Executive Board
Interim Chair
Hannah Henry
Hannah is an ecologist whose interdisciplinary research bridges natural resources, social science, policy, and environmental modeling.
Currently, she is pursuing her PhD in Earth, Marine, and Environmental Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, with a focus on coastal management in the Outer Banks. She is passionate about developing effective conservation solutions that meet the needs of diverse stakeholders.
Outside of her work, she is an avid outdoorswoman who enjoys hunting, scuba diving, skiing, and hiking.
Interim Vice Chair
Michelle Guins
Michelle is a marine biologist whose interest relies preliminary with marine mammal conservation research and policy.
She received her B.S. in Wildlife Conservation from Virginia Tech and is currently a master’s in environmental science student at Christopher Newport University, completing a thesis monitoring the haulout patterns of harbor seals in relation to environmental & temporal factors in coastal Virginia. She is particularly interested in the changing population dynamics and conservation of marine species alongside climate change.
In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her dog, spending time at the beach or painting.
Social Media Chair
Samantha Hamilton
Samantha is a research intern at Sea Otter Savvy and has supported the nonprofit with research efforts since 2022. She is passionate about improving human-sea otter coexistence on our coasts through a combination of research and outreach.
She graduated with a M.S. in Environmental Science and Policy from Johns Hopkins University in 2023.
When she isn’t busy with research, she enjoys walking on the beach, baking, and practicing yoga.
Policy Committee
Olivia Trahan
Olivia is a junior at UNC Wilmington majoring in Biology, with a concentration in Pre-Veterinary Science. Olivia is the current president of UNCW’s TWS Chapter, the Seahawk Wildlife Society, and Social Media Manager for the UNCW Marine Mammal Stranding Program. She is also a Lab Research Assistant in the Population and Food Web Ecology Lab, where she conducts sea turtle bone aging and research. This summer, Olivia worked with the Soundwatch Boater Education Program on San Juan Island, WA to monitor and protect marine mammals, more specifically the endangered Southern Resident killer whales. She is very excited to have the opportunity to advocate for coastal and marine wildlife through the CMWG Policy Committee!
Wendy Warren
Wendy has always had a passion for nature and animals, consistently drawn to observing their natural state. She has obtained several environmental degrees because of her love for animals and the environment. She has a passion for sharing environmental education with others and has led environmental education forums and activities in countries such as Morocco, Australia, and Ecuador for a variety of audience members on subjects such as plastic pollution effects on drinking water, urban sprawl, and sustainable fishing. She has served as the NAEP chapter president for American Military University and is currently a board member for a nonprofit organization in Utah (Eagle Mountain Nature and Wildlife Alliance) that is gaining national recognition for their collaborative work on protection of a mule deer migration corridor.
Andrea Dransfield
Andrea is a marine biologist in California with a background in cetacean research. Her Master’s thesis focused on humpback whale habitat modeling and reducing ship strike risk in the Bay Area and her undergraduate thesis focused on harbor porpoise habitat use in British Columbia. She has contributed to a variety of other projects researching gray whales along the coast of California, studying Irrawaddy dolphins in Thailand, and aerial and boat-based monitoring of large whales species such as blue whales. Andrea worked on the Resource Protection team of Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary where she worked on policy and management decisions to reduce ship strikes on large whales in the greater California region. She currently works as a biologist in environmental consulting at Dudek where she enjoys working on marine bioassessments and marine mammal monitoring for coastal/marine resource management projects. In her spare time, Andrea enjoys biking and scuba diving.
Gabriel Okunade PhD
Gabriel is a Marine Biologist with passion for the conservation of the Marine Environment. He is a professional and dedicated individual with an excellent track record of leading marine surveys which encompassed survey design, implementation, environmental assessments, and long-term ecosystem health monitoring. He is also an environmentalist/educator with keen passion for sustainable conservation of the environment and vast resources. He has experience that cuts across classroom teaching, field sampling and laboratory analysis. He has also had the privileges of collaborating with researchers in Africa, the U.S. and the U.K. Gabriel is always open to research and project collaborations to birth new scientific innovations