Peak Team

Allison is co-owner and the communications specialist at Peak. She primarily supports the Peak Team and clients with communication needs, including social media marketing, website content development, blogging, and supporting other outreach efforts. Through her work in the nonprofit, education, and government sectors over the last 30 years, she has developed at aptitude for distilling complex information into compelling messages for a wide range of audiences. Allison is passionate about connecting people to ideas, information, and each other through creative and inclusive processes. In her free time, you can find Allison in her garden or cruising around town on her electric bike.

Education:

• BA, Education and English, Western Washington University

• For most of his consulting career, Dan has focused on providing state and federal regulatory compliance support to heavy industry, manufacturers, and commercial operations in the areas of air and water quality, waste and hazardous materials management, and environmental training. He has worked closely with a variety of groups to identify environmental compliance challenges and develop effective and efficient approaches to sustaining compliance. In his free time, Dan enjoys hiking, biking, gardening, home improvement projects, and volunteer work in his community.

Education and Certifications:

• MS, Environmental Chemistry, minor in Geology, University of North Carolina
• BS, Environmental Sciences, multi-disciplinary studies, Rutgers University
• Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (1994 to present)

David is the principal and co-owner of Peak, which he founded as Kulshan Services in 2011. He primarily focuses on facilitating and supporting stakeholder- and community-based processes designed to identify collaborative solutions to complex climate, watershed, and natural resource topics. Over the last 30+ years, he has managed projects with governments, non-profits, communities, and businesses throughout the Salish Sea region to help them address their challenges and act on opportunities. David is well known in the region for his aptitude for guiding strategic discussions, building effective teams and organizations, and facilitating constructive and collaborative decision-making processes with multi-interest groups. When not at work, you can find David biking, hiking, kayaking, camping, or spending time with his family.

Education:

• MS, Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Washington
• BS, Geology, Washington State University

 Areas of Expertise:

• Project management
• Facilitation
• Strategic planning
• Public participation and stakeholder engagement
• Watershed planning
• Climate and sustainability planning for communities and businesses

Jessa is a climate and sustainability consultant at Peak where she primarily supports businesses and governments with climate and sustainability projects. She holds an MS in Sustainability Science and Practice from Stanford University. Through her work, she has developed the skills to use systems mapping and sustainability analysis to identify key leverage points for positive impact and working with businesses to integrate sustainability into corporate values and operations. In her free time, Jessa enjoys international travel, backpacking, skiing, reading, yoga, jumping into freezing bodies of water, and spending time with friends and family.

Education:

• MS, Sustainability Science and Practice, Stanford University
• BS, Earth Systems, Energy, Science and Technology, Stanford University

Areas of Expertise:

• Sustainability planning
• Systems design, thinking, mapping, and analysis
• Sustainability assessment and evaluation tools
• Stakeholder engagement
• Business sustainability

Kat leads Peak’s Sustainability Team where she works with businesses, nonprofits, and other organizations to measure and build the sustainability and resilience of their operations. She also assists with projects addressing land management goals and opportunities at the nexus of agricultural viability, salmon population recovery, and flood protection efforts. She holds an MS in Sustainability Science and Practice from Stanford University, with a focus on sustainable food systems. Before joining Peak, Kat worked in both formal and informal education settings, further developing her skills as an adaptable, communicative team player. She is passionate about connecting with stakeholders, promoting multi-benefit climate solutions, and helping clients uncover new insights through data analysis. When not at work, Kat enjoys running, swimming, hiking, and cooking.

Education:

• MS, Sustainability Science and Practice, Stanford University
• BS, Human Biology with an emphasis on Human Performance, Stanford University

Areas of Expertise:

• Sustainability planning for businesses and communities
• Systems thinking and mapping
• GHG emission accounting and reporting
• Stakeholder engagement
• Science communication

Natalie works on Peak’s Climate and Sustainability Teams where she primarily supports local governments and non-profits with their climate planning and engagement. She earned a combined degree in Business and Sustainability from Western Washington University and was part of the first cohort of the University’s Climate Leadership certificate program. She utilizes her experience constructing GHG inventories, climate reporting, and analyzing city-level climate policy to support clients in their mitigation, resilience, and community engagement goals. When she is not working, you can find Natalie listening to podcasts or looking for wildlife while exploring Bellingham’s beautiful trails.

Education:

• BA, Business and Sustainability with a certificate in Climate Leadership, Western Washington University

Areas of Expertise:

• Sustainable community development
• Sustainable business principles and practices
• GHG emission accounting and reporting
• Stakeholder and community engagement
• Equity-centered sustainability approach

Sarah is the Operations Manager at Peak where she manages the team, office, and company systems. In addition to her role as Operations Manager, she supports clients with climate mitigation and resiliency planning, sustainability, land use, and natural resource projects. She holds an MA from Western Washington University (Western) where she studied climate and energy policy. Prior to joining Peak, Sarah established a commitment to fostering robust partnerships while managing community-university partnership projects at Western. She is passionate about inspiring action through applied science, public engagement, and good policy. In her free time, you can find Sarah on a local trail or hanging out by Lake Whatcom with her husband and her dog, Nori.

Education:

• MA, Environmental Studies, Western Washington University
• Certificate in Energy Policy, Western Washington University
• BA, Biology, Lewis & Clark College 

Areas of Expertise:

• Climate planning and policy
• Public participation and stakeholder engagement
• Project management

As a consultant at Peak, Sam supports sustainability and community engagement projects for government, special district, and business clients throughout the Salish Sea. He graduated from Simon Fraser University’s (SFU) Beedie School of Business with a Sustainable Business major where he developed an aptitude to apply a holistic, systems-thinking approach to his work. He approaches each project with curiosity and enthusiasm, seeking to develop strong relationships and discover creative solutions to multifaceted challenges. Prior to his time at Peak, Sam worked as an account manager for a Vancouver B.C. compostable packaging company where he worked with a variety of customers to balance their packaging and sustainability priorities. Outside the office, Sam loves to explore trails by foot or by cycle; eat and drink in Bellingham’s local haunts; and spend quality time with friends and family.

Education:

• BA, Business Administration in Sustainable Business, Simon Fraser University

Areas of Expertise:

• Sustainable community development
• Sustainable business principles and practices
• Community and stakeholder engagement

Todd has technical expertise in the areas of stormwater regulation, environmental regulations, and environmental economics. His skillset includes research, translating regulations and policies into action plans, conducting environmental impact analyses, and communicating about technical information with the public. In his free time, he loves Nordic racing and skiing and inspiring youth to excel in the sport. Prior to 2007, Todd was an elite Nordic racer competing in Olympic Trials and World Cup competitions.

Education:

• BA, Planning and Environmental Policy, Western Washington University

Areas of Expertise:

• Stormwater and environmental regulations
• Research and data collection and analysis
• Washington State Phase 2 Stormwater Manual
• Land use regulations
• Environmental economics

Vivian Ericson is a Facilitation and Engagement Specialist at Peak Sustainability with over eight years of experience in environmental public policy and outreach. She supports the Sustainable Lands Strategy within Snohomish County and helps clients engage stakeholders on land conservation and sustainability. Prior to joining Peak, Vivian worked for an elected official covering issue areas including natural resources, water policy, wildlife conservation, and health using an environmental justice lens. She has additionally worked as a consultant at both Environmental and Energy Consulting and Triangle Associates. She is passionate about connecting communities with the sustainability issues that impact them and forwarding equity within sustainability and environmental conservation policy. In her free time, she can be found reading, connecting with creative writers, spending time outside, trying and sometimes succeeding with new recipes, and getting dirt under her nails in the garden.  

Education: 

• California Council on Science and Technology, Science and Technology Policy Fellow 
• Ph.D., Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Stanford University 
• B.S., Cell and Developmental Biology, UC Santa Barbara 

Areas of Expertise: 

• Facilitation
• Community and Stakeholder Engagement
• Project Management
• Environmental Education
• Science Communication