We are pleased to share that Rachel Gregg has joined our team as a Senior Conservation Planner in the Pacific Northwest. Rachel joins a growing team of planners, stakeholder engagement professionals, and policy specialists that work across ESA’s markets to help clients safeguard their communities, protect their populations, and conserve their natural resources in the wake of climate change.
Rachel comes to ESA from EcoAdapt where as a senior scientist she spent over a decade advising federal, tribal, state, and local government officials, decision-makers, and communities on how to best develop, implement, and evaluate climate adaptation approaches. Prior to her time at EcoAdapt, Rachel was a research associate and science writer for the San Juan Marine Resources Committee, Washington Sea Grant, University of Washington, and the National Park Service.
Rachel helps clients through different phases of the climate adaptation planning process from understanding climate risks and identifying vulnerabilities to prioritizing adaptation strategies for implementation and evaluating their outcomes. She is a trained facilitator and strategic planner specializing in building consensus for adaptation approaches that are effective and equitable. Rachel has supported clients in different sectors (e.g., conservation, water resources, public health, community displacement) and geographies (e.g., western United States, Great Lakes, Pacific Islands). Rachel’s core goal is to help people make the best decisions possible regarding their investments in a changing climate.
“I have long admired ESA and I’m excited be part of a multi-disciplinary team of scientists, planners, and engineers that is able to come together to not only help clients through the decision-making and planning process, but then partner with them to get projects funded, implemented, and measured for success,” says Rachel. “And, now that Sitka Technology Group has joined ESA, we have a team of data specialists by our sides to help us dig into our client’s data as we strive for better-informed outcomes. It’s a pivotal moment to be joining the firm.”
Rachel earned a Master of Marine Affairs in Marine Science & Policy from the University of Washington and a Bachelor of Science in Marine Ecology & Government from Smith College. She is also a member of the Society for Conservation Biology and holds human subjects research certification from the National Institutes of Health. Rachel is based out of ESA’s Seattle office and can be reached at rgregg@esassoc.com.
