustainably sourced food.
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Justin Haight
Justin publishes an online music calendar for Seattle called Calendar.fm
Justin is a web developer specializing in Content Management Systems. Before he came to EnviroIssues, he served the non-profit profit sector as a freelance designer and web developer. He is always thinking about how emerging technologies serve public need now and in the future. Justin spends his free time rockclimbing, camping, and generally enjoying the Pacific Northwest.
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Aascot hails from the Columbia Gorge, collects board games, and, if you go to her place, she will feed you whether you need it or not.Aascot Bohlander
Aascot Bohlander
Aascot hails from the Columbia Gorge, collects board games, and, if you go to her place, she will feed you whether you need it or not.
For the last three years, Aascot has specialized in strategic digital communications and digital public involvement. Leveraging her experience in both urban and regional planning and digital advertising, Aascot’s strategies employ today’s strongest communication methods to create meaningful public engagement with those who are often the hardest to reach. Aascot balances data-driven recommendations with inclusionary messaging to best serve the public via social media, email marketing and creative digital outreach methods. When she isn’t reading up on the latest in digital communications, Aascot can be hard to track down—she’s out enjoying everything the Pacific Northwest has to offer with her husband and elderly dog.
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Sophie Cottle
Sophie has been known to spend hours studying physics and chemistry for fun.
With degrees in Environmental Studies and International Relations, Sophie brings experience in environmental policy, research, writing, and event planning. Her interdisciplinary background, attention to detail, and multi-stakeholder experience enable her to dissect complex technical issues and translate them for easy understanding by all community members. Sophie moved from Los Angeles to Seattle after graduating from the University of Southern California and has been exploring the city ever since. When Sophie is not at work you can find her eating at one of Seattle’s many amazing restaurants in search of the city’s best French fries.
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Amy Turner
Amy is a home improvement aficionado with two major remodels under her tool belt.
Amy has more than 10 years experience implementing public outreach programs for public agencies including wastewater and surface water utilities and transportation projects from design through construction. Currently she spends her days working on the $3.1 billion Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program as the deputy communications manager. Outside of work, Amy is busy as a board member of the Puget Sound Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, learning about parenthood first-hand and cheering on the Washington State University Cougars.
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Justin McCaffree
Outside of the office Justin enjoys writing stand-up comedy and building up the nerve to someday perform it in front of a real live audience of total strangers.
Justin has over nine years experience developing and implementing public involvement strategies for a wide variety of clients. Whether planning for the arrival of light rail in the U District or coordinating interagency communications for critical infrastructure projects like the Elliott Bay Seawall and SR 520 Bridge, Justin demonstrates a strong commitment to thoughtful and collaborative community engagement.
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Tyler once shared a campsite with redback spiders in the Australian outback (and fortunately lived to tell the tale).Tyler Cohen
Tyler Cohen
Tyler once shared a campsite with redback spiders in the Australian outback (and fortunately lived to tell the tale).
Tyler is a recent graduate of Western Washington University, where she studied Environmental Science while taking part in student activism and writing for her university’s environmentally focused magazine – The Planet. Through these experiences, she discovered her passion for demystifying science and policy for students, stakeholders and readers alike. In her spare time, Tyler enjoys eating pasta, making maps and visiting her hometown of West LA for some much needed sun.
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KaDeena Yerkan
KaDeena dreams of the day when she can practice yoga on the beaches of Maui full-time.
A Washington native, KaDeena has been managing communications and outreach programs in the Seattle area for more than 13 years. She leads the communications team for the Washington State Department of Transportation’s $3.1 billion Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program, one of the largest transportation efforts in state history. Through strategic planning, knowledge of the local community and enough patience to outlast any controversy, KaDeena helps her clients -- including Bertha, the world's largest tunneling machine -- sustain public and political support during long and complex infrastructure projects. When she’s not at work, KaDeena serves on the board of ECOSS and enjoys listening to late night live music, as long as it’s not a work night.
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Annie Pfeifer
Someday Annie hopes to follow in the footsteps of her favorite author, Brendan Leonard, and sell or pack all her things and depart on a great road trip.
Annie joined EnviroIssues after graduating from University of Washington with a Bachelors in Community, Environment, and Planning, and a minor in Diversity. She was born and raised in Seattle and can often be described as having a healthy obsession with community building, finding equitable solutions to challenging problems and dogs. Previously she worked with UW’s Department of Urban Planning, the City of Auburn, and the Seattle Department of Transportation to assist a range of projects that created goals and strategies to enact change in several underserved communities. On her projects at EnviroIssues she knows how to utilize her skills as a strong community leader and support her teams with maximum enthusiasm. Outside of the office she can be found looking for new adventures and quoting her favorite TV character, Leslie Knope.
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Emma lived in the UK for over two years, where she developed an unexpected fondness for marmite and British stand-up comedy.Emma Sagor
Emma Sagor
Emma lived in the UK for over two years, where she developed an unexpected fondness for marmite and British stand-up comedy.
Emma joined EnviroIssues in 2015 with a background in urban and environmental research and project planning. She holds degrees from Harvard University and the London School of Economics, and brings with her a passion for public involvement and a range of communications and engagement skills. Fascinated by cities and how they grow and develop, Emma has traveled extensively and spends much of her free-time wandering around and exploring new neighborhoods. Outside of work, you can find Emma playing with her hilarious dogs, Sammy and Nelson, and getting re-acquainted with her beloved hometown of Portland.
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Jacquie Ptacek
Jacquie had her first winter camping experience on the shores of Lake Michigan while simultaneously learning how to cross-country ski when the wind chill was 20 degrees below zero!
Jacquie joined Enviroissues in 2015 after graduating with a master's degree in Environmental Conservation from the University of Wisconsin. She has a strong background in environmental communication and outreach and a passion for livable, sustainable cities. She enjoys engaging with diverse audiences and is excited to bring her knowledge and skills to the SR 520 communications team. Outside of work, Jacquie enjoys cheering on the Green Bay Packers and Wisconsin Badgers as well as exploring all the beautiful scenic areas that her new home has to offer.
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Betsy Kinsey
Betsy can name all the U.S. presidents in under 15 seconds and once won $30 for doing so.
After graduating school in Boston, Betsy came to EnviroIssues with experience in Economic research and analysis of social policy, as well as political organizing and advocacy. As a student, she worked on campaigns such as Fossil Fuel Divestment and for nonprofits, including Environment America and the Clinton Foundation, and is now excited to have the opportunity to combine her passions for public engagement and equity in her projects at EnviroIssues. She loves getting outside and finding all the great events, food, and dogs in Seattle!
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Kerri Franklin
Kerri loves to travel, whether it’s a road trip to Idaho for work, a trip to Costa Rica to do research on a coffee farm, or a trip to Germany to see the World Cup.
Graduating from the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Affairs, Kerri is a passionate public engagement and outreach professional with 14 years of customer service and community engagement expertise. Kerri enjoys engaging communities and individuals in the decision-making process to help clients make informed, community-driven decisions. Kerri is adept at coordinating logistics for small group meetings or large scale events that draw more than 300 people. Her attention-to-detail and behind the scenes coordination and preparation translates into a smooth-flowing and efficient day-of event. When Kerri is not at work you can find her making chili in her crockpot and watching college football or being entertained at a play, musical or the symphony.
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