Tess Hooper graduated Magna Cum Laude from Ithaca College in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in Outdoor Adventure Leadership and a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies. Upon graduating, Tess spent several years in education, most recently teaching middle school science and STEAM. Additionally, Tess worked as a field technician with The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This combination of experiences inspired Tess to pursue a master’s degree at The Bren School, where she can holistically develop her interests in environmental management. Specializing in Conservation Planning with a focus in Strategic Environmental Communications, Tess plans to address human impacts on managed lands in order to fill gaps between the management agencies and the public’s interests in land access.

Daphne Virlar graduated with a B.A. in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology from the University of Colorado Boulder. While there, she was president of The Herd Leadership Council and participated in research in the Emery Lab as an undergraduate research assistant. Now a first year MESM student, Daphne spends her time as a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council. At Bren, she is specializing in Conservation Planning and pursuing the Environmental Data Science focus. Daphne hopes to merge these two disciplines in order to better protect, conserve, and enrich terrestrial and alpine ecosystems in the face of climate change.

Priscilla Hare graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Systems, Earth Science and a certificate in Geographic Information Systems. Priscilla’s interest in pursuing a career in environmental science stemmed from volunteering through the Student Conservation Association (SCA) at various national parks. Through the SCA she learned about conservation and preservation efforts in the parks, as well as worked on trail and habitat restoration projects. This experience, along with her travels to dozens of national parks since early childhood, inspires her to want to help manage and protect these places for future generations. At the Bren School, Priscilla is specializing in Conservation Planning, with interests in natural resource management, specifically in the use of public lands. She hopes to use her skills to help make management decisions to conserve the public lands she grew up enjoying.

Robert Heim holds a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. As a field technician with the California Condor Recovery Program in 2017, Robert worked alongside US Fish and Wildlife staff to track condor movement with radio telemetry and collect data on condors at nests, roosts, and feeding sites. Robert’s experiences with the Condor Program introduced him to the importance of conserving landscapes that support special-status species. At the Bren School, Robert specializes in Conservation Planning and pursues a focus in Strategic Environmental Communication and Media. He aspires to work for a land trust to help protect private and public lands in California that provide habitat for wildlife and connect people with the outdoors. 

Jessica Gomez, is a third-year UCSB Bren Master’s student, specializing in Corporate Environmental Management with a focus in Eco-Entrepreneurship. She graduated from Colorado State University at Fort Collins in 2013 with a BSc. in Zoology. Her love for nature, conservation, and adventure drew her to work in Community Wildlife Management in Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa. Nature always provided joy and healing for Jessica and it is her mission to preserve and create similar opportunities for others. Her goal is to reconnect urbanized Americans to nature and encourage environmental sustainability. Her entrepreneurial spirit motivates her to start her own eco-tourism business, work as an eco-business consultant, and an environmental advocate.