Julie Angell, Operations Director
Julie started sailing on Portage Bay and Lake Washington at the age of twelve. The next 25 years of sailing with friends and family throughout the Salish Sea instilled a deep appreciation in her for the waters that had become so familiar and cherished. Her passion for spending time on the water led her to Puget Soundkeeper where she joined the team in 2011. As Operations Director, Julie oversees Soundkeeper’s accounting, human resources, and information technology and acts as a key point of contact for program staff. Email Julie
Anna Bachmann, Clean Water Program Director
Director of Clean Water Program Anna Bachmann joined Puget Soundkeeper in the summer of 2019 and is the staff lead for the Lost Urban Creeks Project. She has nearly 30 years of experience working on occupational health, biodiversity conservation, environmental education, and water resource protection.
Anna spent 16 years in Olympia, Seattle, and Port Townsend, and has sailed and kayaked the waters of Puget Sound and paddled many of its rivers. Prior to joining Puget Soundkeeper, Anna also worked at the Port Townsend Marine Science Center with youth and adult volunteers exploring the diverse marine ecosystems of Admiralty Inlet and the Straits of Juan De Fuca. In her current role, Anna is most excited about passing on her love of clean water and expertise in water quality monitoring to the students of the Lost Urban Creeks Project. Email Anna
Tanya Balaji, Stewardship and Education Manager
Growing up in Vancouver, BC, Tanya has always had a passion for preserving biodiversity and enhancing the quality of life for coastal communities in the Pacific Northwest. Some of her fondest childhood memories always included the ocean, whether it was bringing fossilized marine invertebrates for show-and-tell at school or visiting local creeks to watch salmon migrate. Throughout the years, Tanya has had the privilege of indulging in all the ocean has to offer, from scuba diving and sailing in the Strait of Georgia, to kayaking in the Puget Sound. After graduating from the University of British Columbia (UBC) with a BSc in Microbiology and Oceanography, Tanya completed an AmeriCorps service term in North Carolina; through that role, she realized her passion lies at the intersection of scientific research and grassroots advocacy. Tanya hopes that this role will allow her to educate and empower residents to take pride in their waterways and to guide them in becoming advocates for pollution-free communities! Email Tanya.
Gail Cabahug, Policy & Advocacy Manager
Gail Cabahug (she/hers) is a fellow member of the Waterkeeper Alliance movement, joining Puget Soundkeeper from Hudson Riverkeeper where she launched an advoacacy career working to advance state funding and policies to protect clean water, safeguard drinking water supplies, reduce plastic pollution, promote stewardship, and address climate change across the Hudson River, its tributaries, and the Mohawk River. As Puget Soundkeeper’s Policy & Advocacy Manager, Gail works to make lobbying feel accessible and approachable. She builds connections with policymakers, translates complex policy into real-world impact, and hopes to equip others with the tools they need to protect the waters and ecosystems their communities love and rely on. Gail holds a BA in International Relations from SUNY Geneseo and an MS in Government Affairs and Advocacy from Albany Law School. Email Gail
Jessica Carling, Donor Relations Manager
Jessica grew up in Reno, NV with the backdrop of the Sierra Nevada mountains. From childhood she has always loved water, whether rafting on the Truckee or South Yuba rivers, or swimming in Lake Tahoe, her summers were filled with memories on the water. As an adult, Jessica has traveled the world and hiked in Jiuzhaigou National Park in China, rafted on rivers in northern Thailand and sailed across Lake Kivu in Rwanda. She graduated from the University of Nevada – Reno with a BA in International Relations. She recently completed two years of AmeriCorps service as a VISTA in Boston, MA and has dedicated her non-profit career to bringing people together to support the restoration and sustainability of the world’s aquatic ecosystems. Email Jessica
Sean Dixon, Soundkeeper & Executive Director
As Executive Director, Sean works with the entire Puget Soundkeeper staff team, board, and network of community partners, volunteers, and advocates to drive clean water progress across the Puget Sound and its watershed. As an attorney, entrepreneur, and environmental advocate, Sean has worked for years defending communities and ecosystems from pollution, supporting sustainable fisheries, pushing for climate adaptation and mitigation, and fighting for innovative approaches to solving the myriad threats facing our oceans, coasts, and waterways.
Before moving to the PNW, Sean worked as an attorney at Hudson Riverkeeper, a local sustainable seafood wholesaler and fishmonger, and, most recently, as Chief of Staff for the Region 1 (New England) office of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Sean, originally from Buffalo, NY, currently serves as the Vice Chair for the American Bar Association’s Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, and holds an LL.M. in Climate Change Law and a J.D. in Environmental Law from the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, a master’s degree from Yale University’s School of the Environment, and a B.A. in Marine Biology and Oceanography from Boston University. Sean loves exploring tide pools around the Sound with his two young daughters, and he thoroughly enjoys coffee. Email Sean
Ewan Henderson, AmeriCorps Clean Water Program Specialist
Originally from Boston, Ewan has spent his recent years in Colorado before moving to Seattle this fall. In Colorado, he attended Colorado College where he studied Environmental Science and Mathematical Biology. Following his graduation, Ewan spent a year at Rocky Mountain National Park as a Volunteer Coordinator. During his time in the Southwest, he has developed an interest in watershed science, water policy, and connecting communities with the natural environment. Ewan is excited to be back on the coast and ready to dive into the ecosystems of the Puget Sound and the Pacific Northwest. In this role, he is hoping to connect with communities and contribute to the important work being done to address environmental issues. Email Ewan.
Allison Holmes, Community Partnerships Manager
Allison was raised in Spokane, WA, home of the beautiful Spokane River and its roaring waterfalls. Born and raised a Coug, she earned her Bachelor’s degree at Washington State University in Pullman. Following graduation, Allison served as an AmeriCorps member with the Campus Kitchens Project, where she served people experiencing food insecurity while also reducing food waste in the community. Having decided on a career in public service, she then went on to earn her Master of Arts in Public Policy and Administration from Northwestern University and a Certificate in Project Management from the University of Washington. To this role, Allison brings a decade of experience, including public relations, nonprofit development, and public policy. When she’s not at work, you can find her “living life on foot” exploring the PNW’s vast urban and natural wonders. Email Allison.
Teresa Nelson, Development Director
Teresa brings to Puget Soundkeeper a commitment to engaging supporters and working collaboratively to raise funds for a shared passion—protecting the environment. She holds a BA degree in Environmental Studies and Geography from University of California Santa Barbara. She earned her CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Executive) credential in 2018. Email Teresa.
Kathryn Rizzo, Staff Attorney
Kathryn “Rizzo” Rizzo is a San Francisco Bay Area native and has called Seattle home since 2012. Rizzo’s passion for environmental stewardship began at a young age inspired by the time she spent exploring the woods with her sisters. While at Seattle University School of Law, Rizzo was a legal extern for the Nature Conservancy, a law clerk for the United States Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resource Division, and a legal extern at the Washington State Supreme Court for Justice González. After graduating in 2024, Rizzo served as the Law Clerk for the State of Washington Environmental and Land Use Hearings Office. Prior to her legal work, Rizzo was a Naturalist with the Seward Audubon Center and a Trip Leader for the YMCA BOLD & GOLD program, where she led outdoor education opportunities for local youth. Rizzo has a deep love for Coastal Redwoods and old growth forests. She tries to get out and experience all the natural wonder the PNW has to offer any chance she gets. Email Rizzo.
Nani Welsh, AmeriCorps Clean Water Program Specialist
Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, Nani, holds a dual Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Communication from California State University, East Bay. Over the past two years, she has worked for the WA State Department of Natural Resources in forest and aquatic ecology research roles, contributing to numerous projects that aim to better understand and protect critical ecosystems. With a deep interest in connecting people to their lands and waters, Nani is passionate about making environmental science more accessible and engaging for all! Email Nani.
Salish Seahorse, Underwater ROV
We’d like to be the first to introduce you to a new member of our team: the honorable, dependable, tenacious, blue and bold Salish Seahorse! The Salish Seahorse (“Sal”) joined the Puget Soundkeeper team in the summer of 2024, and like any member of our team, Sal loves the water, and literally and figuratively puts the spotlight on water pollution problems. Sal doesn’t just skim the surface of the issues facing Puget Sound, Sal dives deep…down to almost 150m. Sal has already gotten their feet wet with excursions to the Duwamish River, Commencement Bay, and Lake Union. Sal will be visiting a waterfront near you sometime soon, and hopes to meet many of their fellow underwater enthusiasts!