VCN welcomed three new Environmental Advocacy Fellows as a part of our DEIJ Workplan. Scroll to get to know them a little better about how they got started in this field.

From an early age, Anjel always had a passion for animals and the planet. Over the years, Anjel’s passions have only grown as she has immersed herself in various opportunities including underwater trash cleanups to a USDA  food and animal production fellowship. She also serves as a RAY Diversity Fellow at Ocean Conservancy on the Government Relations team. This fall, she will be working under Nicole Duimstra, VCN’s Director of Communications and Outreach, to understand and work in the outreach and media side of the conservation policy world.

Location: McLean, VA

Education: I graduated in August 2022 with a Bachelor’s of Science of Animal and Veterinary Sciences with a concentration in Animal Agribusiness and a minor in Business Administration from Clemson University.

Fun Fact: I recently got my open water scuba dive certification and checked visiting Alaska off my bucket list within the same week!

What is your dream travel destination and why? I would love to visit Tanzania along with other countries in Africa, experiencing the best safaris the world has to offer.

If you could be any animal what would it be? I’ve always had a strong connection to elephants but I’ve been loving marine life so I’d want to be something colorful and swimming freely like a sea angel.

Favorite childhood memory: Growing up in Connecticut, I really miss waking up and checking the local news to see if school was canceled because of snow. I would spend all day outside with my siblings until I approached frostbite, and would defrost inside with a hot cup of cocoa and cartoons.

Victoria began her conservation journey as a kid after watching The Little Mermaid and wanting to be a marine biologist. While not a marine biologist, Victoria expanded her interests to environmental science and has worked on past conservation projects with WWF and NASA, focusing on environmental science and international policy. This fall, she will also be working under Nicole Duimstra to amplify VCN’s connection to its partners.

Location: Manassas Park, VA

Education: I just graduated from Christopher Newport University with a degree in Environmental Biology and a minor in Political Science. I also did two years at Northern Virginia Community College.

Fun Fact: I’ve assisted with a rocket launch!

What is your dream travel destination and why? I would love to go to Australia to see the Great Barrier Reef! I did a research project about it in high school, and it was a major factor in my decision to pursue environmental science as a career.

If you could be any animal what would it be? An orca! I think they are so cute, as a kid I thought of them as sea pandas because of their colors.

Favorite childhood memory: Family beach trips and spending hours with my brother and cousins collecting buckets of seashells. (Something I still do to this day!)

Katherine’s interest in the environmental space began during her sophomore year when she assisted with a short video series about freshwater mussel restoration in the James River. This fall, Katherine will be working under Brittney Beazley, VCN’s Operations manager, producing video content for VCN’s digital video library and expanding its reach.

Location: Richmond, VA

Education: I recently graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a major in Photography and Film and a minor in Environmental Studies.

Fun Fact: I was a competitive gymnast for 10 years from first grade to sophomore year of high school and I still occasionally take tumbling classes to this day.

What is your dream travel destination and why? My dream travel destination would be Iceland so I could take a road trip around the Ring Road.

If you could be any animal what would it be? A dolphin.

Favorite childhood memory: My family has gone camping every summer since I was a baby. The campground we go to is connected to an amusement park where so many of my favorite childhood memories were made