EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CO-FOUNDER

Melissa is a marine fisheries ecologist and conservation scientist. She has worked to increase equity and inclusion in STEM for over four years, and co-founded the Building a Better Fieldwork Future Program at University of California, Santa Cruz. She is currently a Smith Conservation Research Fellow in the Coasts and Commons Co-Lab at Duke University.

CHIEF STRATEGIST, CO-FOUNDER

Erika is a professor in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department at the University of California at Santa Cruz. She and her research group study the drivers and consequences of changing biological diversity and the role of ecology in guiding effective conservation practice. She directs the Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program and the CAMINO (Center to Advance Mentored, Inquiry-based Opportunities) at UCSC.

PROGRAM MANAGER

Jennie is a passionate advocate and educator specializing in gender-based violence prevention, survivor support, and DEI initiatives. With a background in creating impactful educational programs and supporting survivors at Oregon State University, Jennie brings a unique blend of expertise and empathy to their work. Jennie is dedicated to advancing equity and inclusion, fostering safer environments, and empowering communities through informed advocacy and transformative education.

DIRECTOR OF FACILITATION

Allison is a FieldFutures facilitator and PhD student in the Beltran Lab at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she studies elephant seals. She is passionate about safe fieldwork for all scientists and has facilitated and supervised dozens of workshops for lab groups, agencies, and nonprofit organizations.

PROGRAM ASSISTANT

Kathryn is an early career professional with interests in social equity, ecology, conservation, and food systems. She is a budding field researcher, farmer, land steward, and community educator with varied experiences at universities and non-profit organizations. She is an alum of the Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program at UC Santa Cruz and the Indiana University- Bloomington O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs.

CERTIFIED TRAINER

Mandy is a PhD Candidate at the University of California, Davis in the Graduate Group in Ecology. Mandy's research focuses on the physiology, behavior, and ecology of young Antarctic fishes to better understand their adaptive capacity to anthropogenic stressors. Mandy is dedicated to teaching and mentoring following an activist pedagogy that centers social justice for all groups of people.

ACCOUNTANT AND BOOKKEEPER

Assistant Professor, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

UC Santa Cruz

www.roxannebeltran.weebly.com

Founding Director, Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program @ UCSC

Co-Founder and Associate Director of the UCSC CITRIS Initiative

Santa Cruz County Supervisor

Assistant Professor, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences

Oregon State University

www.megansjones.com

Assistant Teaching Professor, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

UC Santa Cruz

Program Director, Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program @ UCSC