Scuba diving through a kelp forest in the San Juan Islands to reach a sunflower sea star release site for monitoring. Photo: Mitch McCloskey.
Hello!
I’m incredibly excited to begin as a graduate student assistant for Crab Team! I just completed my first year at the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs (SMEA) at the University of Washington, where I’m focusing on wildlife and conservation management. I’m interested in conservation, restoration, and the ways science and management can work together to support healthy ecosystems and communities.
My Background
My path to Crab Team has been a bit unconventional. I earned my bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida in 2018 before commissioning into the Navy as a Surface Warfare Officer. That brought me to Washington, and it didn’t take long for me to realize I wanted to stay. My time in the Navy gave me a whole new appreciation for the ocean. I got to see blue whales surfacing, flying fish and devil rays leaping out of the water off the coast of South America, a small volcanic island erupting in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, and all sorts of other amazing things throughout my five years of service.
Walker (right) and a Search and Rescue Swimmer onboard a US Navy Destroyer. Photo: Walker Hobson.
In 2023, I left the Navy and returned to UW to complete a post-baccalaureate degree in Marine Biology. During that time, I earned my scientific diver certification and became involved in marine restoration and conservation work in subtidal habitats. I joined the Hodin Lab at Friday Harbor Laboratories, where I assisted with the first-ever releases of captive-bred sunflower sea stars and conducted post-release monitoring. My work focused on supporting the recovery of this species following severe declines caused by Sea Star Wasting Disease. In 2025, I began my studies at SMEA, where I am building on that scientific background while exploring the management and policy side of conservation, with the goal of working in wildlife and conservation management.
Heading to an eelgrass restoration site in the San Juan Islands. Photo: Walker Hobson.
What Brings Me To Crab Team
Ever since moving to the region in 2018, I’ve wanted to learn more about the ecosystems and species that make the Pacific Northwest unique. I’m especially interested in understanding the impacts invasive species can have on local habitats and how science can inform effective management and conservation efforts. Crab Team offers a great opportunity to contribute to that work while learning from staff, volunteers, and community scientists across the region. And, of course, the chance to spend more time in the field is a pretty great bonus.
If you have any questions about my diving research, experiences, or anything else I’d be happy to chat! I can be reached at crabteam@uw.edu.