Staff
Click on the photos below to learn more about our staff. If you’d like to talk to us directly you can send an email here or call 206-221-6893.
Julia K. Parrish
Julia K. Parrish
As Executive Director, Julia focuses at the intersection of communicating about the great science (natural and social) COASST does, managing our people resources, and writing that next grant that keeps the office vibrant. Want to explore how you can help COASST sustain great science and expand our programming? Contact Julia.
Julia started her academic career as a starving artist, only dimly aware of organismal biology and natural history. However, as art is more difficult than science (!), Julia found herself (while still an undergrad) immersed in marine biology as a visiting student at the Duke University Marine Lab. Since then, it’s been science all the way. After coming to the University of Washington in 1990, Julia discovered conservation in the way that most field biologists do, by watching the organisms and habitats she had been working on, and in, disappear and degrade as a consequence of inadvertent human activities. At the same time, Julia met many people who were watching local resources and ecosystems change, and wondering what to do about it. These experiences led her to create a program for citizens with a strong component of marine conservation, a foundation of basic science, and a healthy dose of enthusiastic teaching and outreach—the Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team.
Allie Brown
Allie Brown
As Participant Coordinator, Allie sets up trainings, refreshers, and other COASST events; works through the start-up processes personally with each new participant; and keeps the COASST internship program soaring. In a spare moment you might also find Allie writing and editing our newsletters and blog posts to keep everyone up-to-date. If you have a questions about your survey data, your partners, your beach coverage, or COASST supplies – call Allie!
Allie joined COASST in June 2023. She has worked in environmental and wilderness fields for over a decade, and holds a Master’s degree in Marine and Environmental Affairs from the University of Washington. Outside of COASST Allie can be found mountain biking or skiing through the beautiful mountains of the Pacific Northwest, doing pottery in her garage studio, writing nature stories for children, or trying to tire out her energetic dog, Finn!
Florence Sullivan
Florence Sullivan
As Science Coordinator, Florence interfaces directly with all our data users and science and resource management partners. She is responsible for managing the day-to-day science of the beached bird module, and working with our IT partners to keep our database and data entry portal running smoothly. Want to explore using COASST data, or partnering with COASST on a project? Reach out to Florence!
Florence joined COASST in January 2025 as Science Coordinator, bringing 15+ years of ecological fieldwork experience in marine science. Previously, as a Research Biologist for Pacific Whale Foundation, she has been the Point of Contact for Happywhale (a community science whale fluke matching project) as well as a coordinator for the Great Whale Count (Hawaii’s longest-running community whale counting effort). Florence completed her Master’s degree in Wildlife Science at Oregon State University where she investigated the fine-scale foraging ecology of gray whales, and is excited to return to the University of Washington where she completed her undergraduate degree in Biological Oceanography. Outside the office, Florence enjoys contra dancing and fiber arts including spinning, weaving, knitting, and basketry.
Charlie Wright
Charlie Wright
Our beached bird verifier, Charlie is the acknowledged expert on marine birds (and, well, any bird) and his work includes examining each and every dead bird photo a participant submits in our program, comparing it to the datasheet, and coming up with a definitive species ID. Wondering whether you’ve got it right? Send a note to Charlie!
For Charlie, looking at beached birds day in and day out is anything but morbid: through this unconventional window into what’s going on in the world of seabirds, he enjoys seeing the comings and goings of the seasons, and is always on the lookout for an unusual or interesting pattern. These same rewards drew him to a pastime of birding, that has always guided his way. Watching new COASSTers pick up (and master!) beached bird ID and offering help along the way is another rewarding part of being the data verifier. The natural ebb and flow of verification work also allows him to indulge in live birds full time in the summers, often engaging in biological research with his wife in Alaska.
Interns
COASST interns work behind the scenes to keep the program humming. When they aren’t helping out in the office or in the lab, most interns are working to complete their undergraduate coursework at the University of Washington.
Ben Lewis
Ben Lewis
Major: Biology: Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation with a minor in Applied Mathematics
Hometown: West Seattle
Superpower?: Pickleball
Hobbies: Backpacking, skiing, and playing ultimate frisbee. I am on the club frisbee team at UW.
Favorite beach: Alki beach
Favorite Road Trip Song: All Your’n – Tyler Childers
Ava Klement
Ava Klement
Major: Marine biology and aquatic conservation ecology
Hometown: Seattle, WA
Superpower?:I would be able to levitate objects.
Hobbies: I like to backpack, do arts and crafts, and play ultimate frisbee! I’m interested in the marine environment because I grew up looking for crabs on the beach, watching the salmon at the Ballard locks, and seeing the orcas from the San Juans.
Favorite beach: I like the ocean shores beach cause my family used to go there a lot when I was younger.
Favorite Road Trip Song: Drive My Car by the beatles
Sophia Orme
Sophia Orme
Major: Already graduated!
Hometown: Duvall, WA
Superpower?: I’m very detail-oriented!
Hobbies: Bird watching, going out in nature, creative writing, and sketching
Favorite beach: I enjoy Picnic Point on the Puget Sound because it has good tide pools, but I also love Cannon Beach in Oregon where they have puffins!
Favorite Road Trip Song: I like anything by The Neighbourhood
Elizabeth Vashro
Elizabeth Vashro
Major: Aquatic Conservation and Ecology (ACE) with a minor in Quantitative Science
Hobbies?: I have always loved the environment and nature. I grew up camping, hiking, and learning about the natural sciences. I’m from here in Washington and am always enamored with the ocean, marine life, birds, and forests. I got a background in marine data science from ORCA with an emphasis on seabirds and climate change. I have since become a hobbyist birder and continue to be obsessed with all things outdoor, hiking, camping, and pretty much anything that gets me out of the evil indoors. I hope to pursue a career working with conservation, the marine environment, and most importantly, birds!
Superpower?: My superpower is my ability to distract any person from their duties with idle chatter. I will do my best to suppress this great ability for the sake of the office.
Favorite beach: I love to visit deception pass! I’ve frequented the beach since I was a kid, and now it’s a place that my boyfriend and I go to watch the sunset on our anniversary or our respective birthdays.
Favorite Road Trip Song: Freight Train by Nancy Whiskey (oldie but a goodie! give it a listen!)
Ian Stuart
Ian Stuart
Major: Oceanography, Marine Biology
Superpower?: I would love to be able to talk to animals/plants/other creatures.
Hobbies: I love spending time backpacking, birding, and playing the banjo! I am here at COASST because I would love to contribute to our understanding and conservation of seabirds.
Favorite beach: Toleak Point
Favorite Road Trip Song: Little Lies by Fleetwood Mac
Stephanie Velea
Stephanie Velea
Major: Environmental Science & Terrestrial Resource Management (ESRM)
Superpower?: Noticing the birds and other wildlife around me! If there’s a bird calling or bush stirring, I tend to pick up on that!
Hobbies: One can often find me obsessing over birds and other animals, listening to my favorite podcast Ologies, reading, playing the piano, or spending time with my dog (Azora) and parrot (Queenie).
Favorite beach: I love Juanita Beach Park in Kirkland, WA; there are a lot of awesome native plants, birds, and turtles to learn about there!
Favorite Road Trip Song: Whenever my family goes on road trips, we like to listen to a band called the Strokes!
Future?: My goals for the future have evolved over time, but they’ve always shared the theme of working with animals and the environment. In my first year at the UW, I discovered the wonderful world of wildlife research, and since then I have never looked back! I hope to pursue a career in conservation, helping to protect the world’s most vulnerable species.
Bat McClellan
Bat McClellan
Major: Environmental Science & Terrestrial Resource Management (ESRM)
Hobbies: I’m an avid birder, herper, and aspiring ornithologist/conservationist from New York City, where I’ve birded since I was 11. Curiosity about extensively birding and exploring the wildlife in new regions brought me to Seattle, and I saw over 200 bird species in my first year!
Favorite beach: Jones Beach (NY)
Superpower?: Time manipulation
Favorite Road Trip Song: California Dreaming
Annabelle Pugh
Annabelle Pugh
Major: Marine biology
Hobbies: I’m super interested in birding, swing dancing, and tidepooling.
Favorite beach: Constellation/Alki
Future?: I’m hoping to become an ornithologist or marine biologist and do a mix of research and education in my future career.
Superpower?: Communicating with barnacles
Favorite Road Trip Song: Galileo by the Indigo Girls
Madison Rhodes
Madison Rhodes
Major: Marine Biology
Hobbies: Outside of school, I love kayaking, snorkeling and scuba diving, exploring the Pacific Northwest coast, spending time around animals, and getting outside whenever I can.
Favorite beach: Lincoln Park Beach
Future?: I’m studying marine biology and hope to build a career as a marine biology researcher. I’m especially interested in marine animal health and disease, genetics, and emerging research tools like environmental DNA (eDNA). I love learning about the different ways researchers can study marine animals and ecosystems, and I’m excited to continue figuring out where those interests take me!
Superpower?: I’m receptive and can easily pick up on other people emotions and thought processes
Favorite Road Trip Song: Landslide
Participants
COASST participants do not have to have years of scientific education, nor do they need to be bird experts. In fact, what unites COASSTers is a strong affinity for the coastal environment.
Ranging in age from eight to over eighty, COASSTers in the lower 48 tend to be retired, but also encompass a diversity of jobs, from tribal biologists to teachers to artists. In Alaska, the age of our participants is a bit younger, perhaps reflecting the fact that hardly anybody retires to coastal Alaska! Instead, relatively more Alaskan COASSTers work for national parks, wildlife refuges, and tribal governments.
After only one multi-hour training session, you can become a COASSTer, too. COASSTers sign a ‘contract’ pledging to survey their beach every month—an acknowledgment that COASST data are most valuable when regularly collected. And the COASST office pledges to put all of the data together, decipher the patterns across the entire COASST range, and give that information back out to COASSTers, and the communities, in the form of our e-newsletters, our Science Updates following each scientific publication, and our website.
Bitten by the bug for beach combing and wondering about what’s happening to the local marine resources in your area? For more information about how to become a COASST participant, please see our Join Our Team page.