Cascadia Interns

Current Interns

Photo-ID Interns – Individuals helping match photographs in our Hawaiʻi and US West Coast catalogs.

Winter 2022 Cascadia Interns  
Hawai’i Project Interns  
Andrew Casillas: See below in Fall 2021 section  
Claire Geiman: See below in Fall 2021 section  
West Coast Project Interns  
Kiana Boyer

Hello, I’m Kiana! I recently graduated from Pacific Lutheran University with a B.S. in Biology and I’m taking an extra year to pursue my interests in graphic design.  I grew up in Southern California by the beach so the ocean has always held a special place in my heart. Throughout my college experience I had the opportunity to intern at the Institute of Marine Affairs in Trinidad and Tobago as well as take some ecology courses in New Zealand.  I have dreamed of working to help with research on cetaceans ever since I saw my first gray whale in high school and I’m very excited to be interning at CRC!
 
In my free time I love to do photography, eat good food with friends, and hang out with my dog Tahoe!
Claire Sprouse: See below in Fall 2021 section  
Fall 2021 Cascadia Interns  
Hawai’i Project Interns  
Andrew Casillas

Hi! My name is Andrew Casillas, and I am a senior at Saint Martin’s University getting a B.S. in Environmental Studies.

I spent the first half of my life on the east side of Washington but would constantly take trips to Long Beach for vacation, which is where I found my initial love for the ocean. It only became stronger when I moved closer to the beach in middle school. I’m hoping that in the future I’ll be able to work with the ocean in some kind of way! 

In my downtime, I enjoy lifting weights, reading, going outside, and talking with friends!

I’m excited to gain great experience and many memories at Cascadia! 

 

 

Claire Geiman

Hi! I’m Claire, and I am a recent graduate of Seattle Pacific University, where I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. I was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, which sparked my fascination in the ocean at a young age. I continued to pursue my interest in marine ecosystems at university, where I had the opportunities to study abroad in the Galápagos Islands and Belize, as well as become SCUBA certified.  I discovered a love of research while working on my undergraduate research project at SPU, and decided to pursue a career in marine biology.  My introduction to whale conservation came when I had the chance to assemble a gray whale skeleton, which now hangs in the science building at SPU.

 
In my free time I enjoy horseback riding, SCUBA diving, reading, and working on art projects.  I also love spending time with friends and my parrot, Pippa.
 
I look forward to learning more about the whale populations both in the Puget Sound and Hawai’i, and I’m super excited to be a part of the Cascadia team!

 

 

Emily Gates: See below in Spring/Summer section  
West Coast Project Interns  
Katie Kolcun

Hi! My name is Katie Kolcun, and I’m a recent graduate of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis with a BS in Environmental Science. I’ve always had a fascination with wildlife, particularly reptiles and amphibians, but never had much exposure to marine biology growing up in a landlocked state. When I moved to Washington I fell in love with the coast and worked a seasonal position with the Department of Ecology electrofishing for salmonids. I then found my way to the West Coast CRC photo ID project where I get to learn about a new group of animals-cetaceans! I look forward to gaining experience in marine conservation here at Cascadia and meeting like-minded people.

In my free time I like to go hiking with my partner, spend time with friends, and manage my personal collection of reptiles and amphibians at home. I also have a venomous snake handling certificate and experience working with a range of different exotic animals, from bats to alligators.

Claire Sprouse

Hi! My name is Claire, and I am a recent graduate of Southern New Hampshire University with a B.S. in Criminal Justice. 

I am an east coast transplant as of two years ago, and I have absolutely fallen in love with all that Washington has to offer. 

I recently finished an internship with the Hood Canal Salmon Enchancement Group, working with both juvenile and adult salmonids. 

In my free time I like hanging out with my two pups, kayaking, hiking, being near the water and baking! 

I look forward to new adventures and experiences at Cascadia!

Spring/Summer 2021 Cascadia Interns  
Hawai’i Project Interns  
Kristen Alvstad

Hi! My name is Kristen Alvstad and I am a senior at Oregon State University pursuing my Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology. I have had a wide range of experiences in college so far, from working with sea stars to salamanders, but I am especially excited to be working with marine mammal research for the first time. I am currently an intern for the Hawai’i office working on photo-identification. I will also be working with the stranding team participating in stranding response and necropsies as much as possible as well as entering stranding histology reports. I am particularly interested in marine mammal stranding response and rescue and I hope to get an introduction into the field this summer with Cascadia! I am originally from Bend, Oregon and I love the Pacific Northwest and all the outdoor adventures it has to offer!

 

 

Alex Daniels

Hey everyone! My name is Alex Daniels, and I am going to be a senior at University of Wisconsin-Madison. I am getting my B.A. in Conservation Biology with a certificate in Environmental Studies. I have grown up with a passion for animals and the ocean, and I want to take that passion further to pursue a career working with marine mammals. I am currently working with the Hawai’i office doing photo identification. I can’t wait for the rest of my summer with Cascadia!
Emily Gates

Emily Gates is a Hawai’i project intern with Cascadia Research Collective who recently moved from her home state of Nebraska to the Pacific Northwest. She is a senior at Oregon State University pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree with a specialization in Marine Conservation Biology. She has plans to attend the Masters of Environmental Studies program at Evergreen State College in the Fall.

 

When she’s not interning or studying, she loves spending time with her boyfriend, their two teenage daughters, and the family dog. She also loves hiking, beachcombing, and gardening.

 

Emily is thrilled for the opportunity to intern with Cascadia Research Collective on the Hawaii Photo ID project.

Sarah Spencer

Hi, my name is Sarah and I’m an intern with the Hawai’i project! This coming fall, I’ll be a senior at Stony Brook University and will be graduating with a B.S. in Marine Vertebrate Biology. 
 
I grew up in Upstate New York but I’ve always loved killer whales. When I took a trip to British Columbia to see them in the wild, I fell in love with the Pacific Northwest, too. I spent the summer of 2020 on Lopez Island looking at ecology and Chinook Salmon diet as an intern with Kwiaht, but working with Cascadia will be my first step into the field of marine mammal research and I couldn’t be more excited! 
 
When I have downtime, I really enjoy writing, painting, cross-stitching, and journaling. Back in New York, I have a cat named Cucumber and an amazing family who has made this opportunity possible for me. 
 
I’m looking forward to all the new, exciting things that this summer will bring!
Adi Rex: See below in Fall section  
West Coast Project Interns  
Vicky Gomez

Hola! Vicky is a recent first generation Latina biology graduate from Portland State University. Born and raised in the nation’s capital she has worked towards conservation and environmental issues through several nonprofits. She is thrilled to be spending her summer working with Cascadia on a pacific harbor seal project she began drafting as a senior. After the summer Vicky plans to continue her education and embark on obtaining her PhD in wildlife biology. Vicky enjoys hiking through the mountains, dancing salsa, and traveling the world. 
Sarah Hensley

Hi everyone! My name is Sarah Hensley, and I am currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology at the University of Washington. Having a love for animals, I have found conservation work particularly interesting. Looking to learn more, I have taken several animal science classes that have further sparked my interest. In specific, I have found the marine world especially fascinating. Therefore, conserving the unique species within the marine realm has become my passion. Besides learning about marine species, my favorite past-time activities include hiking, kayaking, participating in habitat restoration projects, and painting. Anywhere where I can be outside is my favorite place to be! This summer I will be working with both NOAA and Cascadia Research Collective on a harbor seal project in the West Coast sector. Looking to follow my passion, I plan on pursuing a career in marine conservation, and therefore am thrilled about this internship opportunity at Cascadia Research Collective!
Katie O’Dea

Katie is a senior at Washington State University, where she is pursuing a B.S. in Earth & Environmental Science, with a focus in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Sciences and a minor in Forestry. She is also secretary of the WSU Zoology club and a member of the WSU Wildlife Society.

Despite growing up inland in Spokane, WA, Katie had a passion for marine mammals as young as six— her favorite movie was Free Willy and she wanted to be a dolphin trainer. Since then, she developed a broader interest in ecology and spent time studying abroad in Thailand where she assisted in rescued elephant wound care, spay/neuter surgeries for cats and dogs, and gained open water SCUBA certification while learning the rudiments of reef conservation. It was this marine conservation course that reinvigorated her love for the ocean and made her decide to pursue it further. In her free time, Katie loves hiking, drawing, crocheting, and playing her violin.

In the future, Katie hopes to pursue a graduate degree in marine biology and do everything she can to conserve the ocean and its creatures. She is honored and excited to learn more about marine mammals and enter the field of her dreams as an intern at CRC!

Antonio Rowe

Howdy! My name is Antonio Rowe, but I also go by Tony. I am currently a senior at The Evergreen State College and will be graduating this fall once completing my time with Cascadia! I will be graduating with a B.S. & B.A in Marine Biology and Conservation Ecology.

I am a military brat, so I spent the majority of my childhood moving around. With that being said, my home state is Georgia and I’ve been living in Washington for 10 years now. Growing up, I’ve always had a passion for animals and nature. My goal in life is to study orcas up close and create a documentary series about them. My hobbies outside of interning include cooking, slow-pitch softball, and creating music.

Im interning with the US West Coast project this summer and am excited to be a part of CRC!

Elijah Ward

Hello everyone! My name is Elijah Ward and I graduated from Ursinus College with a bachelor’s degree in biology and a minor in education. My hometown is located in New York state, and I plan to one day go and obtain a master’s degree to become a zoologist that travels the world helping endangered species of both marine and terrestrial animals. I am currently working on the US West Coast project assisting with the update of blue whales using photo identification techniques. I also assist with analyzing acoustic data to help identify dolphin clicks and whistles. In the future I hope to continue doing work similar to this style and I’m excited to see what possible skills and networking I could obtain from this internship!
   
Winter 2021 Cascadia Interns  
Robin Vance: West Coast

Robin is a West Coast intern with Cascadia for the 2021 winter season who currently lives in Olympia, Washington. Since attaining a bachelor’s degree in anthropology with a minor in environmental science from the University of Florida in 2017, she’s been involved in various conservation-related positions, including aiding with bird surveys, camera trapping, wildlife rehabilitation, and environmental education working three seasons as a ranger for the National Park Service. Robin has recently re-discovered the passion for marine life she developed as a child growing up in southwest Florida, and is currently applying for graduate programs where she can explore opportunities to study cetacean ethology. Robin is thrilled to have been given the opportunity to help contribute to Cascadia’s decades-long research photo-identifying baleen whales.
 
Nana Edamoto: See below in Fall section.

Stephanie Buxel: See below in Fall section.

 
Fall 2020 Cascadia Interns  
Nana Edamoto: West Coast

Nana Edamoto is an international student from Japan, completed Associate in Biology at South Puget Sound Community College. Nana grew up in the city surrounded by mountains. Therefore, she enjoys outside activities. She likes to farm, hike and swim in the ocean. She goes to Nepal every summer, and stays about a month in the very high attitude environment.

 
In her free time, she reads a lot. She likes to explore new things from reading to outside experiences. She enjoys traveling as well and has traveled to many places including different countries in all her vacations.
 

Nana is excited to do an internship with Cascadia Research Collective and do photo identification on the West Coast project!

Ashley Hrkach: Hawai’i

My name is Ashley and I am a Fall 2020 senior at The Evergreen State College pursuing my Bachelor’s of Science. I was born and raised in Melbourne Beach, Florida where I lived between a river and the sea. There is something to be said of growing up by the sea. It cultivates a deep-seeded awareness for the colossal blue, a knowledge of tides, a taste for salt, an eye for brewing storms, and a respect for the life that dwells seen and unseen beneath the waves. For those born close to shorelines, awareness of its exceptionality and value come as natural as breathing. As far back as I can recall, the ocean has been a source of both academic and artistic inspiration for me. It is the sea that introduced me to the concept of connectivity by luring me in with its unique ecosystems and organisms. My seaside life established my academic focus in marine ecology with a particular fascination for food webs and keystone species. When I graduate from Evergreen it will be with an emphasis in marine ecology and shark biology. With my SCUBA certification, artistic mind, and passion for the ocean I hope to build a career around elasmobranch conservation, advocacy, and research as well as coral reef restoration.
Working with Cascadia Research has been a wonderful opportunity and offers the experiences of both technical and physical aspects of marine animal research. Thus far interning with the Hawai’i office has been a rewarding and exciting endeavor and I look forward to the rest of my internship and the possibilities that may arise from it!
Stephanie Buxel: West Coast Stranding

I am interning on the stranded team working on adding histology reports into our database and assisting on necropsies. I am also interning with Harbor Wildwatch and assisting in research with UW-Seattle Dept. of Anthropology.  I have degrees in Biology and Anthropology. I have taught Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy at UW-Madison from 2012-2017. I have also TAed several Biology courses for UW-Madison and Central Washington University since 2009. My graduate research focused on sexual selection, wildlife diseases, behavior, physiology, and anatomy. I am currently applying to re-enter a doctorate program for Marine Biology.
Adi Rex: Hawai’i

Adi Rex is a senior at The Evergreen State College in Olympia WA, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Ecology and Climate Change. Originally from Montana, Adi grew up in the mountains, therefore enjoys all things outside, including hiking in the summer; skiing in the winter; whitewater kayaking; plus jumping into high alpine lakes. She appreciates, most of all, being outside and exploring the intricacies of nature.

In her free time, Adi enjoys creating sculptural or functional ceramics pieces, as well as doing botanical illustrations with watercolor, most typically of native wildflowers.    

Adi is very excited for her internship with Cascadia Research Collective, and to do photo identification on the Hawai’i project!

Spring_Summer 2020 Cascadia Interns  
Kira Telford:West Coast

Last May I graduated from the University of Miami with a B.S. in Biology with minors in Marine Science and Art. I was born and raised in Chicago but I’m excited to finally be living out in the PNW! I’ve always had a passion for science and research, and marine biology became an strong interest after I got my SCUBA certification at 12 years old. However, it wasn’t until a marine mammal class my junior year that I discovered my passion. Since then, I have done internships in the Keys at Dolphins Plus Marine Mammal Responder as a research assistant, primarily studying bottlenose dolphin cognition and cooperation; and an internship in O Grove, Spain at the Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute assisting with field surveys of wild cetacean population structures and dynamics, and data compilation. My goal is to begin my master’s program in the fall, followed by a PhD! I would love to stay in WA and study the cetaceans off the coast. My primary interest is in studying orcas (original, I know!) and to understand the anthropogenic effects on their ecosystem. My ultimate goal is to help educate communities and make conservation efforts to help protect our marine ecosystems.

I am excited to be working here at Cascadia this winter to get more experience by assisting with the rough-toothed dolphin photo-ID catalog and to help with any strandings and necropsies. I look forward to extending my time with CRC this summer by continuing to study gray whale health!

Rhema Neas: Hawai’i

Rhema Neas, a lifetime Washingtonian, is an almost senior at The Evergreen State College. She is currently working on a Bachelor’s of Science. Her main passion in life is marine ecology, and everything to do with the ocean. (Primarily marine mammals!) She loves seeing women working in the STEM fields, and hopes in time to inspire many more to do the same. She is working hard gaining experience for her resume working with different research facilities to build credentials in the field she hopes to dedicate her life to.
Makayla Guinn: West Coast

Hey, y’all! My name is Makayla and I am a Texas native honored to join Cascadia as a 2020 West Coast summer intern. I am currently a senior at Baylor University in Waco, Texas where I am pursuing a B.S. in Biology with a concentration in Ecology. At Baylor I am an undergrad researcher in the Laboratory of Ecological and Adaptational Physiology (LEAP) where I study endocrinology in both whale earplugs and baleen. After college, I plan to pursue a PhD and continue to conduct marine mammal research in the future.

My passion for the ocean was sparked by a 5th grade writing project, and I’ve been an avid “save the whales!” gal ever since. My other interests include road-trips, crafts, hiking mountain trails and being out in the water.

As an intern, I am excited to experience the unique opportunities Cascadia has to offer and to build upon my research experience, all while living my childhood dream!

Irissa Danke: West Coast

 

Irissa is excited to be working in the West Coast office this summer. She is a junior at the University of Washington majoring in marine biology and lives in Olympia. Irissa transferred to the University of Washington in the winter of 2020 after completing one year at the United States Coast Guard Academy. Among her many adventures while at the academy, she had the opportunity to apply her skills in nautical science when she, along with many of her classmates, sailed a three-masted vessel around Europe and across the Atlantic Ocean during the summer of 2019. This experience deepened her passion for marine environments and animals.

Irissa’s interest in marine biology stems from her eight years as a flatwater sprint kayak racer. Year round, Irissa spent countless hours on the water training. Her efforts paid off when she won multiple national championships and competed at the Olympic Hopes Regatta in Europe as part of Team USA in both 2016 and 2017. One of her biggest takeaways from the sport however, was her love of marine life. She treasured watching the harbor seals and jellyfish on her daily paddles – occasionally highlighted by a spotting of a sea lion or whale.

Irissa loves the rain, murder mysteries, running with her dog, doing yoga, exploring Washington through hiking, and spending time with her two sisters and friends.

Vicky Gomez: West Coast

Hola! My name is Vicky and I am a senior at Portland State University in Oregon. I recently moved from Washington, D.C to the West coast to explore marine mammal opportunities. My interest in marine mammals began with stories my father would tell from his time being stationed at the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador and all the marine mammals he encountered. I began exploring my interest by working with Greenpeace at their national headquarters where I worked on their save the whales campaign. There, I learned action strategies and was taught how to drive a boat- although it has been a while. While living in D.C I participated in several actions and protests, studied policies, and engaged with the community on topics related to wildlife and environmental conservation. Here, on the West coast, I have the opportunities to see and work firsthand with the populations I am passionate about working with. I am excited to participate in research outside of the classroom with Cascadia and their interdisciplinary team to develop skills and understandings I can take with me throughout my future endeavors.

I enjoy reading, dancing, and traveling. I am always up for a good hike and have had an incredible time thus far exploring the Pacific Northwest.

Macy Gosselaar: Hawai’i

My name is Macy Gosselaar and I graduated from Ottawa University with a B.S. in biology. I am originally from the Netherlands but have resided in Kansas for the majority of my life. I was fortunate enough to have family who lived in the Pacific Northwest and was able to visit Vancouver, British Columbia for most summers throughout college. Last summer, I volunteered at the Vancouver Aquarium and worked as an Amazon Animal Observer. I also had the opportunity to work in the Marine Mammal Rescue Center by helping restore injured harbor seals off the coast of B.C. I was also a part of an ocean ecosystem class at the University of British Columbia. One of my favorite parts of the summer was becoming dry suit and open water certified in scuba diving through the Professional Association of Diving Instructors. I had a great training experience swimming alongside a harbor seal and her pup, spiny dogfish, jellyfish, and the miraculous giant sea star. I am continuing my diving currently to work on buoyancy control that can be used for future scientific dives. My senior year of college I studied sound production and how it influences community structure and group population in the common clownfish. Clownfish exhibit a unique strict size dominance hierarchy and are an organism of sequential hermaphroditism. I tested physical and chemical predation cues using predatory-like figures and conspecific extracts. I became very passionate about this project as there are many purposes for why marine organisms use sound to communicate. I am planning on pursuing a graduate degree in marine sciences, and am interested in studying the interactions between environmental and physiological variation in marine species. I am most interested to see how organisms respond to multiple environmental stressors (Salinity, temperature, etc.) and what the consequences are of these mechanisms. I am very excited to have the opportunity to work with photo identification of rough-toothed dolphins for the Hawai’i project this summer. 
Winter and Spring 2020 Cascadia Interns  
Kira Telford: Hawai’i and West Coast

Last May I graduated from the University of Miami with a B.S. in Biology with minors in Marine Science and Art. I was born and raised in Chicago but I’m excited to finally be living out in the PNW! I’ve always had a passion for science and research, and marine biology became an strong interest after I got my SCUBA certification at 12 years old. However, it wasn’t until a marine mammal class my junior year that I discovered my passion. Since then, I have done internships in the Keys at Dolphins Plus Marine Mammal Responder as a research assistant, primarily studying bottlenose dolphin cognition and cooperation; and an internship in O Grove, Spain at the Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute assisting with field surveys of wild cetacean population structures and dynamics, and data compilation. My goal is to begin my master’s program in the fall, followed by a PhD! I would love to stay in WA and study the cetaceans off the coast. My primary interest is in studying orcas (original, I know!) and to understand the anthropogenic effects on their ecosystem. My ultimate goal is to help educate communities and make conservation efforts to help protect our marine ecosystems.

I am excited to be working here at Cascadia this winter to get more experience by assisting with the rough-toothed dolphin photo-ID catalogue and to help with any strandings and necropsies!

Fall 2019 Cascadia Interns  
Samantha Norberg: Hawai’i

Born in rural Nebraska, Sam grew up on her family farm. Raising cattle, rabbits, and goats, and often bottle-feeding the orphans and rejected young, she developed a strong passion for animal welfare. Her love of nature brought her to Washington State in 2015 and she and her partner Josh called Harstine Island their forever home. Together they started a remodeling company. Two rescue dogs, Lou Lou and Cosmo, and two orange felines, Oliver and Tigger complete their family. 

Sam graduated in the winter of 2019 with a Bachelor’s degree in Arts & Science from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA. Her studies were focused on zoology and marine biology, specifically on local wren species and the Anna’s Hummingbird behaviors, and the ongoing decline of the Southern Resident killer whales. Her ultimate goal is to start a wildlife rehabilitation facility near Shelton, WA where there is currently no such resource. 

Summer 2019 Cascadia Interns  
Bethany Reaves: West Coast

Bethany is honored to join Cascadia Research Collective as a 2019 summer intern. She graduated with honors from Emmanuel College in 2017 where she received a B.S. in Biology with a concentration in Marine Science. Her undergraduate research was conducted through The University of Georgia’s Marine Institute on Sapelo Island, GA where she conducted an independent research project on zooplankton. She is an Advanced Open Water Diver and Rescue Diver certified (PADI) with a strong passion for marine science education, research, and ocean conservation. As an intern at Cascadia Research Collective, she is excited to gain new research skills, marine mammal necropsy experience, photo identification training, and exposure to marine mammal conservation. Since moving to Olympia, WA, Bethany has enjoyed sharing her love of science as a middle school science teacher at Evergreen Christian School. 
Giovanni Galarza: West Coast

Giovanni is a returning intern to the US West Coast department at Cascadia Research Collective, and a senior undergrad at the Evergreen State College pursuing a BA/BS with emphasis in marine science.

He attended Whatcom Community College in Bellingham, WA for a year after graduating high school in 2013, after which he took a two-year long hiatus to test drive adulthood. He worked a summer job as assistant director at the Marine Life Center in Squalicum Harbor in 2016.  That fall, he moved to Olympia and continued his schooling at Evergreen.

He’s participated in small-scale undergrad research projects, examining the lifespans of free-ranging and captive dolphins at American aquarium facilities, looking at the surging presence of mammal-eating killer whales in Washington’s inland waters, examining concentrations of microplastics in wild and farm-raised mussels, and got a taste for terrestrial wildlife examining the zonation of pollinators at varying elevations at Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park.

Giovanni grew up in the Pacific Northwest, both on the Canadian and American sides, and the ocean was never far from home. As a kid, tide pools and beaches were his playgrounds and his preferred reading material were field guides. His first encounters with marine mammals took place at the Vancouver Aquarium in 1999 where he watched and learned about killer whales, pacific white-sided dolphins, and belugas. A whale watch trip through the Strait of Georgia would show him the majesty of wild killer whales. Surprising nobody, his favorite movie is “Free Willy”.

Giovanni aspires to study killer whales and their social structure, behavior, and seasonal movements, with special interest in populations located in the North Atlantic, Antarctica, New Zealand, and the Eastern North Pacific.

In his personal life, Giovanni is a casual wildlife artist (specializing in whales and dolphins, no less), a parent to four snakes and a tank-load of fish, a hiker, a beachcomber, a recreational swimmer, a movie enthusiast, and environmental advocate.

KC Hambleton: West Coast

KC Hambleton is a west coast office research intern from Boston, Massachusetts. She currently lives and works at St. Paul’s School in Concord, New Hampshire, where she teaches Biology, Chemistry, and Marine Biology, coaches field hockey and lacrosse, and runs a girls dorm. KC grew up spending her summers on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, swimming, sailing, building sandcastles, and spending as much time as possible in the ocean. With saltwater in her veins she has loved the ocean her whole life and has always been fascinated by marine mammals, particularly whales and dolphins. She spent the summer after her sophomore year at Tufts University in Key Largo as a Dolphin Research Intern at Dolphins Plus Marine Mammal Responder assisting the many ongoing research projects on the cognition, social development, acoustics, and social cooperation of bottlenose dolphins.  The following summer she worked as a research assistant at the National Smithsonian station in Bocas del Toro, Panamá studying the effects of local tourism boats on the behavioral budget of the local resident population of bottlenose.  KC is particularly interested in marine mammal acoustics (specifically bottlenose dolphins, blue whales, and humpbacks) as wells as the cognitive and social development of odontocetes.  She is also an avid Boston sports fan (go Pats!), loves to ski, scuba dive, and travel, and is a dog lover. 
Alexandra Chu: Hawai’i

My name is Alexandra and I am an undergrad at the University of California Davis, pursuing a B.S. in Marine and Coastal Science with a focus on organismal biology and marine ecology and a minor in French. I was born and raised in New York and I speak French and English.   

I have always had a passion for the ocean but I knew I wanted to study marine biology when I dove the Great Barrier Reef for the first time.

During my time as a college student, I have been fortunate enough to gain a variety of experience related to aquatic biology and marine mammal research all around the world. In the summer of 2017, I lived on a boat and interned with the Ischia Dolphin Project off the coast of Naples estimating the degree of residency of cetaceans in the Mediterranean Canyon. We also investigated the incipient impacts of increased anthropogenic noise on cetaceans. Being able to witness the level of human noise and its effect on cetaceans first hand sparked my passion for studying noise pollution and its disproportionate effects on different species of cetaceans due to their unique acoustic profiles. 

I have also worked at the UC Davis Bodega Marine Lab in a paleoclimate lab, analyzing core samples taken from sea grass beds to calculate how effective sea grasses are at storing carbon.

At Cascadia, I work in the Hawai’i office doing photo ID of rough toothed dolphins. I am also pursuing an independent project evaluating the frequency and severity of shark bite scars on bottlenose dolphins.

In my free time, I work as French teacher for elementary aged kids. I also enjoy scuba diving, traveling, cooking and spending time with my friends and family. 

Guanbo Wang: Hawaii

My name is Guanbo and I am a masters student from Northeastern University Three Seas Program. I was born and grew up in north China and went to ShenZhen University for my undergraduate studies, which is located in the south end of the country.

I spent a year and a half working in an algal engineering and genetics lab in college, where I developed a great set of skills for molecular cloning and genetics in general, but also realized that endless labwork was definitely not my thing.

I was not always a marine enthusiast, but I had a passion for all the animals and wildlife. It wasn’t until graduate school, where I became a scientific diver and did around 80 dives in Boston, Panama and Friday Harbor, that I became passionate about the ocean and amazing marine life. The great snorkeling experiences with spotted dolphins in Panama actually for the first time made up my mind that I wanted to pursue a career with marine mammals.

Currently as an intern in Hawaii office, I’m working on photo IDs of both rough-tooted and bottlenose dolphins while doing an independent project focusing on Risso’s dolphin occurrence and shifts in Southern California Bight by using sightings and photo-ID.

Jacquelyn Shaff: Hawai’i

Growing up in Washington, I spent a great deal of time exploring the Puget Sound. Regular trips to the San Juan Islands featuring killer whales and harbor seals sparked my interest in marine mammals from an early age. I recently graduated from the University of California, Davis with a degree in wildlife, fish, and conservation biology. I pursued a research project at the Bodega Marine Lab and helped with marine mammal strandings as part of The Marine Mammal Center’s rescue and response team before returning to Washington. I’m excited to be a part of Cascadia’s Hawaii office working on the bottlenose dolphin photo-ID catalog and helping with local marine mammal necropsies!
Michaela Kratofil: Hawai’i

I am an undergraduate at Michigan State University and will be finishing my bachelor’s degree in Fisheries and Wildlife this upcoming December. This is round 2 for me at Cascadia- I interned in the Hawaii office last summer and am back this summer to work on various data analyses/research projects.

Over the past year or so, I’ve gained both experience and interest in applying advanced quantitative methods to help inform management of wildlife and cetacean populations. Some of the work I’ve been helping with at Cascadia includes assessing variation in persistent organic pollutant concentrations among demographics of Hawaiian false killer whales, examining the influence of various environmental factors (e.g., lunar light levels, oceanographic season), on the space use of Hawaiian pantropical spotted dolphins, and using open mark-recapture models to estimate abundance of Hawaiian pygmy killer whales. I’m also helping with the Section 6 grant analyses concerning the endangered false killer whale population, including geospatial and quantitative work to examine the influence of environmental and social factors on the spatial and temporal distribution of this population, and how these may cause overlap with state fisheries effort.

Aside from my research, I enjoy just about anything outdoors or on the water, such as hiking, fishing, birding, rock picking, etc.

I’m very excited to be back at Cascadia this summer, and the opportunities that I’ve been provided have been greatly beneficial to my career and personal growth (and continue to!).

Spring 2019 Cascadia Research Interns  
Rhema Neas: West Coast

Rhema is a junior at The Evergreen State College. She is currently working on a Bachelor’s of Science. Her main passion in life is marine biology. She is taking many courses relating to that major at Evergreen, so that she may pursue a career relating to cetacean research when she graduates.  She was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest and spends her free time tide pooling, and whale watching from boats and from shore.  She currently has 12 pets and loves to take them with her on weird adventures!
Clay Wilburn: West Coast

I am a graduate of East Tennessee State University with a bachelors degree in Biology, and a native Tennessean. I came to Washington to get my first taste of field research and the west coast. I enjoy hiking, birding, and just being outdoors in general. I have always found great joy in being out and learning about wildlife since I was young. This lead me to become passionate pursuing a career in field research so that I could do both. My main desire is to do so focusing on avian or marine vertebrates as they are the most interesting organisms to me personally, and working with Cascadia has only helped to strengthen that desire and reinforce my desire to continue toward that goal. I was happy to stay with Cascadia and help with spring whale watches and gray whale necropsies.
Winter 2019 Cascadia Research Interns  
Clay Wilburn: West Coast

I am a graduate of East Tennessee State University with a bachelors degree in Biology, and a native Tennessean. I came to Washington to get my first taste of field research and the west coast. I enjoy hiking, birding, and just being outdoors in general. I have always found great joy in being out and learning about wildlife since I was young. This lead me to become passionate pursuing a career in field research so that I could do both. My main desire is to do so focusing on avian or marine vertebrates as they are the most interesting organisms to me personally, and working with Cascadia has only helped to strengthen that desire and reinforce my desire to continue toward that goal.
Emilia Omerberg: West Coast

Hi I’m Emilia and I’m from San Francisco! Currently I’m working on my Masters of Environmental Studies at Evergreen State College. I graduated a few years ago from Oberlin College where I majored in biology and environmental studies. I am interested in environmental conservation and wildlife biology. I just finished up an internship at The Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California where I fell in love with marine mammals. I am excited to be in the Pacific Northwest and to be learning about cetaceans! 
Emilee Slaght: Hawai’i

 

My name is Emilee and I am a senior finishing up on my BA/BS at The Evergreen State College here in Olympia. Originally from Illinois, all of my concentrations on marine science were limited to what I could find on the internet and watch on television. On the two family vacations to Florida when I was young, I was enthralled by the sea. My senior year of high school I was still undecided on what I would focus on in college. At the end of my final Upward Bound summer at Beloit College, I presented a talk on coral reef degradation in various regions around the globe — to which my Upward Bound advisor approached me and told me this was what I should devote my life to.

I have been an upper division marine science student for about two years now, enjoying every last bit of work. I have worked on a variety of different research projects and gained skills in many components of the science field, as well as in scientific instrumentation. Primarily my focus is on the ecology and physiology of marine invertebrates on the Pacific coast and coral reef biology and conservation. I am very much interested in how the changes of climate will impact various marine species, and what sort of physiological changes may be demanded upon by those animals showing resilience to these implications. I have my sights set high on graduate school post undergrad and eventually want to go on to get a PhD.

Thanks for reading 🙂

Olivia Horwedel: Hawai’i

I am a recent graduate of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, my home for the last twenty two years.  Growing up in a state surrounded by water gave me a deep passion for all things aquatic, but seeing the ocean for the first time at the age of sixteen was what deepened my curiosity of all things marine.  This curiosity has spawned lots of wonderful experiences that have led me more specifically to what I would like to do.  From urchin surveying in New Zealand to sea grass research in Michigan, to guiding and working as a naturalist in the San Juan Islands – I am consistently excited by working with the ocean and learning more about its inhabitants.  

 

In school, I pursued ecological sciences, focusing specifically on how agriculture impacts marine environments.  I would like to further pursue marine ecology in graduate school to deepen my understanding of the ocean, and sharing that with others.  While there are many avenues to take with marine biology, I would like to continue to focus on cetaceans and be able to do research as well as educate others on their conservation efforts.  Working with Cascadia so far has been such an appropriate introduction to the field of cetacean studies and I can’t wait to learn more. 

Kathleen Gill: Hawai’i

 

I was born and raised in Alaska, where I spent most of my time outdoors in nature hiking, camping, kayaking, and tide pooling. I moved to the Pacific Northwest to attend the University of Washington in Seattle. I graduated with a B.S. in Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences, a B.S. in Wildlife Conservation, and a Minor in Marine Biology. One of my favorite experiences as an undergrad was getting to study marine mammals at Friday Harbor Labs, where I conducted an independent research project on harbor seals. While out in the field observing these seals, I regularly saw killer whales, harbor porpoises, California sea lions, Steller sea lions, and river otters. This experience inspired me to pursue research with marine mammals to better understand their ecology. I am especially interested in sub-Arctic and Arctic marine mammals and understanding how global changes in their environment are shifting their predator-prey interactions. I hope to gain marine mammal research techniques from this internship that I can then apply to studying these marine mammals in a graduate program.
Fall 2018  
Brianna Gage: West Coast

As a native Washingtonian, being outdoors always sparked my curiosity and passion for knowledge. Whether I was summiting Mount Si with my family, climbing a cedar tree in my back yard, or sketching marine life near the beach, the Pacific Northwest has provided me with endless inspiration. 

I could make animal sounds before I could form words, as I did not use verbal language until I was five.  When I was 10, I had a six-hundred-page animal encyclopedia memorized front to back.  My interest in marine mammals first sparked when I watched Free Willy as a child and as a result started to read about orcas. I also was obsessed about Meerkat Manor until 2011, when a close friend of our family introduced Sea Shepard Conservation Society to me. My passion for the ocean and its creatures exploded after that. I now read and journal daily and absorb any detail I can find regarding whales and their lives.  Since 2014, I have been keeping track of the whales in the Puget Sound daily through Orca Network and the Center for Whale Research. I also studied Salish art and culture for a year, in which my first prints and woodwork pieces from this program focused on orcas.

I am currently a senior undergraduate at the Evergreen State College. I will earn a BA/BS in spring 2019. My main focus is marine biology and visual arts.

It has been my dream to work with marine mammals and researchers, so naturally, when I heard about Cascadia Research right here in Olympia, I lit up! I’m looking forward to learning more about photo identifying baleen whales, helping with whale watching tours and necropsies out in the field, and bsorbing as much as I can from the pros here at Cascadia. 

Luke Richmond: West Coast

I am a student at Saint Martin’s University in Lacey, WA, looking to finish my Bachelor’s in Environmental Studies in the Spring of 2019. As a kid in middle school, I went on a sailing/marine science overnight field trip on a sail boat and fell in love with the idea of marine studies. My favorite marine animal is otters, and I delight in any opportunity to find and observe them! I work as a West Coast intern for Cascadia, assisting in photo id, whale watching observational trips, educational necropsies, and lots more around the office. I look forward to expanding my horizons through Cascadia, and learning as much as I can during my time here.
Kathleen Gill: Hawai’i

I was born and raised in Alaska, where I spent most of my time outdoors in nature hiking, camping, kayaking, and tide pooling. I moved to the Pacific Northwest to attend the University of Washington in Seattle. I graduated with a B.S. in Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences, a B.S. in Wildlife Conservation, and a Minor in Marine Biology. One of my favorite experiences as an undergrad was getting to study marine mammals at Friday Harbor Labs, where I conducted an independent research project on harbor seals. While out in the field observing these seals, I regularly saw killer whales, harbor porpoises, California sea lions, Steller sea lions, and river otters. This experience inspired me to pursue research with marine mammals to better understand their ecology. I am especially interested in sub-Arctic and Arctic marine mammals and understanding how global changes in their environment are shifting their predator-prey interactions. I hope to gain marine mammal research techniques from this internship that I can then apply to studying these marine mammals in a graduate program.
Suzanna Mickey: Hawai`i

I am a recent graduate from Coker College in Hartsville, South Carolina where I studied biology with a concentration in ecology. I’ve always been fascinated by the ocean, and I’ve been whale watching from Hawaii to the Azores, but after taking a marine mammals summer course at Duke University’s Marine Lab in Beaufort, North Carolina I decided to further pursue studying marine biology. Attending the SMM conference in Halifax this past year reassured that decision, and I’m very appreciative to apart of Cascadia’s Hawaii office for the summer while I gain knowledge in cetacean research to prepare for graduate school.
Alex Pavlinovic: Hawai’i

Alex is a Northwest native who grew up in Seattle. Through spending a great deal of time outdoors in his childhood, he grew to have a fascination with the ocean and the creatures inside of it. After a visit to the San Juan Islands where he was able to lucky enough to see a pod of killer whales, Alex fell in love with marine mammals. This led him to studying marine biology in college.

Currently, Alex is a junior at The Evergreen State College and is working towards a BS degree in marine science. His favorite whales to study are blue and killer whales. He looks forward to his internship with Cascadia Research Collective’s Hawai’i office. 

For fun Alex enjoys hiking, fishing, scuba diving, backpacking and playing with his Great Dane. Alex enjoys and takes every opportunity he can to volunteer for fieldwork.

Summer 2018  
Suzanna Mickey: Hawai`i

 

I am a recent graduate from Coker College in Hartsville, South Carolina where I studied biology with a concentration in ecology. I’ve always been fascinated by the ocean, and I’ve been whale watching from Hawaii to the Azores, but after taking a marine mammals summer course at Duke University’s Marine Lab in Beaufort, North Carolina I decided to further pursue studying marine biology. Attending the SMM conference in Halifax this past year reassured that decision, and I’m very appreciative to apart of Cascadia’s Hawaii office for the summer while I gain knowledge in cetacean research to prepare for graduate school.
Katy Frey: Hawai`i

Hi! I am a Jersey girl born and bred whose love for the ocean and all its critters started at a young age. I love being outdoors, whether diving on reefs or hiking in the mountains, and travelling to as many corners of the world as I possibly can. I graduated from Michigan State University with a B.S. in Zoology and a concentration in Marine Biology. Since then, I have spent a year in Florida interning with a non-profit focused on coral reefs and Mote Marine Labs researching manatees before landing in the Pacific Northwest. I have always had a fascination with whales and dolphins and am extremely excited to be conducting research on these magnificent animals through photo ID as well as necropsies and strandings! Ultimately, I plan to return to school and earn a Master’s in Marine Ecology, focusing on marine mammals.
Michaela Kratofil: Hawai`i

I am an undergraduate student at Michigan State University pursing a bachelor’s degree in Fisheries and Wildlife with a minor in Marine Ecosystem Management. I am interning at Cascadia for three months, working with photo-ID in the Hawai’i office as well as my own project focusing on persistent organic pollutants in emerging and established Hawaiian false killer whale populations.

Growing up, I’ve always loved being around and caring for animals, but it wasn’t until recent years that I began to take a stronger interest in marine mammals. There aren’t any marine mammals in the Great Lakes, so living in the Midwest has proven itself a challenge in gaining related experience. I am thoroughly enjoying living in the PNW and being able to study these organisms.

I have a broader interest in ecotoxicology as it pertains to water sciences, and more specifically, the organisms within these ecosystems. I’m interested in researching how a particular stressor (chemical, hormonal, anthropogenic disturbance) acts upon physiological mechanisms of a species and how that translates to an individual, population, and community level. I find odontocetes an intriguing species for studying this, as many are top predators and have defined social structures potentially making them more vulnerable to population-level impacts. I hope to further this interest in post-graduate work.

I am extremely grateful to be in Olympia and working with Cascadia; the opportunities that they have already provided me will be profoundly beneficial to my future as a researcher in this field.

 

Alex Pavlinovic: US West Coast

Alex is a Northwest native who grew up in Seattle. Through spending a great deal of time outdoors in his childhood, he grew to have a fascination with the ocean and the creatures inside of it. After a visit to the San Juan Islands where he was able to lucky enough to see a pod of killer whales, Alex fell in love with marine mammals. This led him to studying marine biology in college.

Currently, Alex is a junior at The Evergreen State College and is working towards a BS degree in marine science. His favorite whales to study are blue and killer whales. He looks forward to his internship with Cascadia Research Collective’s West Coast office. 

For fun Alex enjoys hiking, fishing, scuba diving, backpacking and playing with his Great Dane. Alex enjoys and takes every opportunity he can to volunteer for fieldwork.

Giovanni Galarza: US West Coast

I’m an undergrad at Evergreen State College, studying marine science with emphasis in marine mammal studies. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, both on the Canadian and American sides, and the ocean was never far from home. Tidepools and beaches were my playgrounds, and I found solace in field guides as a child. My first encounter with an Orca at the Vancouver Aquarium in 1999 spearheaded my love for cetaceans and the ocean as a whole, and initially led me down the path towards becoming a dolphin trainer at a marine park or aquarium facility. As I grew up, my career choice was refined, and I decided that I would be much happier studying wild animals where it counts, in their natural yet fragile ecosystems.

I attended college in Bellingham, WA for a year after graduating high school, after which I took a two-year long hiatus to live on my own, work full time, and test drive adulthood. I even landed a job working as assistant director at a small aquarium facility at Squalicum Harbor for a period of time. I found that I couldn’t be kept from pursuing my goal as a marine scientist, and moved to Olympia, WA in 2016 to resume schooling at Evergreen. I’ve had several incredible opportunities to engage in small-scale undergrad research projects, examining the lifespans of free-ranging and captive dolphins at American aquarium facilities, looking at the surging presence of mammal-eating Orcas in Puget Sound, and examining microplastic contamination in wild and farm-raised mussels. I’m honored to be interning with Cascadia Research Collective through the summer of 2018, working in their US West Coast department cataloguing blue whales in the Eastern Pacific population. Today, I aspire to study Orcas and their social behavior and migratory patterns, with special interest in populations located in the North Atlantic, Antarctica, New Zealand, or the Pacific Northwest.

In my personal life, I’m a wildlife artist (specializing in whales and dolphins, no less), a snake keeper, a hiker, a beachcomber, a recreational swimmer, a movie enthusiast, and environmental advocate.

Jaemi Salazar: US West Coast

Jaemi is a recent college graduate from Oregon State University. She is from Seattle and has been interested in marine mammals since she was a young child. Her time volunteering at the Seattle aquarium in high school is what really sparked her desire to study fisheries and wildlife at Oregon State. Jaemi also spent time studying at the Hatfield Marine Science Center along the Oregon Coast during her time at Oregon State, learning about marine mammals. She is extremely excited to further her knowledge of marine mammals along the west coast through this internship program.

Special Projects – Some of our interns work on individual or collaborative research projects during their time with us.

Shelby Yahn: Hawai`i

Shelby first began interning with Cascadia Research Collective in 2015. Her research interests broadly center around marine mammal anatomy and physiology, and how they govern an animal’s behavior. Some specific areas of interest include diving limitations, swimming efficiency, thermoregulation, maternal investment, and sound production. Shelby’s research with Cascadia concerns Hawaiian “blackfish” morphometrics, in which she examines and compares dolphin fin and body dimensions. She uses these measurements to distinguish similar-looking species, identify sex-related characteristics, and plot the growth rates of animals seen during the Hawaiian field projects. Shelby received her MRes in marine mammal science from the University of Saint Andrews in 2012, and conducted her dissertation on algorithms used in dive analysis software. Outside of Cascadia, Shelby has participated in various marine mammal survey, photo-ID, acoustic, necropsy, and rehabilitation projects.

Past Interns

Spring 2018  
Malika Aiyer

Aloha,
I am an undergraduate student studying Sustainability and Cultural Studies at The Evergreen State College. I am interning with Cascadia Research Collective-Hawaiʻi.  I have cultivated an interest in Marine Mammals since I was young.  Upon visiting Hawai’i and witnessing Humpback Whales in the wild, my heart and mind were captivated. I feel very fortunate to be in the Hawai’i office focusing on photo identification, whale watching data collection and field work in the lovely Pacific North West. I hope to gain more knowledge to  support an ocean that promotes the health and wellness of all living beings.
Iona McClellan

Iona grew up on the east coast with the opportunity to see whales and other cetaceans on the Atlantic. She pursues her passion for animals in a Bachelors of Arts and Science in Anthrozoology with a focus in Conservation and Marine Biology. She plunged into her internship with Cascadia’s Hawaiʻi research with photo identification, necropsies, and other opportunities.
Anderson de Ruiter

I am a washingtonian from Bellingham that enjoys fly fishing, backpacking, backcountry skiing, scuba diving, and ultimate frisbee. From an early age I fell in love with the ocean and the organisms that call the ocean home. Humpback whales are my favorite marine mammal and are the reason why I chose to study marine biology. I am currently working towards completing my undergraduate degree at The Evergreen State College. As a senior at TESC my studies have focused on symbiosis, marine biodiversity, marine ecology, aquaria husbandry, and oceanography. I am looking forward to my internship at Cascadia assisting with whale photo identification, whale watching data collection, and whale stranding/necropsy. My hope is to obtain a position working for the state focusing on marine biology and marine ecology.
Stephen Nicholson

Hello! My name is Stephen Nicholson, and I’m really excited to be involved with Cascadia. As long as I can remember, I’ve always held a deep reverence for the Ocean. I grew up near Santa Cruz, CA, surfing, diving, fishing, seaweed foraging, and learning about the things that lived around the coast. As I graduated from high school and entered into college, my passion for the Sea persisted; supplemented by my newfound passion for the clockwork mechanisms of Biology, and strengthened by my increasing awareness of the threats that marine ecosystems face in the modern day. Since then, I’ve taken quite a few biology courses from the University of Puget Sound, the University of South Florida, and the Evergreen State College (where I’m currently enrolled); I’ve crossed the Atlantic on a sail boat and studied the Ocean in an extremely intimate way- observing the creatures I learned about as they live in their natural habitat, sieve netting for micro-plastics and plankton; and I’ve worked and lived in a sea-turtle hatchery and refuge located on a small Indonesian island.
Jack Burdett: US West Coast

I am an undergraduate student studying BSc (Hons) Marine Biology at Plymouth University, UK. I am interning with Cascadia’s West Coast internship programme for 6 months working primarily with photo ID tasks and then moving onto my own independent project on gray whales feeding behaviours. 

I thoroughly enjoy exploring the outdoors and marine environments whenever I can. I have had a huge interest in the natural world from a very young age taking up fish keeping and successfully caring for exotic invertebrates. In the past I have gone on expedition for 3 weeks to Zambia and Botswana, taking part in community school projects and a white rhino conservation project. I volunteered at Mablethorpe Seal Sanctuary on the East Coast of the UK, where I worked with their capture, rehabilitation and release programme and became a ORCA marine mammal surveyor in which I learnt how to identify a variety of British and European marine mammals. 

Olympia is the perfect mix between offering great facilities and being surrounded by breathtaking scenery and wildlife, so I am thoroughly enjoying my time here so far and the staff at Cascadia have made me feel very welcome. Once I have finished my degree, I either want to go into the conservation profession or continue my studies in postgraduate courses. I have a personal interest in the evolution of organisms and I am contemplating pursuing further studies in paleobiology. My time at Cascadia will be hugely beneficial to my future, learning new skills and gaining invaluable work experience that will place me in an excellent position when applying for courses and jobs.

Aryn Bauer: Hawai`i I am originally from Arizona, but have lived in many places due to my husbands career in the military. I graduated from Oregon State University with two B.S. degrees; Fisheries/Wildlife Sciences and Sustainability. I completed the internships required for my degree through other organizations, but kept feeling a draw towards Cascadia Research Collective and marine mammal science. Due to my love of the ocean and marine mammals I knew this was the direction I needed to go. I’m currently volunteering with the Hawaii office working on photo identification and have participated in necropsies with both Cascadia and WDFW. My time here has confirmed for me that I want marine mammal science to be the focus of my career moving forward. I’m particularly interested in the impacts of sonar and other noise pollution on marine mammal populations, and I will be applying to graduate school in the near future. I’m grateful to Cascadia Research Collective for this opportunity and know it will serve me well in my future endeavors. 
Winter 2018  
Annette Harnish: Hawai`i

I am originally from Auburn, Washington, and grew up exploring the natural beauty of the Puget Sound region with my parents, who are avid campers. I recently graduated from Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana, with a degree in Microbiology, and originally intended to pursue a career in the medical field. During my junior year of college, however, I experienced a change of heart after doing a project on Sea Star Wasting Disease, and decided to pursue a career studying marine pathogens. Since then, I have conducted molecular research on the microbial communities of Yellowstone National Park hot springs under the supervision of Dr. Daniel Colman, and attended a Sirenian Biology Field Course at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory in Mississippi, which cemented my interest in studying marine mammals. I am especially interested in the disease ecology of marine mammals, and how human activities might be altering host-pathogen relationships. Here at Cascadia, I am working in the Hawaii office and trying to gain as much marine mammal research experience as possible before heading off to graduate school!
Naomi Estrada: US West Coast

Hello everybody! My name is Naomi. I am from Lakewood, Washington and I have been a Pacific North Westerner all my life and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Growing up, I was fascinated with whale watching on the Oregon coast and getting a firsthand view of cetacean pods and other marine wildlife. Ever since then I’ve been in love with the vast ocean!

 

I graduated from the University of Portland in 2014 with a B.S. in Biology with an emphasis on health sciences. However, I decided to take a different path and follow my dreams of becoming an activist for our aquatic habitats. After my undergraduate career, I ventured out and became a Field Botanist where I worked with Idaho Department of Fish and Game for two consecutive summers. I have always had a deep connection with aquatic environments and fortunate to gain experience concerning our freshwater systems, specifically working with riparian, wetland, and forest habitats.

 

I am currently a graduate student in the Master of Environmental Studies program at Evergreen State College. I am pursuing my dream of studying the Pacific Coast and associated marine mammals. For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to research different elements of toxicity in oceanic environments and the physiological implications on our regional marine mammals. I will be assisting research biologists at Cascadia with the U.S. West Coast Project, particularly working on photo-identification of cetaceans, marine mammal stranding responses, and necropsies. In a few months, I will be starting my thesis project—melding my undergrad degree and field experience—researching the effects of phytotoxins on pinnipeds populations on the California coast. I am so excited to embark on this new journey with Cascadia Research Collective!

Aryn Bauer: Hawai`i I am originally from Arizona, but have lived in many places due to my husbands career in the military. I graduated from Oregon State University with two B.S. degrees; Fisheries/Wildlife Sciences and Sustainability. I completed the internships required for my degree through other organizations, but kept feeling a draw towards Cascadia Research Collective and marine mammal science. Due to my love of the ocean and marine mammals I knew this was the direction I needed to go. I’m currently volunteering with the Hawaii office working on photo identification and have participated in necropsies with both Cascadia and WDFW. My time here has confirmed for me that I want marine mammal science to be the focus of my career moving forward. I’m particularly interested in the impacts of sonar and other noise pollution on marine mammal populations, and I will be applying to graduate school in the near future. I’m grateful to Cascadia Research Collective for this opportunity and know it will serve me well in my future endeavors. 
Enrico Corsi: US West Coast

I was born in The Hague, Netherlands, from Italian parents and grew up in the Netherlands and Germany attending international schools. I’ve always been interested in biology from a very early age and decided it would be my BSc after high school. I studied Biological Sciences at the University of Pisa, Italy, where I spent my curricular internship at a bird ringing facility. I started developing an interest in animal behaviour and marine mammals about halfway through my bachelor degree and spent three months in Walvis Bay, Namibia, doing an internship with the Namibian Dolphin Project soon after graduating. Here, I received training in marine mammal data collection, photo-ID and stranding intervention. I recently graduated from an MSc program in Animal Behaviour from the University of Exeter, UK. My dissertation investigated aggressive behaviour in Southern resident killer whales, supervised by Prof. Darren Croft and Dr. Samuel Ellis. I’ll be interning with Cascadia Research Collective for several months while also cooperating in a research project. My current goal is to get as much experience and acquire as many skills as possible in preparation for a PhD.
Fall 2017  
Sam Mejia: Hawai`i 

Originally from Sacramento, CA, I cultivated a love for coastal beauty and a respect for marine life at an early age. After living in San Francisco for 5 years, I moved to Washington in search for colder weather and a smaller city. I transferred to The Evergreen State College to pursue my BA/BS in natural history and field biology. Through a study abroad program, I went to Argentina and Chile for 6 months from October 2015 – April 2016 where I gathered field observations on the behavior of Octaria byronia (South American sea lion) and Spheniscus magellanicus (Magellanic penguin) in their natural habitats. Additionally, we studied and monitored hundreds of species of plants and birds, and also did in-depth observations of Mirounga leonina (Southern eleph­ant seals), Cephalorhynchus commersonii (Commerson’s dolphin), and Orcinus­ orca (killer whales). I am thankful for the educational opportunities of participating in necropsies and strandings of marine mammals through the WDFW. For the past couple quarters I have been researching how climate-related changes are impacting different species of birds from South America and aquatic lichen. I’d like to continue my education and research towards a graduate degree in zoology, specifically in regards to marine mammals and how they are impacted by climate-related changes and anthropogenic sounds.  By interning at Cascadia, I hope to gain more experience in cetaceans, necropsies, and photographic identification.
Hana Rupnow

Aloha! My name is Hana, and I’m from Kaneohe Bay, Oahu. Currently, I am attending The Evergreen State College to pursue a BS degree in Sustainability with a focus in Marine Biology. My life is dedicated to spreading oceanic awareness. It’s fun finding balance between being a Cascadia intern, founder of Evergreen Sailing Club, pool lifeguard, and boating deckhand. You could say that I’m an aqua-holic. 

In 2016, I spent 90 days on a sailboat from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean and studied an incredible variety of marine wildlife. During the Atlantic crossing, I gathered zooplankton samples that were sent to a global database. This expedition solidified the decision to pursue research science. Aside from exploring new horizons; I enjoy scuba diving, photography, and rock climbing. During my time at Cascadia Research Collective, I am gaining experience with photo-ID data analysis and marine mammal necropsies with WDFW.

Hannah McKeever

Growing up in Gig Harbor, Washington, I have always been surrounded by the beauty of marine life in the Puget Sound. However, it was not until I attended the University of Washington in Seattle that I decided to pursue a career in marine biology. Through UW, I was able to take a summer course at Friday Harbor Labs on San Juan Island, a small branch of UW’s campus dedicated to marine research. Here I studied marine mammals and birds both in the lab and in the field. This further solidified my interest in studying marine mammals, but mostly spiked my interest in pinnipeds. Now, as a recent graduate from UW with a major in Biology and a minor in Marine Biology, I hope my time at Cascadia will help me gain experience for graduate school while also prepare me for future intern opportunities, such as at the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, CA and a research internship at UC Santa Cruz. I am particularly interested in studying the intelligence of pinnipeds, along with their physiological adaptations that allow them to survive such extreme conditions and lifestyles. Overall, I look forward to gaining valuable skills and knowledge about marine mammal research while working for Cascadia!
Summer 2017  
Coral Pasi: US West Coast, Hawai`i and research study on blubber on gray whales

I have lived all over the world thanks to my mother’s career in the Air Force. Through all of our travels I always loved when we visited the ocean. My mother always instilled a love for nature and the world around us, especially when we were young. Growing up, we were always involved with volunteer events and outreach programs focusing on environmental conservation topics. I believe all of this helped me decide on a major when it came time to head to college. I went to UNCW for my Bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology and decided to continue on and get my Master’s in Environmental Science from Alaska Pacific University. My thesis work on seasonal blubber store comparisons in beluga whales was recently published in the Journal of Mammalogy and I hope to continue publishing future work. I wanted to come back to the west coast after taking a break at home in Pennsylvania, so I found Cascadia’s intern program and it seemed like a great opportunity and a good fit. So far, I love Washington State and I’m continuing to learn more about cetaceans every day here at Cascadia Research Collective.
Kaitlyn Boze: Hawai’i

I am a part of both the U.S. west coast and Hawaii projects working on photo identification. I am majoring in Zoology with a marine emphasis from Oregon State University. I have lived in the Pacific Northwest my entire life and have always lived near the Puget Sound. I think the many trips to the beach is what influenced me to take on a marine related career path; from going on scavenger hunts to find small crabs under rocks to boating out in the middle of the bay to check out the seals. The marine world has had a positive impact on my life and I hope I can return the favor through my studies and informing others of what’s been discovered. I am excited to be a part of Cascadia Research Collective.
Lisa Hildebrand

I am currently undertaking my Bachelor of Sciences in Marine Zoology at Newcastle University in the U.K. and have joined Cascadia as an intern for the summer to gain valuable insight into the field of marine mammal research. While most of my time will be spent in Olympia working in the U.S. West Coast office, I will also be taking part in several field efforts in Southern California as the ‘bottlenose dolphin person’, as I have experience with bottlenose dolphins, particularly in terms of their photo-ID, from interning for the Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute in Sardinia, Italy and along the NW coast of Spain. Although my great passion is to be out in the field, in the wind and waves, searching for cetaceans and surveying them as much as possible, I am really looking forward to learning the intricacies of baleen whale photo identification during my office work in Olympia.
Rachel Wachtendok: Hawai`i

I am a Washington native who will be helping on the Hawai’i project this summer. I recently graduated from Western Washington University with a Bachelor of Science in biology with a marine emphasis. While at Western I researched the foraging habits of harbor seals at a local salmon hatchery. I am excited to be presenting this research at the Society for Marine Mammology conference this fall! During my time at Western I also volunteered with the local marine mammal stranding network, where I was able to assist in harbor seal and harbor porpoise necropsies. One of my hobbies is photography, with my favorite type of photography being wildlife and nature photography. After working with pinnipeds for many years I am looking forward to work with cetaceans with this internship. I plan on taking one year off from school in order to gain more experience before I pursue my Ph.D in marine biology with hopes of working in fisheries science or conservation.
Kadin Woolever: US West Coast

I am a senior environmental studies major at Carleton College in Minnesota. In my free time I hike, bike, run, and rock climb whenever possible. I grew up in coastal Maine, and have been interested in marine and coastal ecosystems from a very young age. This past fall I had the opportunity to study abroad in the Patagonia region of Chile with Round River Conservation Studies, gathering baseline plant and wildlife data for several different wilderness areas in need of greater protection. This was an incredible experience and helped me to realize and focus my interests on wildlife field research. I hope my work with Cascadia this summer will give me a better understanding of the specific methodologies involved with marine mammal research, such as photo-identification and necropsies. I’m also really looking forward to exploring the ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest, since there are lots of similar aspects to my Atlantic Northeast homeland, but tons of interesting differences.
Iesha Ticknor: US West Coast

I have lived in the Olympia area my whole life, but for the past two years I have lived in Seattle to attend the University of Washington, where I am double majoring in biochemistry and public health. I Although my ultimate goal is to pursue a career in medicine, I have always been passionate about protecting animals and the environment. I believe that the only way someone can truly conserve an ecosystem is by being as knowledgeable as possibly about its inhabitants and abiotic features alike. Therefore, I decided to be a part of this internship because it will allow me to learn more about marine mammals and the impact they have in the ocean biome. I am also looking forward to future ecology and environmental conservation courses I will be taking at UW as part of my public health degree this year. Perhaps it will inspire new goals and passions of mine! That being said, I hope to use the skills and experience I gain with Cascadia and apply them to other research in the future.
Spring 2017  
Chris Williams: Hawai`i

I’m excited to participate in Cascadia’s Hawaii project this spring! I’m originally from the Bay Area, and have had a passion for wildlife since childhood. I developed an even stronger passion for marine biology when I went to high school in the Monterey Bay area. I’m currently a senior at The Evergreen State College, with an emphasis in zoology. My past courses at Evergreen have included: an all year evolutionary ecology course, which allowed me to study abroad in Ecuador, a summer ornithology course, which gave me valuable experience in bird banding, and a vertebrate evolution course. Last spring I interned with Monterey Bay Whale Watch, and assisted in data collection and photo-identification work. During this internship, I also studied the foraging behavior of black-footed albatrosses, particularly their relationship to transient orcas and other marine mammals. I enjoyed the whale watching internship so much that I had to find another way to get involved with cetacean research. This internship is going to give me more experience in cetacean photo-ID work and data collection, as well as experience assisting in local strandings and necropsies. I hope to take the skills I gain with Cascadia and apply them to future research and education.
Cassidy Johnson: US West Coast

I am a Northern California native, who has always desired to be near the ocean. The draw of the sea brought me down to the coast of Southern California where I started my higher education at The Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, CA studying biological sciences while also volunteering at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center and OCC aquarium. After two years at The Orange Coast College, I transferred to The Evergreen State College and will be graduating with a BS in Biology in June of 2017. During my time at TESC I focused my studies on marine sciences, biodiversity, wildlife ecology, and aquarium husbandry, while also having the opportunity to conduct research on marine invertebrate biodiversity on the coast of the Chilean Patagonia. Although my love for wildlife spans across multiple disciplines, my true passion lies with the study of cetaceans. I am so thrilled to be working with Cascadia this spring assisting with photo identification, whale watching excursions, as well as stranding’s and necropsies with the WDFW. Ultimately, I would like to pursue a graduate degree in marine mammal ecology and continue research on Eastern North Pacific whales. 
Hillary Foster: US West Coast

 

Originally from Virginia Beach, VA, I’ve always lived near the ocean and have developed a deep love and appreciation for it and the creatures in it, especially cetaceans. I received my bachelor’s degree in biology from Longwood University, located in Farmville, VA. While there, I completed an internship in Fiji, living with the locals and collecting baseline sea cucumber population densities. After graduating, I took a GIS and data management internship position with the manatee department at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Interning there solidified my love for marine mammals and encouraged me to get more involved in marine mammal conservation. At the end of my internship, I decided to move to Washington State to be where all the whale action is. Currently, I work for the Department of Natural Resources in the Aquatic Reserves Division as a member of the Puget SoundCorps. We are part of the Washington Conservation Corps through the Department of Ecology and AmeriCorps. As a member, I, along with my other crew members, collect baseline and trend monitoring data for WA’s 8 aquatic reserves. I am so thrilled and thankful to be interning with Cascadia during my free time. My goal is to obtain my PhD in cetacean conservation and ecology and I believe interning with Cascadia will provide vital experience and knowledge necessary to reach my goals. 
Winter 2017  
Shanon Pead: US West Coast

I can’t remember a time when the ocean wasn’t a big part of my life; I was born by the water, to a family containing 19th century steam ship captains; my favourite films and games as a child contained marine themes and I always secretly wanted to be a mermaid…and when I finally got to choose, oceanography was the obvious career. I studied BSc Marine Biology at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne (UK) but the closest I came to marine mammals was a brief sighting of a harbour porpoise during a teaching cruise.  My passion for cetaceans prompted a (tenuously linked) dissertation topic involving hagfish after I discovered research into whale food falls ongoing in Monterey Bay, fascination for which took me to the area for an internship in 2002 photographing Blue, Gray and Orca whales during whale watch cruises. During my time there both the food fall research and Orca hunting of baby Grays was filmed for the BBC series The Blue Planet; I felt like I’d arrived as a marine biologist! After studying for my MRes in Newcastle in 2005, attempting to produce antifouling compounds based on marine macroalgae, I began a research career that progressed through biochemistry to molecular biology and analytical chemistry at the universities of Southampton and Bath, culminating in a laboratory based teaching position at the University of the West of England. At 32, comparing summer activities with my students (them – managing conservation activities in islands in Fiji, me – writing risk assessments in a basement office) I realised my career path had deviated too far from my ocean love. I left it all behind in 2014 to volunteer around the world.  Since then, I have travelled the Pacific North West of USA and Canada chasing whale sightings, farmed with families alongside the Southern Resident Killer Whale hunting grounds and helped mend nets in a traditional fishing community in Japan.  I have helped with animal welfare in the Thai islands, with traditional boat restoration in Malaysia, and with surfing and whale conservation communities in mainland Portugal and the Azores.  Now I have come full circle, interning with Cascadia in the PNW after which I hope to continue my marine mammal studies and eventually combine my love of marine conservation with sustainable living, continuing to spread the word of environmental conscience through the empowerment of communities, as I have been lucky enough to have witnessed through volunteering. I hope to inspire the realisation that it is never too late to follow your passions.
Jake Weibe: US West Coast

I’m happy to be helping Cascadia’s West Coast research team match collected photo tags and assist with local strandings as they occur. This is my second time living in Washington! My first venture to the Pacific Northwest took me from the Central Plains states to Seattle, WA, where I studied evolutionary psychology and philosophy at Seattle Pacific University. Initially interested in budding sentience and child psychology, I later refined my studies to focus on general mammal forage behavior and risky-decision making. After graduating, I moved south to grow eco-friendly gardening and beekeeping networks. But I couldn’t stay away from the coast for long, however, and am excited to dive into this spring studying our coastal cetacean societies.
Anita Alessandrini: Hawai’i

I was born and grew up in Italy, where I got my bachelor’s degree in Biology at the University of Bologna; I decided then to travel for almost one year and afterword I followed my dream and became a Marine biologist by doing the Master program in Portugal at the University of Algarve. During my thesis project (in Madeira Island), I had the opportunity to work on cetaceans and to study their movements by using  the technique of photo identification. I have always loved the ocean and all the creatures living there but after that project I was even more passionate about becoming a marine biologist and I wanted to study better cetaceans in order to can find new way for their conservation, so I decided to participate to the Cascadia Research intern program where I am currently working on photo ID at the Hawaii office and where I have the opportunity to participate as well on stranding and necropsies, which is really interesting. Every day I am learning something new and this validates that I certainly made the right choice.
Fall 2016  
Megan Lewis: Hawai`i

I am currently finishing up my Bachelor of Arts and Sciences at The Evergreen State College where I have been studying biology with a focus on wildlife field research. My main interest is in marine mammal research, but I have had a deep interest in all aspects of marine biology from a young age. As an intern with Cascadia in 2015 I worked on US West Coast photo-ID projects, and now I am back to continue my education through analysis of Hawaiian odontocete field data using GIS and statistics. I plan to continue pursuing a career in research by gaining knowledge and experience through internships and study and hope to someday have a job as a research biologist.
Annabelle Wall: US West Coast

I grew up in Sydney Australia but am now living on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia. I am 22 and have just completed my 3.5 year degree of Environmental Science and Management, majoring in both Sustainability and Marine Science at the University of Newcastle.

My varied interests include wildlife rescue and care, waste management, animal behaviour and communication, these are all great passions of mine. In Australia I am heavily involved in the rescue and release of Australian native wildlife. For the past 2 years I have volunteered, and am currently a committee member for ORRCA (Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans Australia), and am also a wildlife rescue and carer for Australian native wildlife, specialising in Possums, Gliders and Bats with WIRES (Wildlife Information, Research and Education Service Inc.).

In 2013 I participated in my University’s coral regeneration program in Vanuatu, in 2015 I volunteered with wildlife veterinarians in South Africa working closely with Buffalo, Rhino and Giraffe, and in early 2016 I took a trip to Canada and Alaska; and from there I fell in love with the Pacific Northwest.

My internship with Cascadia is an amazing opportunity and a great focus for my career path. My goal is to be a Cetologist, specialising in acoustics, communication and behaviour. I know that my experience and knowledge gained through spending time with the researchers at Cascadia will propel me further on my ambition to complete a post-graduate degree in the next few years. 

Kyra McFarlane: US West Coast

Hi! My name is Kyra, and I recently graduated from University of California, Santa Cruz where I received a bachelor’s degree in marine biology. I’m originally from the east coast where I went to primary school in Maryland and North Carolina. For as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to work with marine mammals, specifically whales and dolphins. After taking a marine mammals course this past spring, I became more determined than ever before to work with cetaceans. In the near future, I’d like to continue my education and work towards a graduate degree in zoology where I can pursue my interests in bioacoustics and the use of different patterns of vocalization in various cetacean species. Specifically, I’d like to look at how vocalizations vary between different species of cetaceans in relation to social systems. I think inferences drawn from these studies could be really interesting to use in conjunction with phylogenetic information. I’m really excited to be working and gaining experience at Cascadia Research. It’s been great so far, and I’m sure I’ll only continue to learn more while here!
Summer 2016  
Elle Walters: Hawai`i

I grew up in the Pacific Northwest with a love for animals and nature, and spent most of my time in the water. I recently returned after graduating from the University of Redlands in Southern California where I got my Bachelor’s degree. I spent time there researching my favorite animals, bottlenose dolphins, and other marine mammals in the area. I also studied abroad for a semester in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The dive research I did there on turtles, coral, sharks and fish really confirmed that I wanted to pursue marine biology as a career, and I am so excited to continue studying marine mammals here at Cascadia. 
Megan Ryder: Hawai`’i

I’m currently at Plymouth University studying Marine Biology and Coastal Ecology.  I was brought up in the U.k, Paris, and Zambia.  I am working for Cascadia for 6 months and will be collecting data for my dissertation whilst I’m here.  I love to travel and intend on moving around the world with my job in the future. After this I’ve got one more year before I graduate and then I hope to continue my studies in a marine conservation and ecology based field. So far I’m really enjoying my time with Cascadia, and seeing so many fully fledged marine biologists has only increased my drive to get a job with an organization like this in the future. I’m eager to gain as much work experience as I can, in order to start my career in marine conservation as soon as possible. 
Hannah Flotlin: US West Coast

I grew up here in Olympia and was a competitive swimmer for about 11 years. I went to Olympia High School, graduating in 2013. This year I will be going into my senior year at Western Washington University as a marine biology major and anthropology minor. I think my love for animals and nature come from my parents – my mom works for the US Fish and Wildlife Service as a wildlife biologist and my dad works for REI. I love going camping, hiking, traveling, and pretty much anything outdoors! I am mainly interested in marine mammals, but I have not decided what I would like to focus my career on yet. I am excited to be interning at Cascadia Research Collective, I’m already learning so much.
Hunter Warick: US West Coast

I was born and raised in Olympia, Washington and I have always been interested and excited about nature. I am currently going to Washington State University and I am majoring in zoology. All types of animals interest me and the more I learn about them the more interesting they become. I have volunteered at places like for Heaven’s Sake animal rescue and rehabilitation and Wolf Haven, where I have had one on one interactions with many different types of animals. I am interested in working in the conservation of animals that are in the most need, with a particular interest in river ecosystems and the effect that human impact has on them like pollution, damming and over fishing. The reason for this interest is because of my love for river dolphins that live in Asia and South America.   
Ariel Leahy: US West Coast

With a name like Ariel, it’s only fitting that I’m completely entranced with whales and marine life in general. I grew up in coastal South Carolina where I fell in love with the beach and the ocean at an early age. When I was 5, my family moved to the outskirts of Atlanta, GA, but I retained my interest in the ocean and its inhabitants. I am entering my final year at SUNY the College at Brockport, where I am majoring in environmental science and minoring in chemistry. Since my start at Brockport, I have completed a series of internships to help me narrow down what I wish to be focusing on in this field. The summer of 2014, I interned as a zookeeper for a zoo in Charleston, SC. I worked closely with all the animals in the zoo including river otters, black bears, red wolves, bobcats, bison, and vultures. The following summer, 2015, I worked for Cape Ann Whale Watch as an Education and Research intern. Every day I got to conduct behavioral research on the whales we encountered and teach all of the passengers about whales and their environment. This summer, with Cascadia Research Collective, I am doing photo ID work on baleen whales from the west coast and helping with marine mammal stranding response and necropsies. Upon receiving my BS in May, I am looking to attend graduate school to help me attain my future career goals of pairing cetacean behavioral research with stranding response and necropsies, or work in the strand-rescue-and rehabilitation of marine mammals.
Winter 2016  
Tiffany Bachtel

Originally from Colorado, the pull of the ocean brought me to the West Coast. Currently, I am pursuing a degree in higher education at The Evergreen State College where I have begun my third year. At this point, I am working toward a Bachelor of Science degree with emphasis in environmental sustainability. Much of my study has consisted of learning evolutionary and ecological processes. During my first quarter at The Evergreen State College this past fall, I researched aboriginal subsistence whaling in regards to environmental policy. Through Cascadia, I hope to gain experience in the field and to learn of anthropological effects on cetacean populations. Over the course of the internship, I will participate in long-term photo identification of Pacific humpback whales and respond to beach strandings.
Fall 2015  
Charles Boreman

I am currently a senior at Evergreen State College in pursuit of a Bachelor of Science degree.   My studies are focused around Environmental studies, with a keen interest in marine conservation and field ecology.   My research has been based around intertidal ecology, maritime studies, and economics.  I am interested in gaining more field experience and learning new research techniques while at Cascadia Research Collective.  As an intern, I will be helping with the photo identification of Pacific Humpback whales, to help better understand population dynamics.  I am excited for the opportunity to work with Cascadia Research Collective and look forward to learning more.
Danielle Shorts

I am originally from Arizona where I received my Bachelor’s degree in the Biological Sciences at Arizona State University (ASU). While my interests were primarily in animal sciences, I studied plant and soil ecology with an environmental laboratory. I was eager to jump into any research involving living organisms and our natural surroundings, and this laboratory provided a rich opportunity.  As college progressed, I decided to pursue wildlife research and conservation. I became involved in a variety of wildlife research and conservation efforts including bird rehabilitation and small mammal studies. I became especially passionate in studying birds. Through this internship, I will expand my knowledge on marine mammal behaviors and study methods. I hope to carry these skills into graduate school where I would like to study Marine Biology. I am very excited to have the opportunity to work for Cascadia and adventure into marine mammal research.  This Fall I will be working on photo identification of west coast marine mammals.
Erin Wilde

I’m from central Indiana and am currently a junior at Indiana University, studying geography, biology, and environmental management. At IU, I’m involved in plant ecology research dealing with tall grass prairie restoration and invasive species management. This past summer I interned at a wildlife rehabilitation center and will be continuing as a member of their education team when I return to Indiana. I’m also a representative and writer for the IU Science Writers club. While I’m interested in everything related to the environment, I’ve loved marine mammals as long as I can remember and interning at Cascadia gives me a chance to pursue that passion. After graduation I plan to relocate to the PNW to pursue a Master’s degree in marine affairs or environmental management.
Haley Thiltgen

I just graduated from the University of Redlands in Southern California with a BSc in Biology and a minor in Human and Animal Studies. Throughout my last two years of school, I helped with a project that focused on the effects of human interaction on marine mammals’ behavior and distribution on the California coast. During that time, I learned how to effectively combat seasickness and conducted my own study on California Sea Lion behavior. Last fall, I spent a semester abroad in the Turks and Caicos Islands studying marine resource management, where I became an extreme fan of SCUBA diving and living barefoot. I am currently tossing around ideas for graduate school and hoping that the time spent with Cascadia will educate me further in the field and illuminate new ideas for my future.
Spring 2015  
Chloe Newport

I am a senior at The Evergreen State College, studying conservation, zoology, and animal behavior. I am an intern to get more experience in marine biology. I’m excited to get to learn more about the cetaceans that are native to the area. Once I’ve graduated, I hope to do work in conservation or zoology. Eventually this will lead to graduate work. 
Shelby Yahn

I graduated with an MRes in marine mammal science from the University of Saint Andrews, UK, and a BSc in marine biology and psychobiology from the University of New England, ME. I am fascinated by the intricate physiology of marine mammals and their complex behaviors, and figuring out how to piece these puzzles together is what inspires and motivates me. I have a broad variety of experience in this field, ranging from seals to whales, boat to land to aerial surveys, photo-ID to dive analysis, and necropsy to animal rehabilitation. I am excited to learn new research techniques at Cascadia Research Collective get connected with current invaluable research. Spending time with the staff at Cascadia Research Collective has been a dream come true.
Melisa Pinnow

I grew up on San Juan Island and was always interested in the wildlife that resides there. After becoming passionate about the Southern Resident killer whales, I become a certified marine naturalist, started working on whale watching boats, began volunteering with local orca researchers, and started a website. I am now a sophomore at The Evergreen State College and will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in 2017. While at Cascadia, I hope to learn more about Hawaiian odontocetes and odontocete/mysticete identification methods, as well as make connections that will last a lifetime.
Anna Hunter

I graduated from the National University of Ireland, Galway in May of 2014, with a BSc. in Marine Science. I have interned with Marine Life Studies in Monterey Bay, CA for almost two years now, mainly collecting and inputting data on humpback and killer whales that is collected on the water. I did my final year research thesis on the recruitment success of the barnacle species Semibalanus balanoides after assisting in a long-term project on this species at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. I also volunteered on a humpback behavioural project in Australia last September. I am hoping to undertake an MSc this coming September and my ultimate goal is to commit to the conservation of cetaceans, with a focus on humpbacks and killer whales, through research.
Winter 2015  
Heather Gibons

I graduated from the University of Washington in June 2014, with a B.S. degree in Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, as well as a minor in Marine Biology.  I am working as an intern to gain experience in marine mammal science and conservation, in pursuit of future graduate studies related to cetaceans.  I have previous research experience in the Salish Sea, where I completed my senior thesis on seabird feeding flock composition changes.  I also have experience at the U.W.’s otolith lab.  I’m really excited to learn more about West Coast mysticetes as well as Hawaii pilot whales!
Talia Bailey

I am a Rhode Island native currently in school at The Evergreen State College. I am a killer whale fanatic and would love to do work involved in marine or wildlife conservation in the future. I heard about Cascadia while reading the book ‘Death at Seaworld’ and have been looking forward to interning with them since then. I will be graduating in one year, and hopefully will move on to work in benefitting the lives of animals in some way.
Megan Lewis

I discovered my passion for marine life and the ocean when I was eleven years old. Since then, I have diverged from that path many times, but I always seem to be drawn back to it. Growing up in California I had many opportunities to explore ocean ecosystems. I volunteered for about 3 years at the Monterey Bay Aquarium as a Teen Conservation Leader, and since moving to Washington I have attended the Whale Museum of Friday Harbor’s Marine Naturalist Training and volunteered at the South Sound Estuary Association. I am a member of the Salish Sea Association of Marine Naturalists. I will graduate from The Evergreen State College in 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts and Science degree. I have most often found myself on the education side of marine science, yet have always wanted to be in the world of research. With my time at Cascadia I hope to increase my knowledge of cetaceans, make connections for future work in this area, and help Cascadia create an educational display for the SSEA.
Walker Hedrick

Walker Hedrick is a senior at Western Washington University, set to graduate with a BS in Environmental Science after this quarter.  He has lived in Olympia almost all his life except for his school years in Bellingham and has always been interested in the Puget Sound.  He hopes to use his degree and skills to improve the quality of the ecosystem of the Sound and to protect and study the marine mammals that live in it.
Fall 2014  
Jennifer Welch

For a couple decades I have been intrigued by cetaceans, but felt far from the source growing up in southern Wisconsin.  While pursuing a BA in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, I I took a handful of biology classes (including a few marine) that led to a biology minor.  After graduation. I had a two week internship in Maui with the Ocean Mammal Institute, looking at the response of humpback whales to ocean vessels.  With a growing obsession, I decided to also complete a BS in Biology from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater with an emphasis on marine biology and freshwater ecology.  After spending a year in Australia, I began this internship with Cascadia. My first couple weeks as an intern have involved helping Natasha Milne with her unique research on the seasonality of cookie cutter sharks by assessing bites on the collection of pilot whale photos from Hawaii. I continue to have a strong curiosity for the intellect and behavior of cetaceans, as well as a concern for the health of our valuable marine ecosystems.  My future is open to a master’s degree and/or positions that arise within these areas.
Taylor Hersh

I graduated from Carnegie Mellon University this past May with a B.S. in Biological Sciences and Psychology, along with an Environmental Science minor. I am currently taking a gap year that I hope to fill with internships and other great learning opportunities before applying to marine biology PhD programs. While my past experiences include a sea turtle hospital, aquarium, and marine labs, I have never had the chance to study cetaceans. Cascadia is finally giving me that opportunity!
Jessie Richter

I graduated from the University of New England in May 2013 with a B.S degree in Marine Biology. I have always been fascinated by baleen whales, especially humpbacks, and this love for other marine mammals grew while volunteering at UNE’s Marine Animal Rehabilitation and Conservation program.  I am currently working on the humpback whale catalog at Cascadia and hope to attend graduate school next fall. I would like to eventually have some type of career in marine mammal conservation.
Nathan Harrison

I will graduate from Evergreen State College in 2015 with a Bachelor’s of science in biology.  My passion for the conservation of marine life is what inspired my interest in Cascadia’s work. I plan to use my education to contribute to marine research and existing projects in western Washington, specifically in the greater Puget Sound.
Summer 2014  
Julia Glassy

This fall I will be a senior at Pacific Lutheran University majoring in Environmental Studies and minoring in Biology. After graduating I plan to go on to get a master’s degree in marine biology with an emphasis on conservation.  I have always lived in the Puget Sound area which inspired my passion for marine animals and conservation. My interests and education goals led me to an internship at Cascadia Research where I work on the Hawaii catalogs, with a focus on Tursiops. I am also supporting past field projects. I look forward to pursuing my interests in conservation issues and marine animals.
Tom Egdorf

I graduated from Southern Illinois University in 2012 with a BS in Zoology. I have interests in marine conservation and large cetacean behavioral ecology, particularly how anthropogenic forces may influence their communication and feeding behaviors. These interests brought me to Cascadia where much research has been done in this field. I plan to pursue a Masters degree as my next step.
Jessica Christian

Jessica Christian is a senior at Saint Martin’s University and will graduate in the spring of 2015 with a Bachelor’s of science in biology. She is planning on attending Medical School after she graduates in pursuit of becoming an Oncologist. Jessica is interested in the field of marine biology and wants to gain experience in other fields of biology. She is currently working on photo I.D. matching of humpback and blue whales.
Spring 2014  
Clinton Stipek

Clinton is finishing up his bachelor’s degree in oceanography at the University of Washington with plans to pursue a master degree. He has particular interest in the biology of the Puget Sound and Pacific Ocean that led to him applying to the internship at Cascadia Research. His current duties include humpback whale identification as well as hydro-acoustic identification of humpback and blue whales. 
Valentina Melica

I am Valentina Melica. I graduated from the University of Trieste, Italy, with a master degree in Environmental biology with marine emphasis. My research experience has been mostly focused on plankton ecology, specifically Phytoplankton and Cnidarian polyps. During my master program, I spent one semester at Western Washington University, where I got the chance to study marine mammals.  After the University I gained some experience working as trainee aquarist. Interning at Cascadia is my first research experience on cetaceans and I am currently working on Humpback and gray whale photo-identification. In the future I am hoping to improve knowledge on physiology and anatomy of marine mammals, possibly getting a graduate degree, and work with stranding and rehabilitation.
Erin Stehr

Erin graduated from Western Washington University with a BS in Biology in 2012. During her time there she developed a project studying harbor seal predation of salmonids returning to a local hatchery specifically looking behavioral specializations in ‘rogue’ individuals. Since graduating she has continued to pursue marine biology related experiences. Most recently she worked at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center, a rehabilitation center in Southern California. While there, she aided with the rehabilitation efforts providing animal care as well as public outreach and instructed children about marine debris. Erin is excited to be back in the Pacific Northwest and interning with Cascadia Research Collective. She looks forward to continuing to pursue her interests in combining research with public outreach and education as well as furthering her own education.
Fall 2013  
Sarah Carter

Sarah Carter graduated from Carleton College in June 2013 with a degree in biology and a concentration in biochemistry.  She has a strong interest in cetacean research and conservation which she is excited to explore in her internship with Cascadia Research.  Sarah is passionate about science education and will be serving in Ghana with the Peace Corps in 2014 teaching science and math to high school students.  Ultimately, she plans on pursuing a career in marine science and conservation.
Summer 2013  
Keygan Sands

Keygan Sands is currently a student at the Evergreen State College focusing primarily on marine science. She is from Wisconsin, and despite being landlocked for most of her life has always been fascinated by marine life–especially cetaceans. Working on humpback whale photo identification as an intern at Cascadia is her first opportunity for research experience, and she hopes to continue cetacean research and the study of marine biology long into the future.
Alex Biswas

Alex Biswas is a student at Washington State University majoring in Wildlife Ecology. She plans to pursue her Graduate degree after traveling and participating in research abroad. Her experience at Cascadia is preparing her for a future in the marine ecology field.
Sierra Hemmig

I’m currently a student at the Evergreen State College and will be graduating in 2014 with a major in ecology. Interning with Cascadia is my first experience studying marine biology and I’m working on photo-identification of melon-headed whales during the summer. In the future I’m hoping to work in the field on endangered species conservation. I dabble in photography and DIY projects in my free time.
Spring 2013  
Anna Robbins

Anna Robbins is an Evergreen State College graduate with a degree in biology. Her passions include the behavior of Antarctic killer whales, ship strike research and helping to reduce marine debris. Anna is planning on attending UBC in British Columbia Canada in the near future to obtain a masters degree in marine biology. Her current internship at Cascadia Research is working on humpback and blue whale photo-identification.
Amanda Phillips

Amanda Phillips graduated from the University of Washington with a BS in Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences.  Currently, she is working with the University of Washington’s Conservation Biology department, researching the causes of decline in southern resident killer whales and the effects of oil development on caribou, moose and wolf in Alberta.  She is currently an intern at Cascadia, getting some humpback and gray whale photo-identification experience between field seasons.
Winter 2013  
Caitlin McGinty

Caitlin McGinty is a BSc student at the Evergreen State College where her emphasis of study is in biological science. She has particular interest in marine and freshwater ecosystems and anthropomorphic influences on aquatic environments. She aspires to pursue further study in the Masters in Environmental Studies program at TESC. She is currently participating in ongoing humpback and blue whale photo identification at Cascadia Research.
Kara Quirke

Kara Quirke is excited to be an intern with Cascadia Research.  She is a senior at Evergreen State College where she studies environmental sciences and has had a growing interest in marine biology since moving to the PNW.

2012 Interns

Lindsay Anderson
Serena Hubert
Juliana Englander
Amanda Lockhart
John Rorback
​Kirsty Medcalf
Debbie Sharpe
Ryan Kruse
Sean Goodside
Alex Phillips
Caitlin Mcginty
Kara Quirke

2011 Interns

Elana Dobson
Erin Kincaid
​Alexandre Vanderzee
​Heather Conkerton
Anna Freedman
Dave Anderson
Emily Buettner

2010 Interns

Katrina Olthof
Megan Warren
Katy Laveck
Kate Janes
​Alie Perez
Cindy Just
Kyle Neiser
Lisa Abdulghani
Kelly Cunningham

2009 Interns

Erin Keene
​Corina Leahy
Christine Davis
​Callan Price
Keaton Cox
Kelli Stingle
Laura Coogan
​Brytni Lawrence
​Perrine LeFaou

2008 Interns

Minna Kangas
Emily Whitmer
Claire Burke
​Lill Luce
​Ilana Berry
Kelly Cunningham
Daniel Laggner

2007 Interns

Leslie Russel
Jeremy Lucas
Sara McClelland
Bethany Diehl
Millie Brower

2006 Interns

Kwasi Addae
Alexis Rudd
Zoe Froyland
Kristi Ka’apu
Jennifer Hackett
Katrina Thiessen
Alexandra Safiq-Jorand

2005 Interns

Aaron Barna
​Cammie Crowder
Amber Klimek
Veronica Iriarte

Early Years

Ulrike Wolfe (2004)
Lisa Hjelm (’95)
Suzanne DeClerk (’95)
Peter Rudolf (’92)
Jennifer Quan (’92)
​Kiirsten Flynn (’92)
Dave Ellifrit
Tara Chestnut
Joy Sales
Emily Walton
Dan Smith
Darcy Bristow
Cherrish Morrison-Price
Ted Hart
Rene (Yoko) Mensing
Jason Angus
Amber Luvmour
Rene Devito
Annie Douglas
Wade Jerdee
Shannon Wilhite
Nicole Stagner
Heather Medic
Hannah Smith
Natasha Bodorff
Megan Hess
Lindsey Fauss
Sheryl Lapp
Julia Erickson
Anne Nelson
Celva Boon
Kristine Endsley
JR Veldink
Heidi Faken
Jane Truman
Eileen Kelly
Danielle Osborne
Beth Phillips
Randy Lumper
Nate Donley
Moira Morel
Alyssa Farrell
Amanda Kaplan
Fiona Johnston
Shellie Ogilvy
EJ Etherington
Heather Weidenhoft
Brooke Smith
Nora Moloney
Suzanne Stricker
Dominique Camacho