MICHAEL LATIMER
Senior Associate, Pew Charitable Trust
Michael Latimer attended WYSE in 2012 and later studied Environmental Science with a concentration in Conservation at George Mason University, graduating in 2017. During his time at GMU, he interned with the Washington Scholars Program and studied abroad in Belize to learn about ecosystems. He also attended the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation, working with endangered birds.
Currently, Michael is a senior associate at the Pew Charitable Trusts, focusing on preventing ocean plastics, reducing harmful fishing subsidies, protecting Antarctica’s Southern Ocean, and seabed mining. He also assists with new project scoping and engages with international bodies like the United Nations. Michael is excited to share his experience with the program that ignited his passion for marine conservation.
MICHAEL LATIMER
Senior Associate, Pew Charitable Trust
Michael Latimer attended WYSE in 2012 and later studied Environmental Science with a concentration in Conservation at George Mason University, graduating in 2017. During his time at GMU, he interned with the Washington Scholars Program and studied abroad in Belize to learn about ecosystems. He also attended the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation, working with endangered birds.
Currently, Michael is a senior associate at the Pew Charitable Trusts, focusing on preventing ocean plastics, reducing harmful fishing subsidies, protecting Antarctica’s Southern Ocean, and seabed mining. He also assists with new project scoping and engages with international bodies like the United Nations. Michael is excited to share his experience with the program that ignited his passion for marine conservation.
Serena is a recent graduate of Western Kentucky University, where she earned her M.S. in Biology. Serena holds a B.S. in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from George Mason University where she worked in Admissions as a Telecounseling Supervisor and Mason Ambassador, and completed a semester at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. After graduation, she spent time on a farm in upstate New York, studied elephant behavior in Florida, and even worked in a bakery before joining Lincoln Park Zoo for a reptile behavior study. Her master’s thesis focused on human-wildlife co-occurrence in Homer, Alaska. Serena is passionate about wildlife behavior, conservation, and helping others explore career paths in the environmental sciences. She’s so excited for WYSE 2025 and can’t wait to meet this year’s amazing Delegates!
Gary Swick used his BS in Natural Resource Mgt. from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point and a MSEd in Outdoor Teacher Education as the foundation for developing a field-based High School Environmental Science suite of eight courses. The related projects have earned numerous state & national acclaim for their innovative approaches and impressive results. Individually, Gary has received several recognitions on the national level as an outstanding Environmental Educator. With the motto, “Environmental Action through Education”, his students have been active agents of change in their communities. His primary focus has been getting students into their local streams as “Watershed Watchdogs”, collecting data and becoming stewards. He previously taught at Northern Illinois University and is now retired. In addition to teaching, Gary spent 18 summers as a whitewater raft guide in Wyoming. Gary serves as the President of the Friends of the Fox River, the Board President of the Elgin Math & Science Academy, and is a board member on several other non-profit conservation groups. He is an avid outdoor recreationist.
Corey earned his Ph.D. in Science Education from the University of Florida studying issues of representation in STEM. He is currently an Evaluation Specialist at Oak Ridge Associated Universities conducting program evaluations for the Department of Energy’s Reaching a New Energy Sciences Workforce (RENEW) portfolio which funds education initiatives at National Labs and Universities. During graduate school, he worked on an NSF-funded project to redesign chemistry laboratory curriculum for engineers to increase the retention and performance of underrepresented students. He has also worked with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in the forest ecology lab studying canopy structures in relation to global climate change. In his free time, he restores vintage mountain bikes, tubes in the Florida springs, and swims in the ocean with his dog.
A native Washingtonian, Mike earned a B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay and an M.P.A. from The George Washington University. He first realized his passion for the environment while attending his suburban Maryland high school in the 1970’s. Mike, who retired from federal service in 2021 after 38 years, worked in government, private sector and academe in the environmental field. His environmental experience spans wetland restoration and protection, pesticide regulation, hazards materials management, and air and water pollution control and testing. Mike lived and worked in Germany for nine years, managing hazardous wastes for the US military in Europe and Middle East. In that overseas position and other jobs at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Mike embraced the challenges associated with solving tough environmental problems. Mike is an adjunct professor of environmental biology at Montgomery College.
Kevin is a professional engineer with nearly forty years of experience in environmental protection. He holds a B.S. from Widener University and an M.S. in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering from Villanova University, and he has completed more than two dozen specialty courses and certifications throughout his career. Retired from the U.S. EPA, he worked in the Water Protection Division for thirty years. His work there, his numerous publications, and his teaching experience at several universities and at the high school level have been recognized by multiple awards, including the Gold Medal for Excellence in Government. Kevin continues teaching and advising at Temple University in several areas: Biotechnology, and Civil and Environmental Engineering at the graduate level, and Environmental Science at the undergraduate level.
