MESM 2026
Pronouns: she/her
Bio
In February of 2022, Bella graduated from Middlebury College in Vermont, where she received her Bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies with a focus in Psychology. Bella's undergraduate thesis explored the social and psychological factors that underlie climate migration considerations for residents of Hawaii. This research was done in collaboration with the Institute for Climate and Peace (ICP), a nonprofit based in the Pacific region that integrates climate action and peacebuilding efforts. Bella's experience interning with ICP helped her to appreciate the links between climate change and conflict, and the importance of centering people in climate solutions. Following graduation, Bella started a position at Conservation International (CI) to continue to explore approaches to people-centered conservation. While at CI, Bella promoted the adoption of strong international biodiversity policies and advanced national implementation of these regulations. At the Bren School, Bella is planning on specializing in Environmental Policy to deepen her understanding of the complex political processes, across all levels of government, required to pass environmental legislation. Bella also hopes to pursue the Strategic Environmental Communication and Media focus to learn about effective tools for science and policy messaging to both policymakers and the broader public.