Outreach & Events Committee

Annika is a hydrologist, geomorphologist, and the president of Fain Environmental LLC. She is a Certified Floodplain Manager and PE who has broad-based experience in ecosystem restoration, coastal geomorphology, watershed hydrology, floodplain management, and environmental outreach. She has over 17 years of experience managing and performing analysis of physical and geological processes throughout the watershed. For the past nine years, she has lead restoration events along the Duwamish River as a Puget Sound Steward with EarthCorps. She has participated in restoration events throughout the watershed for the past 30 years.

Annika teaches students about oceanography through the Ocean Inquiry Program. She also participates in the Girls on the Run program as a running buddy for elementary school girls and is an avid runner, cyclist, swimmer, triathlete, and hiker.

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Grant Review Committee

April is originally from Arizona but has lived in Washington state since 2009. She graduated with a BS in Environmental Science and will begin working toward her MS at Western Washington University (WWU) in fall 2022. She is a complete science nerd, but also loves video games, rock climbing, camping, traveling, and making new friends.

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Outreach & Events Committee

Sarah came to Whatcom County for graduate school in 2005 and never left! After 10 years in Bellingham and a couple of kids, she bought 10 acres and retreated to the county life in Custer, WA. Here, she runs a small glamping operation along with her husband, Jake and her four young kids. Two of them are in Explorers Club! You can rent her cozy, wooded spaces in the spring/summer/fall to connect with nature and unplug from the busy-ness of daily life.

Sarah loves to practice Pilates, meditation, and Zumba! She also loves to travel and has taken her family to Mexico, Costa Rica, and Portugal for extended trips. But the main thing that truly lights her up is...CONNECTION. She creates it in everything she does. Sarah is also driven by the pursuit of joy and simplicity, meaningful relationships, PNW summers, epic dance parties, and music from the Beatles.

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Alison is so excited to be helping out at Wild Whatcom! There is nothing she loves more than connection in the great outdoors. She is currently a student at Western Washington University (WWU) studying Environmental Studies with an emphasis in Education. She hopes to use this degree to open doors to outdoor education for kids everywhere.

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Alyson first fell in love with the Salish Sea and the mossy green that is Whatcom County back in the early 1990s. The lands here have always called her back home. She completed an M.Ed. in environmental education at Western Washington University (WWU) in 2005 and over the last 20+ years, has enthusiastically created, led, managed, facilitated, and participated in oodles of nature-based events, retreats, and adventures in Washington, Idaho, and the Sonoran desert of southern Arizona.

After 14 years based in Tucson, in 2021, the red cedars, salmon, and sea bought her and her husband back to create their home in watery Washington. She looks forward to supporting Wild Whatcom’s awesome programs, events, and mission!

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Alexis grew up in the corn fields, prairies, and swamps of the Midwest and the South, though wasn't much of an explorer. She spent time outside playing team sports, but had her head in the clouds. So much so that she pursued degrees in atmospheric science and spent years studying clouds and precipitation.

She now works as a support scientist at a NASA satellite data center.
As a newer resident of Washington, she got involved volunteering with Wild Whatcom to get to know the community and the landscape. It is the highlight of her week to spend time learning with, and learning from, the mentors and young explorers!

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Ben is an outdoor enthusiast and loves any activity that gets him outside. He was an accounting major, but takes a lot of pride in his art minor.

Ben worked a summer at Camp Orkila and fell in love with the world of outdoor education. He is excited for the opportunity to share his love of the outdoors with newer generations!

Caleb recently moved to Washington from Illinois and has a lifelong passion for the outdoors and the environment. He is looking to grow some roots and get involved with Bellingham's outdoor community through Wild Whatcom.

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Dacey is a recent graduate of Western Washington University (WWU) where they received a degree in Politics/Philosophy/Economics. She currently works at a local financial advisory firm and loves being involved the Bellingham community. Dacey is so excited to go on adventures and learn in nature with members of the Explorers Club!

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Ellie is originally from St. Louis, Missouri, but recently moved to Bellingham and fell in love with it after spending nearly a decade in Colorado. She earned her M.S. in Conservation Leadership at Colorado State University and her B.A. in Organismal Biology and Ecology at Colorado College.

She has worked with a variety of environmental nonprofits and is excited to share her passion for nature with budding conservationists in this wonderful community.

In her free time, Ellie likes going for long walks, birding, tidepooling, playing pickleball, cooking, and reading.

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Kirsten is a Western Washington University (WWU) grad and nature enthusiast. She loves hiking, paddleboarding, kayaking, and swimming - and is a biology lover too. Kirsten studied cell and molecular bio in college.

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Mary was an educator for 14 years. A highlight of her years teaching second grade was having Wild Whatcom take her class on adventures outside in nature!

She is excited to continue that experience through volunteering!

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Oliver is an anthropology student at Western Washington University (WWU). He loves hiking, camping, beach walks, and being outdoors in general and is looking forward to fostering more connections with his community and the outdoors.

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RJ is a graduate of Western Washington University (WWU) in the Environmental Science program, focusing on their love of the ocean and its connection to the people living around it. Since graduating, they have been working with kids as a nanny and in summer camps, traveling in different countries, playing in their marimba band, and spending as much time outdoors as possible.

RJ loves reading, artistic expression, and juggling. Their goal in life is to either become an oceanographer or join a circus. Maybe both!

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Serena is currently at student at Western Washington University (WWU) studying environmental studies and elementary education. She is originally from Portland, OR but is excited to learn more about the nature around Bellingham. Serena loves swimming, hiking, pretty views, and looking at bugs!

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Sheila recently moved to Washington from Wisconsin and has had a lifelong love of the outdoors. She is excited to share that with the folks of Wild Whatcom.

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