Annika is from Graham, a suburb near Mount Rainier in western Washington. She grew up spending time playing and volunteering on the coastal waters of Washington. She has a special place in her heart for the Salish Sea, the watershed she grew up on and the home of beautiful kelp forests, rich intertidal life, salmon and orcas, and many people in Washington and British Columbia.  While in college, she spent her time working with elementary schoolers at the Tacoma Nature Center and high schoolers with Northwest Youth Corps, which are both organizations that engage students in the ecosystems around them. She also spent a summer in Seward, AK, interning in the education department at the Alaska SeaLife Center.

In 2021, Annika graduated from Western Washington University with a degree in Marine Ecology and a minor in Environmental Education. This year of service is her first ever time on the Atlantic Ocean and the east coast, so she is excited to apply her experience in environmental education to a new and beautiful area. She believes that environmental education is a powerful tool to help break down barriers between nature and people, especially groups of people that have traditionally been excluded from the outdoors and outdoor activities. She is so excited to be a part of that movement through the work that NESS does in the community. In her free time, she enjoys snorkeling, swimming, biking, roller blading, and playing the guitar and piano.

Caroline grew up just outside of Saint Louis in Edwardsville, Illinois, but as a lifelong competitive swimmer, the water has always felt like home. She graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Integrative Biology and a minor in Anthropology. She spent part of her senior year studying abroad through SEA Semester, where she learned to sail on a tall ship and conduct coral reef research throughout the Lesser Antilles. Caroline also assisted in crayfish and freshwater sunfish research projects around the Midwest, and white-faced capuchin research in Costa Rica. When she isn’t in the water, you can find her playing board games, practicing her calligraphy, or petting the nearest dog.

Caroline is excited to explore New England, learn more about marine science, and share the wonders of the natural world with students!

Kimberly is a young professional from Southern Maine where she graduated from the University of New England in 2019. Her degree is in Marine Science, with a focus in biology, and a double minor in chemistry and biophysics. Though she appreciates most all things science, Kim’s main interests are in underwater robotics and marine education. In her undergrad she built and programed a Blue Robotics ROV (remote operated vehicle) to study the health of coral reefs in Belize. Post undergrad, Kim spent some time working with the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography learning how to pilot and deploy Slocum glider AUVs (autonomous underwater vehicle), while working at the University of Georgia Marine Extension and Georgia Sea Grant as a Marine Education Fellow. There, she taught students of all ages about marine science. 

Kim has been passionate about the ocean her entire life and her favorite adventures include kayaking, swimming, scuba diving, snorkeling, and pretty much anything that allows her to get in, on, or at least near the water. However, more than anything, she adores spending time with her nieces and nephews. Being an aunt and loving the ocean are her most prominent personality traits. She loves teaching the kids all about the world of science and helping shape them into great ocean stewards. She is so happy to be a part of the NESS team and cannot wait to see what the lower parts of New England have to offer.

Emily just graduated from the University of Connecticut Avery Point majoring in Marine Sciences with a minor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. While at Avery Point, she was the Vice President of the Marine Sciences Club and a member of the SCUBA club. She recently completed a course with Field School learning how to conduct proper shark research. She loves enjoys spending her free time outside and reading a good book.  

Emily completed Summer 2021 as a NESS Educator and is excited to continue to be a part of NESS through AmeriCorps!

Olivia Latimer grew up all along the West Coast, living in California and Washington for a time, but she considers Portland, Oregon home. She received her Bachelor of Science from Western Washington University in Environmental Science with an emphasis in Marine Ecology and a minor in Sustainable Design. For her, these studies are an important combination to bridge gaps between STEM and the arts in order to creatively problem solve environmental issues and learn from other perspectives. While she has been passionate about marine environments her entire life, within the last few years her passion has developed to include making scientific information accessible and understandable to the public through different mediums, most recently focusing on art.

Olivia is looking forward to engaging with people through NESS and learning new skills on the water. Outside of NESS, she is currently a contributing writer for ocean technology blog, The Liquid Grid. In Olivia’s free time, she enjoys drawing, playing soccer, and nerding out about Dungeons & Dragons and musicals.

Anna is from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania and is a recent graduate from Juniata College. During her final year at Juniata, she served as president for the student chapter of The Wildlife Society and graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Conservation. She also spent a semester studying abroad in Ecuador and the Galápagos Islands where she studied evolution, ecology, and conservation, but also had the opportunity to assist in a study of bioacoustics in humpback whales.

In her free time, Anna enjoys fishing, hunting, hiking, wildlife photography, and catching bugs for her personal insect collection. Since her experience and knowledge is mostly in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems, she is looking forward to expanding her knowledge of marine ecosystems and sharing this knowledge with the local community.

A small-town girl, Kaylene grew up in Burbank, Washington. She moved closer to the water and received her Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies and a minor in English from Western Washington University. She has always had an interest in working with the marine environment and is extremely excited about the opportunity to interact with students and share her passion for the ocean, environment, and education with them.  

While she might miss the Pacific Northwest, Kaylene is thrilled about living on the east coast and exploring the outdoors to see what Connecticut and the surrounding states are all about! An avid birder, Kaylene can often be seen looking through her binoculars and getting excited about birds she’s never seen before. When she isn’t outside, Kaylene frequently plays dungeons & dragons, creates scrapbooks, and regularly cozies up with a good book and a tasty coffee!

Samson is from Cincinnati, OH and grew up without the ocean. That all changed when he moved to California, where his love of the water was discovered. Majoring in environmental studies and sustainability, Samson has worked outdoors with all sorts of wildlife and has a passion for amphibians, especially the wood frog. Protecting ecosystems and living sustainably are two things he aspires to do in his daily life. Living on the east coast has been such an adventure and he is so happy to live in the beautiful state of Connecticut.

Samson enjoys swimming in the Ocean/the Long Island Sound, riding golf carts, and eating lobster rolls in his free time. Avid dock builder and part time fisherman, Samson is always trying to get out on the water. He loves his family including his two younger sisters, and all his chickens. He is so excited to inspire and educate the future stewards of our oceans! Happy to be a part of the NESS Team!

Born and raised in Virginia, Heather grew up along the Rappahannock River, where her interest in nature developed. She recently graduated from the University of Mary Washington with a B.S. in Environmental Science. Throughout her time in college, she worked for the Department of Environmental Quality, Friends of the Rappahannock, and Clean and Green Commission. She acquired experience in water quality testing, stream assessments, environmental outreach, and STEM education. After volunteering with her local Soil and Water District and holding conversations with her peers about the importance of education, she decided her passion was set on environmental ed. She is elated to work at NESS and continue her path teaching future environmental stewards.

Outside of environmental work, Heather loves to hike, read, drink copious amounts of coffee, and go on spontaneous trips. If you ever need a friend to take nature walks and identify plants with, she hopes to run into you!