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Tag: 2019

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Faculty Advisor Staff

Donna Downing

DONNA DOWNING

Faculty Advisor

Donna Downing is the Senior Legal Policy Advisor at the Association of State Wetland Managers (ASWM).  Prior to coming to ASWM in December 2020, Donna was a policy analyst and attorney at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and served as Jurisdiction Team Leader in EPA’s Office of Water for fifteen years. Donna works on a variety of issues, with a focus in recent years on which waters are protected by the Clean Water Act (CWA) in light of the U.S. Supreme Court decisions. Donna previously worked for the U.S. Congress Office of Technology Assessment, and in private law practice. She has a BA from Harvard University magna cum laude, a MPP from the University of California at Berkeley, a JD from Georgetown University cum laude, and a LLM in Environmental Law summa cum laude from George Washington University. Donna teaches environmental law as an adjunct professor at George Washington University Law School, and was awarded the Distinguished Adjunct Faculty Award in 2012. In what’s left of her time, Donna moonlights as a professional potter and an unprofessional horse trainer.

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Junior Faculty Advisor Staff

Donnelle Bodnarchuk

DONNELLE BODNARCHUK

Junior Faculty Advisor

Donnelle Bodnarchuk is a rising junior at George Mason University majoring in History. Her goal is to pursue a career in the State Department working on international environmental policy and public outreach. Donnelle attended WYSE in 2016 and it was the best time of her high school career. In 2018 she returned to WYSE as a JFA for the Navy group and found the experience to be extraordinarily rewarding and amazing! She hopes to make this year’s WYSE as enjoyable and amazing as hers was and looks forward to meeting this year’s delegates!

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Faculty Advisor Staff

Keni Rienks

KENI RIENKS

Faculty Advisor

Keni Rienks teaches AP Environmental Science, Coastal Engineering, and AP Seminar at an independent school in Wilmington, NC. She also leads the Cape Fear Surfrider Foundation and is on the board for the Duke University Superfund Research Center’s Community Engagement Core. When Keni is not working, she enjoys time on the boat and at the beach with her husband and two children. Keni holds a Masters of Environmental Management degree from Duke University and a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from the University of North Carolina – Wilmington.

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Speakers

Spencer Bennett

SPENCER BENNETT

Environmental Scientist

Spencer Bennett just graduated from the University of Connecticut with a BS in Environmental Science.  His passion for the environment started at an early age, way before attending WYSE as a delegate in 2017 and Spencer is very excited to be back for his 5th WYSE. Spencer was involved in EcoHusky, Friday’s For Future, and the biodiversity greenhouses at UConn throughout his 4 years. He helped organize events that spread awareness on sustainability, climate change, and environmental justice. His love for plants and photography was combined at the biodiversity greenhouses as he volunteered to help with maintenance, husbandry, and the greenhouse’s instagram. Spencer has had research experience through the university. His most recent endeavor was with the Simon Lab at UConn, where he studied the range, population size/density, and emergence of Magiciada, a genus of periodical cicada. He encourages everyone to seek research experience as it has helped him gauge what he wants to do for his future career.

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Junior Faculty Advisor

Emily Ellithorpe

EMILY ELLITHORPE

Junior Faculty Advisor

Emily Ellithorpe is originally from Massachusetts and attended WYSE in 2017 as a delegate and in 2018 as an intern. This fall she will be sophomore at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) with a major in Environmental Resources Engineering. She plans to focus on water quality and stormwater management, but also has an interest in green infrastructure. On campus, Emily is involved in Engineers Without Borders, The New York Water Environment Association, Eco-Reps and is a member of the Woodsmen Team. Outside of school she likes to spend time outdoors, travel, and make photo books/videos from her trips.
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Speakers

Craig Saffoe

CRAIG SAFFOE

Curator, Large Carnivores, Smithsonian's National Zoo

As the Curator of Large Carnivores (and Kids’ Farm) at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, Craig Saffoe is responsible for the overall care and management of 18 species and more than 50 individual animals.  He works with a team of animal keepers to not only care for, but facilitate breeding with most of the Zoo’s large carnivores – which includes one of the most critically endangered species (Sumatran tigers) managed at the National Zoological Park. Craig started his career as an intern in 1994 and worked his way up to Animal Keeper, Biologist and now Curator. In that time, he has been a part of many successful teams including the team that managed, bred and successfully produced the first two cheetah litters ever born at the Smithsonian. Craig now leads a team that has been incredibly successful at breeding large carnivores – boasting multiple successful litters of lions and tigers and yes bears….Oh my!

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Junior Faculty Advisor

Christa Madison

CHRISTA MADISON

Junior Faculty Advisor

Christa Madison is a Christian Conservationist who grew up in small-town Roanoke, Virginia. She developed her love for nature from her time growing up surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains. She is currently a senior and will hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science from George Mason University pending her graduation in the spring of 2020. Christa is also perusing a minor in Tourism and Events Management, and a concentration in Conservation. She just completed a semester at the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation. Her professional interests involve photography and mending the relationship between humans and nature by community outreach and environmental education. Christa found her passion for the community and the environment through her faith and education.  Her faith leads her to believe humanity should be good stewards of the environment. Christa’s future ambitions are to continue to learn, grow, and advocate for the protection of the environment. She would like to explore careers in environmental education, the exotic animal trade, and environmental consulting in the private sector. She hopes for a future where humans interact peacefully with the environment and one another, it is her life goal to be a part of this process.

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Speakers

Michael Latimer

MICHAEL LATIMER

Associate, The Pew Charitable Trusts

Michael Latimer first attended WYSE back in 2012. After becoming part of the WYSE community, he studied at George Mason University, graduating in 2017 with a major in Environmental Science and a concentration in Conservation. During his time at GMU, he was an intern for the Washington Scholars Program where he assisted in the preparation for WYSE and its sister conference, the Washington Journalism and Media Conference. Also during his undergraduate years, Michael studied abroad in Belize where he learned about the connectivity between terrestrial and marine ecosystems as well as the communities reliant on them. In 2016, Michael studied at the Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation, where he learned about the connection between conservation and society, worked as a resident advisor, and worked with the endangered bird population on the facility.

Michael currently works at the Pew Charitable Trusts as an associate. Here, he works on multiple projects including preventing ocean plastics, reducing harmful fishing subsidies, protecting Antarctica’s Southern Ocean, and seabed mining. Along with these projects, Michael assists in the scoping of new projects and engaging the organization in international bodies such as the United Nations, Our Oceans Conference, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation. He is very excited to be back to share his experience with the program that helped spark his passion in marine conservation.

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Junior Faculty Advisor

Jesse Wong

JESSE WONG

Junior Faculty Advisor

Jesse is a senior at George Mason University from Brandywine, Maryland studying Environmental Science with a concentration in Conservation and a minor in Computer Science within the Honors College. He attended the Washington Youth Summit on the Environment in 2014 and returned as a Junior Faculty Advisor in 2017 and 2018. Jesse previously worked as an intern in George Mason Office of Admissions for the Washington Scholars Program and as a research assistant for the Department of Environmental Science and Policy as a research assistant focusing on wetland ecosystems. Currently, Jesse is an intern for the United States Geological Survey National Climate Adaptation Science Center examining how our changing climate is affecting food and water resources. While on campus, Jesse works with a variety of research projects with the George Mason Department of Biology and Department of Environmental Science and Policy. During his free time, Jesse enjoys going outside and bird-watching or hiking.

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Junior Faculty Advisor

Serena Seiler

SERENA SEILER

Junior Faculty Advisor

Serena Seiler is a senior majoring in Environmental and Sustainability Studies with a concentration in Conservation and Sustainability and a minor in Conservation Biology. She’s a WYSE 2015 alumni and has worked the conference for the last 4 years. On campus, she works in the Admissions office as a tele-counseling supervisor, a Mason ambassador, and is a member of GOGA (GMU Organic Gardening Association). She just finished a semester at the Smithsonian Conservation and Biology Institute (SCBI) where she had the chance to work side by side with a professional in the conservation field, specifically animal care of the endangered ungulates. Outside of academics, she volunteers in the National Zoo as a keeper aide in Amazonia. When she graduates this coming spring, she plans to join the Peace Corps and serve for two years, then pursue a career in animal conservation. She’s so excited for WYSE 2019, and can’t wait to meet all the delegates this year!