Our Team - Puget Sound Restoration Fund

BETSY PEABODY

Executive Director

Betsy is founder and executive director of PSRF. She served as President of the Pacific Shellfish Institute 2007-2022, and on the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Panel on Ocean Acidification in 2012. In 2013, she collaborated with NOAA to establish the Kenneth K. Chew Center for Shellfish Research and Restoration, which PSRF operates to help restore native shellfish and other living marine resources. Betsy has a degree in English from Stanford University and a lifelong interest in the marine world.

betsy@restorationfund.org
206.780.6947

JODIE TOFT

Deputy Director

As Deputy Director, Jodie advances our science, expands partnerships, and builds support for our unique brand of in-water restoration. Prior to PSRF, Jodie worked at The Nature Conservancy and The Natural Capital Project. She received her PhD in Aquatic & Fishery Sciences from the University of Washington. Her 2 kids keep her and her husband on their toes, exploring the wonders of the world, both great and small.

jodie@restorationfund.org
206.795.6378

BRIAN ALLEN

Habitat Restoration Director

Brian, one of PSRF’s in-house ecologists, is interested in all things marine – both as a scientist and a forager. Brian completed a BS in 1996 at the Huxley College for Environmental Studies at Western Washington University where he studied marine ecology. Before joining the PSRF, Brian’s work concerned applied science or commercial fisheries.

brian@restorationfund.org
360.280.7410

JOSH BOUMA

Abalone Program Director & Port Madison Community Shellfish Farm Manager

Josh joined PSRF in 2011 and directs pinto abalone hatchery cultivation, research and field programs aimed at recovery of this unique but severely threatened mollusk. Josh earned an MS in Aquatic & Fishery Sciences from the University of Washington. Josh enjoys diving, eating seafood, mountain biking and spending time with family.

josh@restorationfund.org
206.780.6947

RYAN CRIM

Hatchery Director

As Director of PSRF’s hatchery at NOAA’s Manchester Research Stations, Ryan guides hatchery-based research and restoration for Olympia oyster, pinto abalone, cockles, sea cucumbers and other species. After growing up in the highland deserts of North Central Washington, Ryan became fascinated by the marine environment at Western Washington University. He received an MS in Zoology from the University of British Columbia. Ryan also worked as a research assistant at Dauphin Island Sea Lab and taught courses in marine ecology at Northwest Indian College.

ryan@restorationfund.org

HILARY HAYFORD

Habitat Research Director

Hilary is an unceasing fanatic of coasts and tidelands. She joined the PSRF team in 2020 to develop and implement strategic, science-based plans for Olympia oyster and bull kelp habitat restoration. She has long explored the ecology of marine organisms living in dynamic nearshore systems, working with such organizations as Friday Harbor Labs and the Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans. Hilary holds a PhD in Biology from the University of Washington. She makes a fierce cup of coffee.

hilary@restorationfund.org

JENN ANSTEY

Hatchery Manager

Jenn joined PSRF as the Hatchery Manager in 2023 after a lengthy career in the aquarium field. After 18 years of working at various aquariums along the West Coast, including the Alaska SeaLife Center, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and the Aquarium of the Pacific, her love for conservation and aquaculture lured her over to the restoration world. Jenn has always held a special place in her heart for the Pacific Northwest, which is where the focus of her experience lies, and jumped at the opportunity to move up to Washington. She holds a BS in Marine Biology from the University of Southern Mississippi, which is in her home state. Outside of work, Jenn enjoys gardening, camping, cooking, and baking bread.

jenn@restorationfund.org

EMILY BUCKNER

Crab and Seaweed Project Manager

Emily joined PSRF in 2021 to add her many talents to a variety of crab and seaweed projects. One of her core roles is as program coordinator for the Pacific Northwest Crab Research Group, a large multi-stakeholder network working to develop collaborative research projects that will increase our understanding of Dungeness crab and inform the management of this important fishery. Emily has a degree in biology from Carleton College and worked as an environmental educator and field technician for several years before receiving a master’s in Marine and Environmental Affairs from the University of Washington, where she built skills in community-led ecological monitoring and the application of science to management.

emily@restorationfund.org

JESS CAPISTA

Lead Microalgae Technician

Jess is PSRF’s Lead Microalgal Technician, supporting Olympia oyster and pinto abalone restoration by growing feed. Jess holds a M.S. in marine science from University of Delaware. She has always been passionate about sustainable food systems and connecting with her environment. She loves a sunny day in the greenhouse. After spending her whole life on the East Coast she has been loving all the Pacific Northwest has to offer, from hikes, seeing new marine life, and foraging/trying new foods!

jess@restorationfund.org

JESSI FLORENDO

Habitat Team Program Coordinator

Jessi joined the bull kelp and Olympia oyster habitat team as program coordinator in 2022. They graduated from the University of Washington School of Marine and Environmental Affairs with a Masters of Marine Affairs in 2022, following their Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from the University of Rhode Island in 2020. A longtime lover of all things marine, and a transplant to the Pacific Northwest, Jessi enjoys a good cup of tea and warm, sunny days above all else.

jessi@restorationfund.org

ALLY GALIOTTO

Assistant Program Coordinator

Ally joined PSRF in 2023 to assist with coordination of the Pacific Northwest Crab Research Group. She graduated from the University of Washington with a BS in Marine Biology and BA in Environmental Studies. During her Capstone research project, she studied patterns in larval crab abundance using data from PCRG, and she is thrilled to continue working with the organization. In her free time, Ally loves gardening, birdwatching, and hanging out with her cats.

ally@restorationfund.org

HANNAH GARFIELD

Creative Engagement Strategist

An oyster farmer turned designer, Hannah believes design has profound agency in connecting people to environmental resources, fostering stewardship, and increasing social and cultural resilience. At PSRF, Hannah supports kelp restoration through visual communication and engagement initiatives, outreach and programming. Hannah has worked in New York City as a designer on landscape-scale urban design and coastal resiliency projects, holds a Master in Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning (U of Pennsylvania), and a BA in Art and Visual Culture (Bates College). Delighted to be back in the Pacific Northwest, Hannah can be found on or in the water, or skiing – depending on the season.

hannah@restorationfund.org

KARI INCH

Field Technician

Kari joined PSRF in 2023, relocating back to the Pacific Northwest after working in the Florida panhandle studying Eastern oysters in Apalachicola Bay. She holds an MSc in Tropical Marine Biology from the University of Essex and a BS in Biology from Saint Martin’s University. Kari loves to be outdoors when and wherever she can, loves to travel, read, teach SCUBA diving, dive for fun, spend time with family and friends, and is always on the hunt for new and exciting things to learn and try.

kari@restorationfund.org

GRAY MCKENNA

Kelp and Oyster Program Specialist

Gray joined PSRF in 2020 and is a specialist for the Olympia oyster and bull kelp habitat restoration programs. They graduated from Northeastern University with a BS in Marine Biology, where their research focused on intertidal ecology in the Gulf of Maine. Gray has spent several years working on tall ships and other vessels as a sailor, SCUBA diver, marine scientist, and educator. In their free time, Gray plays the banjo and makes linoleum block prints inspired by Puget Sound ecology.

gray@restorationfund.org

AURORA OCEGUERA

Habitat Lab Technician

Aurora joined PSRF in 2023 as the Habitat Lab Technician for the Olympia oyster restoration and bull kelp recovery programs. She graduated from The Evergreen State College with her B.S. in Marine Biology, where her research was focused on rocky intertidal invertebrates and ecological restoration through a non-colonial lens. During her undergraduate studies she spent 10 weeks with a diverse cohort at Friday Harbor Laboratories working as a National Science Foundation REU Scholar, which reinvigorated her love of all things science, and she was encouraged to continue pursuing a career in marine biology. As an indigenous latina, Aurora is passionate about native stewardship of the land and is overjoyed to be working with an organization so dedicated to native sovereignty. In her spare time, you can find Aurora, swimming, reading, and doing ceramic sculptural work, inspired by her heritage and her love for the ocean.

aurora@restorationfund.org

JOSHUA O'HARA

Veterans Conservation Corps Intern

Joshua joined PSRF in 2023 as the Veterans Conservation Corps Intern. In 2009, he left his small town of Sharon, CT to join the U.S. Navy as a Hospital Corpsman (Field Medical Service Technician). While on Active Duty, he served in Afghanistan, Liberia, Okinawa, Australia, and the Philippines. In 2022, he graduated from S. NH U. with a B.S. in Environmental Science. Since 2019, he has gained valuable experiences in wildlife conservation, often while off-duty, and has worked on projects involving shorebirds, rodents, anadromous fish, and now, shellfish. He is excited to explore and serve the coastal ecosystem with PSRF and hopes to continue his education in pursuit of a career in ecology, focusing on watershed health and restoration. He spends his free time playing guitar, writing music, hiking with his fiancée Alaura and their two dogs Winters and Koda, and pursuing adventures with a group of friends he calls his “Fish Fam.”

joshua@restorationfund.org

ABBY PIEGOLS

WCC Hatchery Technician

Abby joined PSRF in 2022 as the Washington Conservation Corps intern. She began her career in oyster aquaculture on the Chesapeake Bay in her home state, working on the water, at the market, as well as in the lab at University of Maryland’s Shellfish Aquaculture Innovation Lab. After graduating with a BS in Biology from Towson University, she moved to Washington State for a position doing stream restoration. She is enthusiastic about being back on the water and learning more about the ecology of and restoration work in Puget Sound. Outside of work, Abby loves spending time with her dog, Keeley, pressing flowers, kayaking, cooking, and traveling!

abby@restorationfund.org

TEIGHAN SHORE

Hatchery Technician

Teighan joined PSRF in 2022 as a hatchery technician to assist in raising multiple native species for outplanting around Puget Sound. Originally from the East Coast, they gained a passion for restoration ecology working on a project studying monarch butterfly phenology and their use of newly planted milkweed fields at the University of Vermont, where they earned a BS in Environmental Science. After bouncing around the US for a bit, and working at a salmon hatchery in Alaska, they landed here in Washington where they are able to put their hatchery skills to good use for a really important and meaningful cause. When not at work, they enjoy baking extravagant desserts (and then eating said creations), as well as crocheting, and most importantly, spending as much time outside as possible (especially if their dog can come, too)!

teighan@restorationfund.org

CHARLIE SMITH

Office Manager

Charlie joined our team in 2022 as our office manager and came to us with a diverse background in management and clerical roles. She earned a degree in paralegal studies and worked in the legal field. She worked several years in property management, and owned a sugar art/baking business for over ten years in Austin, Texas. In addition to joining our team, Charlie is taking on another endeavor and pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems. Charlie is from Washington State and is thrilled to be back home.

charlie@restorationfund.org

MACKENZIE WEERS

Pinto Abalone Technician

Mackenzie joined PSRF in the 2022 Veterans Conservation Corps intern and moved into a technician role in 2023. She is currently working on her Environmental Science degree from the University of Washington, prior to which she spent several years as an active-duty member of the United States Coast Guard. During that time, her passion for the environment was ignited, and she started her Environmental Science degree online at Southern New Hampshire University. Originally from New Hampshire and recently relocated to Seattle, she is excited to work with PSRF and help make a difference. When not at school or working, Mackenzie enjoys going on hikes, doing yoga, walking her dog Koa, mycology and, above all, traveling to new places!

WENDY WELCH

Special Events Director

Wendy Welch brings over 20 years of fundraising and development experience to PSRF. A Bainbridge Island resident and Northwest native, Wendy holds business and marketing degrees from the University of Washington. She is an avid skier, hiker and general outdoor enthusiast.

wendy@restorationfund.org
206.780.6947

MALISE YUN

Pinto Abalone Technician

Malise joined PSRF in 2022 to assist with research and restoration efforts focusing on pinto abalone production, while supporting other projects across the organization. She graduated from the University of Washington with a BS in Biology with a focus on Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation and a BA in Anthropology. She spent two quarters at Friday Harbor Labs and since then became invested in hands-on restoration and marine conservation. In her spare time, she loves to volunteer as a beach naturalist, crochet, paint, and take care of her bunny, Shadow.

malise@restorationfund.org

PSRF ADVISORS

JOTH DAVIS

Science Advisor

Joth Davis is an integral member of the PSRF project team serving as Science Advisor on native oyster enhancement efforts, kelp cultivation, pinto abalone restoration and more. Joth wears many hats, as the founder/CEO/principal (or some combination of all) for Hood Canal Mariculture, Baywater Shellfish, and Pacific Hybreed. He is an Affiliate Asst. Professor at UW and formerly directed Research & Development for Taylor Shellfish Hatchery. Joth holds a Ph.D. in Fisheries from UW and a M.E.S. in Environmental Studies from Yale University.

jothpdavis@gmail.com

2021 STAFF HARVEST PARTY

Our annual Staff Harvest Parties leave no bellies unfilled. In recent years, the team has fanned out and gathered Olympia and Pacific oysters, mussels, Manila clams, bull and sugar kelp, fucus (seaweed), chanterelle, puffball and lobster mushrooms, coho salmon and apples. We transformed these and other homemade items into a feast of grand measure including: oysters on the half shell (Olympias, Pacifics), Devils on horseback (with Pacific oysters), seaweed butter on homemade bread, fucus crunchies with nutritional yeast sprinkles, smoked sockeye salmon on crackers, chanterelles on crostini, sautéed chanterelles, miso soup with sugar kelp dashi, clam and salmon chowder, Thai curry mussels, grilled oysters, apple crisp, and brownies. The finest of drinks are always imbibed, tastes of which have included homebrewed Manny’s kelpish ale, Rogue kelp warrior ale, ume plum liqueur, peach shrub and bourbon cocktails and hard cider. What could the next staff harvest party possibly bring?

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