MESM 2027
Bio
Alecia graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a passion for aquatic environments. As an undergraduate, she was inspired while surveying kelp forests on SCUBA, documenting deep-sea species aboard Exploration Vessel Nautilus in the Central Pacific, hosting educational programs at the local aquarium, and leading university class discussions as a teaching assistant.
After graduation, Alecia found work in wholesale distribution of aquarium fish and corals; despite the hands-on work with unique marine species, she witnessed the realities of business practices in the saltwater aquarium trade. She implemented new quality inspection processes for imports and standardized the husbandry feeding protocols across the Fish department.
Later, Alecia joined TRC Companies' Advanced Energy practice as a project manager, delivering energy savings through incentive programs for California's investor-owned utilities. Her key programs include a midstream LED lighting incentive program with Southern California Edison for commercial and industrial buildings, a concierge service for Pacific Gas & Electric that connected multifamily stakeholders to over 270 funding opportunities, and an energy-efficiency retrofit program for government- and tribal-owned buildings with San Diego Gas & Electric.
At the Bren School, she is excited to sharpen her project management skills, scientific subject matter expertise, and business acumen through the Coastal Resource Management specialty coursework. She is particularly interested in courses featuring computer programming and sustainable business practices. After the Bren School, she is eager to continue working as an environmental consultant and address California’s pressing natural resource conflicts.