Meet the Team

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.

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.

Chair

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!

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.

Blog Coordinator

Sonia Duran

Website Manager

Jackie Ganter

Jackie Ganter is graduate student in the Environment, Ecology, and Energy program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is currently studying the differences in space use of wild and rehabilitated sea turtles. She also works with the Atlantic Marine Energy Center to investigate the potential interactions between marine energy and wildlife. When she is not studying, she enjoys hiking, kayaking, and rock climbing.

Chair

Stephanie Crawford

Stephanie completed her MS in Biological Sciences at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. She has worked with a variety of amphibians and mammals in Virginia, and various Pacific species such as sea otters, seals, walruses, whales, and porpoises. She is currently part of UAF’s Marine Ecotoxicology and Trophic Assessment Laboratory studying mercury concentrations of sea birds in the Aleutian Islands and Bering Sea. In her spare time, she likes to decorate cakes, and spend time with her 10 dogs.

Opportunities & Resources Coordinator

Melisa Lera

Meli is a biologist in wildlife conservation, mostly focusing on cetaceans, but has worked on projects studying penguins, sea turtles, whales and kelp forests. She is also an environmental educator and guide in Antarctic tourism (where she has polar-plunged). During her free time, she loves being outdoors, sailing, walking her dog, reading and swimming.