Christopher Mouawad
Legal & Policy Intern | May 2023 - Present

Christopher is a student at UC Davis School of Law. He would like to pursue a career in environmental law, specifically water law. He is interested in exploring how environmental protection can co-exist with development. Prior to law school, Christopher received a B.A. Political Science-Public Service and History at UC Davis, where he developed an appreciation for Northern California's mountains and coasts. He enjoys swimming, road trips, and hiking.

“Being part of EAC's advocacy as a Legal & Policy intern is exciting because I would like to pursue a career in environmental law where I can help protect California's unique, biodiverse ecosystem for the health and enjoyment of all Californians. My hope is to gain experience analyzing legislation and being able to advocate for legislative action in both a formal setting and a community setting.”

Program Area: Lands, Biodiversity, and Climate Work
Advisor: Ashley Eagle-Gibbs, former Legal & Policy Director, current Interim Executive Director

Capstone Project Summary
Chris has been advancing our mission through work on a community advocacy water guide, which will be made publicly available and serve the general public to advocate about their water quality and coastal concerns, and as a tool to provide a better understanding of environmental laws, their rights, and how to take action.

Ben Hodgeson
Coastal Advocate Intern | May - September 2023

Ben is a fourth-year undergraduate student at the University of California Davis, majoring in Environmental Policy Analysis and planning. Growing up in the North Bay, Ben spent his early years enjoying the forests and beaches of West Marin. Now with the EAC team, he looks forward to advocating for the natural spaces where he spent his childhood. In his free time, Ben likes to hike, do nature photography, and kayak!

“It was such a pleasure to work with EAC as a Coastal Advocate intern this summer. I loved being able to contribute to the protection of the lands and waters that I enjoyed growing up in. West Marin holds a special place in my heart, and I’m glad there are great people at EAC advocating for the environment. This internship showed me the positive impact an engaged, grassroots non-profit can have in the community.”

Program Area: Coastal Community Science & Stewardship
Advisor: Leslie Adler-Ivanbrook, Program Director

Capstone Project Summary
Marin County processes weekly bay, ocean, and creek water samples from April through October for recreational users. Ben’s project focused on mapping Marin County’s recreational water quality sampling sites and evaluating E.Coli, Enterococcus, and Total Coliform data to reveal trends and highlight poor water quality hotspots in West Marin. Ben’s project provided general information resources on Marin County’s water sampling program with photos, graphs, and an interactive map of the water bodies where samples are taken. By compiling data, Ben was able to highlight the sites with bacteria levels that exceed the standards so that the public can make informed decisions on where and when to visit.

Catelyn Olrich
Coastal Advocate Intern | May - August 2023

Cate is a rising senior at Gonzaga University, majoring in Environmental Studies, with minors in sustainable business, sociology, and public relations. This area of interest was inspired by growing up amidst the beauty of Marin, especially along the coastal environments of West Marin. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, reading, and engaging with her community.

“During my time as a Coastal Advocate Intern, I was given endless opportunities, and was able to make the most of it. I was able to collaborate on many projects, work with everyone across the organization, meet valuable stakeholders, and become inspired by environmental work every day. That is the beauty of interning at a small, but mighty nonprofit.”

Program Area: Coastal Community Science & Stewardship
Advisor: Leslie Adler-Ivanbrook, Program Director

Capstone Project Summary
For her capstone project, Cate’s drafted a series of educational lawn-style signs that could be placed temporarily during docent shifts along the trail to the reef to increase public education at Duxbury Reef State Marin Conservation Area in Bolinas, CA. Duxbury Reef is one of 124 California MPAs and offers an incredible opportunity to observe a diverse array of rocky intertidal marine life, yet the habitat and species are vulnerable to impacts from visitation. A new docent program initiated by EAC helps educate visitors on marine life, MPAs, and how to protect the reef while they explore by adhering to tidepool etiquette guidelines. However, additional informative signs are needed to help reduce negative impacts on the habitat. The next stage of this project includes having the signage reviewed by community stakeholders before they can be printed and used in the field.

Carston Haffner
Legal & Policy Intern | May - August 2024

Carston is a third-year law student at the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings). His interest in environmental law and policy was sparked while earning his undergraduate degree in biology. He is passionate about finding solutions to the problems human activity may pose to our natural environments. The great outdoors has always been a source of joy and inspiration for Carston, and he enjoys exploring nature while hiking or backpacking.

“What drove me to attend law school was a desire to have a role in protecting our natural environment. Being able to have a hand in EAC's work is a great way for me to achieve my own goals while also furthering the mission of EAC.”

Program Area: Lands, Biodiversity, and Climate Work
Advisor: Ashley Eagle-Gibbs, former Legal & Policy Director, current Interim Executive Director

Capstone Project Summary
Carston did extensive research on the impacts of aquaculture which we provided to the California Ocean Protection Council for the development of the statewide Aquaculture Action Plan, which is forthcoming. This statewide policy document will inform how aquaculture (like cultivating shellfish on Tomales Bay) is regulated, and it is important that environmental impacts are fully analyzed as this industry grows and expands.

Jessie Kamman
Coastal Advocate Intern | May 2023 - Present

Jessie is a sophomore at the University of Hawaii Manoa pursuing a B.S. in Marine Biology. She wants to pursue a career in research and conservation of large fish, sharks, and ray species. Her passion for the environment and ocean stems from her time exploring, hiking, and spending time in West Marin.

“This internship was an amazing experience that connected me to the West Marin community in a truly meaningful and responsible way. The support I was offered allowed me to pursue my interests while supporting the EAC’s mission and goals. It was a professional experience in the field of not only advocacy but also policy, networking, research, and public outreach and communications. I loved being able to spend time in the field, meet passionate board and staff members and volunteers, and have my voice and opinion on environmental issues not only heard, but projected by the nonprofit. I felt I could be truly involved with the EAC’s work while focusing on the MPA Watch and marine aspects that interest me the most.  It was a great experience and I came out of it feeling grounded in my community and my ability to be the change I want to see.”

Program Area: Coastal Community Science & Stewardship
Advisor: Leslie Adler-Ivanbrook, Program Director

Capstone Project Summary
Jessie’s project focused on advocating for expanding the Duxbury Reef and Agate Beach State Marine Conservation Area and northwards up to the Double Point special closure. Her work involves gathering supplemental data and perspectives to gather more information on the environmental and personal value of the MPAs, which she hopes will help EAC build a case for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to consider the MPA designation and boundary changes.