Fellows

Rosie is originally from San Jose, California, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Forensic Science (Biology concentration) at the University of Texas at El Paso. She is pursuing her PhD with Dr. Jason Stockwell, Director of the Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory at the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources. She conducts research on the ecology of Mysis, a small shrimp-like crustacean, and evaluates Mysis behavior and migration patterns in Lake Champlain and the Great Lakes. Chapina is also a graduate student fellow in the Gund Institute for Environment at UVM, and currently serves as the graduate student representative on the Rubenstein School Board of Advisors.  

Carolyn joined the Ausable River Association (AsRA) in 2022 and serves as the GIS & Science Communications Fellow in partnership with Lake Champlain Sea Grant (LCSG). Her fellowship focuses on communicating the threats facing water resources in the Ausable and Lake Champlin basins and the work by AsRA and LCSG to address these challenges. She is excited to be a part of the AsRA team and continue working to protect the Adirondack Park and its surrounding landscapes. 

A life-long New Yorker, Carolyn fell in love with the Adirondacks on weekend trips while living in the Capital Region and moved to the Adirondacks full time in 2019. She holds a B.A. in Environmental Science from Skidmore College and has worked in a variety of roles that combine her passions for conservation and GIS (geographic information systems). These roles include serving as a River Steward for the Housatonic Valley Association and most recently as a Strategic Conservation Planner with the Lake Placid Land Conservancy. Carolyn spends her time outside of work exploring the Adirondacks and beyond via hiking, canoeing, camping, and backpacking, making maps of her most recent adventure, and serving on Saranac Lake's Climate Smart Community task force.

Learn more about Carolyn.

A recent graduate of Vermont Law and Graduate School, Bella received a 2023 John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship. Originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia, Bella moved to the Green Mountain State for her undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies at the University of Vermont. She enrolled in the accelerated Juris Doctor Program which is a 5-year J.D./B.S. degree program through a partnership with the University of Vermont and Vermont Law and Graduate School. In May 2022, she graduated from the accelerated J.D. program.

Bella has always been interested in water quality issues. Her internship and project experiences throughout college were focused on water quality concerns, Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), and their effects on Lake Champlain. In law school, she attended the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland. She used this unique opportunity to attend meetings with global leaders and helped draft recommended language and talking points for a client. Bella also worked in the Arizona House of Representatives as a full-time legal extern and helped draft groundbreaking legislation to address persistent water shortages in the state. She was also a clinician for the Environmental Advocacy Law Clinic where she represented clients, conducted legal research, wrote legal briefs, and covered surface water allocation and Clean Water Act issues both in Vermont and nationally.

Learn more about Isabella.

Stephanie started working in 2022 with the Paul Smith’s College Adirondack Watershed Institute (AWI) as their Watershed Science Communication Fellow in partnership with the Lake Champlain Sea Grant (LCSG). Her work focuses on assisting the AWI with communicating its vision for clean water and healthy watersheds to stakeholders. This includes undertaking a communication project to engage with the public and foster stewardship. 

Growing up in the Capital Region, Stephanie had a deep love for the environment that stemmed from camping and paddling trips with friends. This love led her to continuing her education with Paul Smith’s College to obtain her B.S. in Parks and Conservation Management as well as her M.S. in Natural Resources Conservation with a focus in Sustainable Communities. At the same time, she was working for the Paul Smith’s College Visitor Interpretive Center as a Naturalist. During her schooling, Stephanie developed a strong interest in how people interact and learn about the environment through technology, especially through video games. Joining the AWI's team with help from LCSG allows her to pursue that passion while expanding her knowledge on being a science communicator. In the warm weather months, Stephanie can be found birding and fly fishing while the winter months brings her inside to practice her violin or play video games. 

Learn more about Stephanie.