Anthony Waddle is a pioneering amphibian conservation researcher dedicated to transforming how we protect endangered species from one of the greatest threats to biodiversity: the amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis). This deadly pathogen has spread globally from Asia via the global trade of amphibians, causing catastrophic declines and extinctions.

Anthony’s passion for wildlife was ignited during childhood adventures in the Mojave Desert with his grandfather, a talented photographer who transitioned from high-profile assignments such as Elvis Presley’s wedding to relatively humble evenings photographing landscapes with his grandson. Among those arid landscapes, Anthony discovered resilient amphibians thriving in one of the harshest environments — a revelation that shaped his lifelong quest to save these vulnerable creatures.

During his early academic training at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Anthony discovered firsthand how chytrid devastates amphibian populations. His groundbreaking, practical research has led to real-world conservation solutions — from developing immunizations and creating passive habitat shelters, known as “frog saunas,” to cutting-edge genetic interventions that enhance disease resilience. An interdisciplinary innovator, Anthony draws on expertise from a growing list of scientists, including immunologists, ecologists, engineers and molecular biologists.

In 2022, he earned his Ph.D. from the University of Melbourne and is now a Schmidt Science Fellow at Macquarie University’s School of Applied BioSciences, where he continues to lead transformative conservation initiatives — saving amphibians and redefining the future of biodiversity conservation.

Alana Edmo is the Energy Resources Program Manager for the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation, where she leads transformative work in energy sovereignty and climate resilience. A strategic thinker and passionate advocate, Alana developed the Tribes’ 2024 Strategic Energy Plan, laying the foundation for energy self-determination rooted in cultural values and sustainability.

She is currently leading the development of the Shoshone-Bannock Electrical Utility Code, a critical step in asserting Tribal regulatory authority over energy infrastructure and services. Her leadership also includes coordinating high-level government-to-government engagement, including direct communication between the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, ensuring that Tribal voices are included in national energy conversations.

Alana is a graduate of the NREL Executive Energy Leadership Academy and is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Earth and Environmental Systems at Idaho State University. Her work focuses on improving energy efficiency across Tribal lands, advancing renewable energy projects, enhancing sustainable transportation, and building climate-adaptive infrastructure.

Alana’s vision is rooted in the belief that energy development must be a tool for self-determination, community wellness, and long-term prosperity. Her leadership exemplifies how Native innovation can shape a just, regenerative energy future—one that reflects the values, resilience, and strength of Indigenous nations.

Catherine (Cat) Schlenker is a second-year PhD student in Biology at the University of South Carolina, where she specializes in phytoplankton ecology. Her research is based within the Institute for Clean Water and Healthy Ecosystems and is conducted in partnership with the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services.

Cat is currently leading three major projects:

• A statewide phytoplankton monitoring program across 30+ sites in South Carolina, examining biomass, community composition, and photosynthetic capacity to better understand spatiotemporal variation and resource use efficiency.
• A series of bioassays testing the effects of contaminants of emerging concern on natural phytoplankton communities.
• A long-term study evaluating the efficacy and selectivity of a harmful algal bloom (HAB) treatment, specifically targeting cyanobacteria.

Her passion for marine science began in middle school with a project on the endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle and deepened through a high school internship investigating how sunscreen ingredients affect phytoplankton. She’s been hooked on these microscopic powerhouses ever since. While still exploring her long-term path, she’s interested in both teaching-focused roles in higher education and research positions within government, industry, or non-profits.

Outside the lab, Cat enjoys running, baking, and reading mystery novels—a nod to her natural curiosity and love for puzzles, both scientific and fictional.

Alyssa Ramella completed her undergraduate degree in Information Technology and a minor in Environmental Economics at Rutgers University. She is currently an MBA candidate at the UCLA Anderson School of Management specializing in finance and sustainability. 

Essence Tornabene is a second-year PhD student in Biological Sciences at the University of South Carolina, where she studies the ecology of salt marsh ecosystems, focusing on the essential roles of benthic microalgae (BMA) and epiphytic microalgal communities.

Her research examines how environmental factors such as elevation, nutrient availability, and inundation frequency shape primary production and biomass within these systems. She investigates spatial variability in BMA productivity across intertidal zones and explores how epiphytic algae colonizing Spartina alterniflora adapt to submerged versus subaerial conditions. By quantifying their ecological contributions, Essence’s work highlights how these primary producers influence nutrient cycling and energy flow in coastal ecosystems.

Essence’s journey into science began early—she was always the kid catching reptiles and bugs, with a passion for animals and the outdoors. In high school, she led her National Science Honor Society and encouraged middle schoolers to explore science through fairs. Later, a fellowship with the Clearwater Aquarium sparked her enduring love for coastal conservation and education.

As a CDLS Fellow, Essence believes an “important aspect of the CDLS fellowship program for me is that it allows everyone to feel appreciated for being themselves and doing what they love, regardless of who they are or where they come from” and that varied perspectives enrich science and lead to more creative, inclusive, and effective solutions. Originally from Florida with Bahamian and Sicilian roots, Essence is also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., actively engaging in community outreach through food and clothing drives.

After graduate school, she plans to pursue a postdoctoral fellowship or work with agencies like NOAA or Fish and Wildlife, where she hopes to merge her passions for research, conservation, and education to protect natural habitats and inspire environmental awareness.

Richard is a Ph.D. student in the Strategy area at UCLA Anderson School of Management. He graduated with a Master’s in Business Analytics (MSBA) from Brandeis International Business School, where he also earned his undergraduate degree in Computer Science and Economics.

Richard has a strong passion for academic research and teaching. He instructed classes in web development and Introduction to Coding at Brandeis Precollege and worked as a research assistant at Brandeis on projects related to trade economics and business analytics.

In addition to his academic pursuits, Richard has industry experience as a business analyst for startups and as an investment banking analyst at GF Securities. He is interested in data science and pursuing research in economic and financial analysis.

Steven King is a passionate advocate for the environment focused on driving equitable climate change solutions through partnerships and policy in Greater Los Angeles.

As the current Energy Program Associate with the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI), Steven works to build an inclusive green economy in Los Angeles by scaling cleantech solutions related to building decarbonization, clean energy generation, and zero emission transportation. He coordinates LACI’s Clean Energy Partnership, a public-private partnership with key regional stakeholders looking to accelerate greenhouse gas emissions reductions in Greater LA prior to the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. He also supports LACI’s startup incubation, workforce development, and advocacy efforts.

Prior to joining LACI Steven was a Clean Energy Advocate with Environment California, where he won statewide legislative campaigns to add solar energy infrastructure alongside California’s highways, hold polluters accountable by preventing orphan oil wells, promote energy efficiency in buildings, and advance the state’s offshore wind development. In this role Steven wrote multiple reports including “Solar power alongside California’s highways” and “Mapping the risks of California’s idle and orphan oil wells,” and was published or quoted in several news outlets including The Los Angeles Times, Capitol Weekly, and The Orange County Register.

Steven earned his Master of Public Policy (MPP) from UCLA, where he focused on environmental and transportation policy and earned graduate certificates in Leaders in Sustainability and Global Public Affairs- Global Environment and Resources. His applied policy project, “Designing a Carsharing Pilot Program for Los Angeles” earned department honors and was published in California Policy Options 2023.

In his free time Steven enjoys watching LA sports (go Bruins!), visiting national parks, playing the trombone, and cooking new vegan recipes.

Gabrielle (Rocha) Crowe is the Co-Chair and the Secretary of Environmental Sciences for the Gabrielino-Shoshone Nation of Southern California. She is one of the leaders of the Climate Resilient LA Coalition. She is a Cultural and Environmental Education Consultant for the Ballona Wetlands, collaborator with Anawakalmekak, the only indigenous TK-12 charter school in Los Angeles where she works as the Intergenerational Gabrielino Language Ecosystem Grant Program manager. She also helps create science curriculum and is an instructor for their IndigeNations Summer Program, is an Indigenous Land Rematriation Fellow, a member of the Tribal Marine Collaborative, a member of several MPA (Marine Protected Areas) Collaboratives in Southern California, the Co-Chair for the OCMPAC’s Racial, Indigenous Social Justice Committee, she is also a representative in several tribal advisory groups overseeing projects at the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve, The Los Cerritos Wetlands, and a partnership with the Catalina Island Conservancy. Her role in the tribal council is bridging the gap between environmental and cultural education for different non-profit organizations as well as facilitating communication between her nation and various state agencies.

Gabrielle received her Bachelor of Science in Animal Science from Cal Poly Pomona and has twenty years of experience as a naturalist including work as an Ocean Educator, Outdoor Education Coordinator/Science Instructor at the Ocean Institute, Lead Naturalist at the Mary Vagle Nature Center, and as an Animal Educator at the Aquarium of the Pacific. She is passionate about getting our youth out on the land and in the ocean and creating educational and career pathways with traditional ecological knowledge at the forefront. She is a strong proponent of cultural revitalization and participates in traditional basketweaving, language revitalization, and learning more about ethnobotany. She realizes the incredible responsibility she has to continue her Grandmother Chief Ya’Anna Vera Rocha’s legacy of protecting our Earth for future generations. Her hobbies include trail running, hiking, bodyboarding, surfing, teaching art to elementary students, singing, baking, making jewelry, coaching youth sports, and taking her three children to the beach and on other outdoor adventures.

Marinelle Villanueva is a Ph.D. student at UCLA in Environmental Health Sciences. Her research focuses on the environmental and health equity implications of air pollution and climate change. Specifically, her work investigates the harmful air quality and community health effects related to emissions from oil refineries in the aim to advance a just energy transition. Marinelle is committed to protecting and empowering communities disproportionately impacted by environmental injustices.

Marinelle is a proud first-generation, Filipina-American immigrant from Eastvale, California.

Her interest in environmental justice was sparked by climate change impacts and social injustices in the Philippines. She graduated with a double major at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) in Environmental Systems and Global Health.

Marinelle’s dedication to environmental, climate, and social justice was cultivated through her undergraduate experiences. As a Doris Duke Conservation Scholar at Northern Arizona, she was informed of issues from energy extraction and land governance on Indigenous lands that instilled her desire to incorporate principles of environmental justice into all aspects of her work. Her service as the Director of Peer Counseling for Kaibigang Pilipinx and Community Lead for UCSD OASIS as a mentor for under-represented students inspired her awareness of community engagement, advocacy, and education as key facets for advancing change. 

As a McNair Scholar at UCSD, she researched the intersection of climate change, women’s empowerment, and child undernutrition in Mozambique. Prior to starting her doctorate at UCLA, Marinelle worked at the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District where she inspected permitted sources of air pollution for compliance with environmental regulations and responded to community air quality complaints.

During her free time, she enjoys running, hiking, gardening, baking, and taking care of her dog “Zuko”. Marinelle seeks to advance research-based strategies toward a brighter, healthier, and equitable climate future.

Camille Michaud is a first-year MS student in Biological Sciences at the University of South Carolina, where she is part of the Estuarine Ecology Lab. Her research focuses on the optical properties of estuarine waters and their relationship to phytoplankton communities, aiming to better understand the dynamics of these critical coastal ecosystems.

In addition to her research, Camille teaches introductory biology labs for undergraduates, sharing her enthusiasm for the natural world and encouraging the next generation of scientists.

Her passion for marine science began in high school, leading her to pursue an internship that sparked a lifelong interest in coastal ecology. A native of the coast of Maine, Camille has always felt connected to the water and brings that sense of wonder and curiosity to both her research and teaching. Camille believes that every person brings unique experiences, interests, and strengths to scientific work. She values being part of a supportive and diverse community where everyone is empowered to explore their passions and contribute meaningfully to our understanding of the world.

Outside the lab, Camille is an accomplished singer, performing with the Graduate Vocal Ensemble at USC. She also loves to travel—she studied abroad at Griffith University in Gold Coast, Australia, and toured Italy with the University of Maine Singers during her undergraduate years. Looking ahead, Camille plans to pursue a PhD and lead her own research to continue exploring the beauty and complexity of estuarine and marine environments.