From economics to ecosystems: Kevin Berry’s calculations help evaluate risks

A first glance at Kevin Berry’s work history looks a little random. His curriculum vitae is sprinkled with a wide variety of topics, from disease, species loss, fisheries, to weather. “Typically, if you look at an engineer or physical scientist, they might specialize in a species, or a place, or a specific thing.” Berry says … Read more

Matt Melton: Preparing for the unexpected

Volunteer Spotlight Matt Melton, like many others born and raised in Alaska, received an early education in oil spills. He was in fifth grade when he saw people on TV scooping up oil in buckets after the Exxon Valdez spill. His first instinct was to help. He asked his mom to take him to the … Read more

Cathy Hart: Photographer focuses on fostering environmental stewardship

Long-time Alaskan, and Council volunteer for over 16 years, Cathy Hart has always had a lot of different irons in a lot of different fires. Her passion for telling stories with photographs winds through almost everything she does, including her work on the Council’s Information and Education Committee.

Cathy Hart is a member of the Council’s Information and Education Committee. The committee supports the Council’s mission by fostering public awareness, responsibility, and participation through information and education. The committee sponsors projects such as Masters of Disaster, a special event for kids of all ages to learn about topics related to the Council’s mission. At a recent event, Hart (center) taught Kodiak students about oil spill response.

This passion ignited early, not long after her father’s job as an engineer in the oil industry moved the family to Alaska in the late 1960s. The teenaged Hart was exploring her new home state when she spotted an eagle.

“I watched him dive down and get something on the ground,” she recalls.

She was entranced and wanted to capture that moment. She soon got her first camera as a gift from her father.

She found she was good at capturing action shots. She photographed kids’ sports, theater, and dance, and sold the images. Her passion was for the outdoors though.

“Wildlife was always my true love.”

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