Welcome to the TWS Coastal and Marine Wildlife Working Group
The Coastal & Marine Wildlife Working Group (CMWWG) encompasses both coastal and marine biology, including a diverse array of topics and species including marine mammals, sea turtles, sharks, sea/shorebirds and more. We welcome students and professionals to join our mission of increasing collaboration and knowledge of the marine/coastal wildlife field.
Announcements
Credit: Zaara Kidwai
Are you looking to share a professional development opportunity? We have a google form for just that! Please share any jobs, internships, fellowships, grants, conference opportunities, mentorships and more! Weekly summaries of these opportunities will be sent out via email.
The working group has developed many new positions and ways to get involved! Being an officer for the working group is a great way to learn more about the field, add to your resume and get more involved with conservation efforts. Check our officers list below for open positions!
Webinars
The Coastal and Marine Wildlife Working Group is always hosting webinars open to all. These are intended to showcase research, discuss conservation and policy work, and educate our members. Use this link to watch previous webinars, and keep a lookout for upcoming ones!
Newsletters
We send monthly newsletters to our members, but you can also access them all here!
Become a member
Membership is available to all current TWS members. You may join our working group by logging in to your TWS account.
Executive Board
Executive Board
Chair: Stephanie Crawford
Stephanie holds a BS in Wildlife Science from Virginia Tech and a MS in Biological Sciences from the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF). As a research staff member at UAF, she focuses on wildlife health and physiology research, largely investigating contaminants impacting marine wildlife species throughout the subarctic. She readily participates in K-12 outreach education activities as often as possible. In her spare time, she enjoys kayaking, birdwatching, traveling, and exploring with her 3 dogs
Vice Chair: Selena Dajani
Selena Dajani, CEP-IT, is an environmental scientist and NEPA planner based in Virginia, where she works on wetland ecological assessments and prepares environmental compliance documentation.
Selena holds a B.S. in Environmental Biology and an M.S. in Environmental Science from Christopher Newport University. During her graduate studies, she developed sampling and data analysis protocols to study the impacts of salt inundation from sea level rise on threatened stands of coastal Atlantic White Cedar, providing insight to inform future population management. She also collaborated with federal and state partners on wetland restoration monitoring, conducted health and biodiversity analyses of artificial oyster reefs, and administered living shoreline field surveys in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. These experiences deepened her commitment to coastal resilience and the role of science in guiding sound conservation and mitigation decisions.
Through her involvement in CMWG, she hopes to promote the advancement of protective regulations for sensitive coastal and marine resources and contribute to a broader public understanding of sustainable coastal development.
Treasurer: Monica Gosselin-Boeman
Committees
Policy & Conservation Committee
Chair: Anna Dubey
Anna Dubey is an environmental researcher and advocate based in NYC. She graduated from Brown University in 2025 with B.S. in ecology and evolutionary biology. Currently, she works at environmental nonprofit Adamah as a youth engagement coordinator. She’s excited to spread awareness about conservation policy!
Open Positions:
Policy Liaison – Tracks and responds to policy developments. Monitors public comment periods and informs the committee of important deadlines. Reports findings to the Committee Chair and shares updates with Outreach.
Legislation & Policy Research Coordinator – Keeps informed on the latest legislation and policies related to coastal and marine wildlife conservation.
Policy Education & Outreach Coordinator – Develops fact sheets, infographics, and policy summaries to ensure members are informed.
Outreach & Communications Committee
Website Coordinator: Jackie Ganter
Jackie Ganter is a 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, as well as mammal community structure in coastal ghost forests. 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.
Open Positions:
Chair – Oversees and manages the progress and projects of the Outreach and Communication Committee. Holds committee meetings, and reports to working group chair.
Social Media Coordinator – Runs the working group’s social media pages. Creates informative posts and monitors social media response.
Newsletter Coordinator – Compiles working group news, content, and updates into an email sent to members.
Membership & Professional Development Committee
Chair: Amanda O’Brien
Webinar & Training Coordinator: Faith Adeshola
Faith Success Adeshola is an aquatic ecologist based in Nigeria, whose work spans marine biodiversity conservation and monitoring, environmental DNA, ecosystem dynamics research, and science communication. She holds an MPhil in Oceanography and Limnology (Distinction) and a B.Sc. (Hons) in Zoology, with graduate research focused on harmful algae in mangrove oyster communities along the coast of Ghana, and undergraduate work examining plankton and macro-benthic invertebrate communities.
Faith has assisted in the morphological and molecular characterization of stingray as part of conservation action against bycatch in the Gulf of Guinea, Lagos, Nigeria, where she serves as a field assistant. This experience, along with opportunities to collaborate and take part in training,
has deepened her commitment to both marine and terrestrial conservation. She currently serves as Research Technician and Community Engagement Officer with the Aqualife and Environmental Stewardship Initiative.
Through her involvement with CMWG, where she serves as Training and Webinar Coordinator, she hopes to advance science communication and capacity-building, expanding access to training and knowledge-sharing across the marine and coastal conservation community.
In her free time, Faith enjoys beach walks, curling up with a good book, singing her favorite tunes,
baking, and relaxing with movies.
Opportunities & Resources Coordinator: Gordon Schneider
Student & Early Career Professional Representative: Hailey Grossman
Hailey is a wildlife biologist with extensive experience in conservation, research, and natural resource management across coastal and marine ecosystems. As the former Lead Wildlife Technician on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, she led large-scale conservation programs supporting threatened and endangered species. Her work at Camp Lejeune involved species protection, data analysis, and program coordination.
Hailey also conducted a long-term population analysis using four decades of loggerhead nesting data to better understand environmental and human impacts on marine species. Her work integrates quantitative analysis to inform conservation strategies, and she has presented her research at international conferences.
Now based in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Hailey is focused on advancing her career in the Caribbean, with interests in marine conservation, ecosystem management, and collaborative research initiatives. She holds a Master’s degree in Fisheries and Wildlife Administration and is committed to supporting sustainable solutions for wildlife and habitat conservation.
Open Positions:
Networking Coordinator – Provides opportunities for networking for members.