MESM 2023
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Bio
Alissa Patterson has contributed to international wildlife field research and surveys, California habitat restoration, and successful community engagement projects throughout her academic and professional careers. While working for private, governmental, and nonprofit organizations, she gained experience in environmental education and outreach, volunteer management, and ecological restoration. Alissa enjoys developing meaningful relationships with diverse stakeholders and partners. At the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and San Mateo County Parks, she collaborated with many organizations including the National Parks Service, Presidio Trust, and San Bruno Mountain Watch on ecological restoration projects, wildlife monitoring, and community events. In 2018, Alissa graduated with a Bachelor of Art in Ecology & Biodiversity with a minor in Sustainability from the University of Denver. She studied abroad in the Netherlands and completed two environmental field programs in Southeast Asia where she participated in biodiversity surveys of the Indian ocean and Thai forests. As a master’s student, Alissa is pursuing the Conservation Planning Specialization and Strategic Environmental Communication and Media Focus to build upon her environmental writing skills and make professional connections in conservation and sustainable food systems. She aims to be an accessible, inclusive voice that facilitates conversations and actions to help heal our planet and support those disproportionately affected by environmental degradation.