About Jill

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Jill is a second-year Master of Environmental Management (MEM) candidate in the Nicholas School, concentrating in coastal environmental management. Her focus lies in coastal fisheries and international marine conservation, with an emphasis on ecosystem- and community-based approaches to policy and management. In addition to her MEM degree, Jill is completing graduate certificates in International Development Policy and Geospatial Analysis, and works with the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions on global small-scale fisheries research.

With an interdisciplinary background in science and communication, Jill views effective communication as an essential environmental management tool. Working previously as a writer and communicator for The Nature Conservancy and Xcel Energy’s renewable energy programs, she believes strong communication strategy is a key component of a project’s success, and strives to incorporate creative methods into her work and the broader scientific community.

Jill is a PADI Rescue Diver, and has conducted research throughout the Caribbean, studying coral reef ecology and marine management on the islands of St. Kitts and Nevis, Bonaire and Cuba. When she’s not underwater, you can find her exploring the Rocky Mountains in her home state of Colorado, crossing the 54 “fourteeners” off her list. Jill holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Strategic Communication from the University of Denver.