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

Anna primarily advises Peak on projects that involve research. She is a PhD student at the University of British Columbia’s Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability, where she studies social dimensions of ecosystem restoration and rewilding using two of her favorite places as case studies – the North Cascades mountains and Salish Sea nearshore. She holds an MS in Human Dimensions of Conservation from Virginia Tech, a BA in Biology and Environmental Studies from Oberlin College, and has served on University of Oregon’s research faculty since 2018. She previously worked as Grants Coordinator for the North Cascades Institute and as Water Programs Manager for a watershed group in Colorado, where she coordinated monitoring and habitat restoration projects. Anna spends her free time seeking out alpine wildflowers, wild foods, and swimming spots.

Education:

• PhD student (current) at University of British Columbia’s Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability
• MS, Human Dimensions of Environmental Conservation, Virginia Tech
• BA, Environmental Studies, Oberlin College

Areas of Expertise:

• Quantitative & qualitative social research methods (e.g., interview & survey development and implementation, regression modeling, social network analysis, coding to understand themes, case study development, qualitative comparative analysis)
• Social and economic monitoring plan development
• Grant writing, tracking, and outcome reporting

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

Janet is Chief Financial Advisor to Peak. Her experience lies in coaching business owners and giving them confidence in their financial reporting methods and numbers. By building and refining financial systems and reporting processes, Janet helps drive organizational effectiveness through the establishment of accurate, timely financial reporting and accountability. In her free time, Janet enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and taking advantage of the beautiful PNW trails.

Areas of Expertise:

• Financial reporting and budgeting
• Business executive coaching
• Financial systems development
• Cash flow planning
• Incorporating strategic initiatives into the annual budget

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

Rachel is an environmental consultant at Peak where she primarily focuses on spatial communications using visual rendering tools, cartography, and GIS. Rachel has conducted GIS analyses for a wide array of projects and has created spatial communication tools that provided context and visuals for field data, hydrology, climate, species, and more. Several examples of her recent project work include identifying Overburdened Communities in the Little Bear Watershed to effectively engage with them on stormwater issues; GIS support for an Environmental Assessment for a Safe Harbor Agreement for Mankowski Environmental; copy editing GIS training manuals for Warthog Information Services; and analysis and cartography of logging impacts to old growth forest in caribou habitat in British Columbia for Warthog Information Services and Stand.Earth. She also has experience as a trained landscape architectural designer.

Education:

• Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLA), emphasis in Ecological Restoration, California Polytechnic State University
• AA, General Studies, Ventura Community College

Areas of Expertise:

• Landscape design and architecture
• Visual renderings and design development using several programs
• GIS, mapping and cartography, and data analysis
• Conservation planning, mitigation, and restoration
• Low Impact Development

Reid is an environmental scientist with 16 years of experience in project management, field sampling methods, data collection, and report preparation. He has worked with private, state, and federal clients throughout the western United States. At Peak, Reid conducts stormwater system inspections, source control surveys, and water quality monitoring projects, amongst other projects. He is also a a Homeowner Incentive Program (HIP) certified contractor assisting Lake Whatcom residents with stormwater-friendly landscape design. ​He is  ECOSS Stormwater Management Fundamentals Certified and Revised Washington State Wetland Rating System in Western Washington Certified. In his free time, Reid enjoy spending time with his family, fishing, camping, and boating.

Education

• BS, Environmental Science with Aquatic Ecology Concentration, Western Washington University

Areas of Expertise:

• Stormwater evaluations
• Water quality testing
• Field sampling and data collection
• ​​Fisheries and aquatic studies and biological assessments
• Federally listed species requirements
• Wetland ratings

Rick serves as Business Advisor at Peak. He has 30 years of experience in engineering and extensive technical experience with a variety of firms. Rick’s career in consulting has included coaching and training a wide range of clients in sales strategy, systems, and technology. He has operated his own company, Groupe Dauphine Charters, for nearly a decade. In his free time, Rick enjoys spending time with family, sailing, playing classical guitar, and volunteering.

Areas of Expertise:

• Sales and strategic marketing
• Negotiations
• Strategic planning
• Business coaching and development
• Systems analysis
• Marine biology and monitoring
• Environmental engineering

Rick supports community and stakeholder engagement processes for Peak clients. Prior to joining the Peak Team, Rick worked at Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) for 30 years where he focused on maximizing public transportation. From 2018-2020, Rick served as a member of the Bellingham Climate Action Task Force where he co-developed a suite of transportation measures that the City of Bellingham could implement to meet their climate mitigation goals. In his free time, Rick enjoys gardening, hiking, sports, and spending quality time with his family.

Education:

• BA, Interdisciplinary Studies, Friends World College (now Long Island University), Huntington, New York

Areas of Expertise:

• Facilitation and consensus building
• Data analysis
• Transportation planning
• Persuasive writing
• Sustainable agriculture

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

Wendy serves as Peak’s Human Resources Manager. She is the owner at StClaire HR, based in Bellingham. Wendy has decades of experience coaching business owners in building and refining human resource systems and compliance, especially for companies experiencing rapid growth. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her family, supporting the local youth and high school lacrosse clubs, and enjoying the outdoors.

Education:

• BA, American Cultural Studies, Western Washington University
• MA, HR Management, Kennedy Western University
• Professional of Human Resources (PHR) certification from the Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI), 2001 – present

Areas of Expertise:

• Organizational HR strategy
• Development and execution of effective recruitment and retention
• HR compliance and management
• Supporting company expansion and growth
• Workplace culture and training initiatives

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