The team behind Water, Under Pressure.
Series Host, Writer, & Executive Producer
Kristan is the Director of the Institute for Science & Policy. Her objective is to ensure science has a respected role in public discourse and policymaking. Before joining the Institute, Kristan worked for the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research on external engagement to strengthen the visibility of the research, capabilities, and opportunities for partnership with the organization. She spent almost a decade in Washington, DC, in the nonprofit, think tank, and government sectors engaging in a range of Earth science and policy challenges. She holds an M.A. in Science Writing and an M.S. in Marine Science.
Story Editor, Writer & Producer
Cat is an audio producer and educator and the founder of House of Pod. Originally from Colorado, Cat has worked as a honey tour guide in Eastern Turkey, a digital organizer in global climate movements, a communication director for big banks and shoe brands, finally landing on her greatest love, audio. As a Fulbright Scholar and National Geographic Explorer, Cat wrote, recorded, and directed Guardians of the River, which premiered at Tribeca Film Festival in 2021, and has launched the non-profit Amped, developing Colorado's first podcast incubator for women of color.
Producer
Ann Marie Awad is an independent podcast producer and journalism instructor based in Denver, CO. In partnership with Colorado Public Radio and PRX, Awad created On Something in 2019, an award-winning podcast all about life after cannabis legalization. A 2016 AIR New Voices scholar, an alumna of the Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, and a journalist for more than a decade, Awad is originally from Buffalo, NY.
Field Recorder & Researcher
Nicole provides Business Support for the Institute for Science & Policy. She has an extensive background in organizing people and content with Denver Parks and Recreation and Mayo Clinic. She is passionate about nonprofits and aims to help build a better future; she is on the board of Denver Employee Volunteer Opportunities, which supports and facilitates volunteer projects in Denver Metro.
Field Recorder & Researcher
Kate Long is an Engagement and Policy Specialist at the Institute for Science & Policy. She is a former community resilience consultant, with a dedication to equitable public policy and community building. In her past role, she collaborated with state and local governments throughout the United States on projects related to hazard mitigation planning, resiliency building, invasive species management, flood mitigation, and federal grant administration.
Kate holds a Master of Public Administration in Environmental Policy from Cornell University. As a former resident of the U.S. Virgin Islands, she is passionate about disaster risk reduction and preparedness. In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her dog, watching movies, and baking desserts for friends and family.
Producer and Marketing
Tricia is the managing editor for the Institute for Science & Policy, overseeing all digital and social media communications.
She has held many editorial leadership roles in publishing houses and media companies creating educational content for books, magazines, digital, and video. Former roles include Executive Content Director, Fine Art Division at Golden Peak Media and Head of Content and Video Production at Bluprint under NBC Universal. Prior to working in publishing she spent a decade in the non-profit sector as a community educator and grant writer focused on issues from conservation to public health.
Trent Knoss
Trent is the Director of Communications & Marketing at The Nature Conservancy in Pennsylvania and Delaware. Previously, he was the managing editor for the Institute for Science & Policy. He has also held roles as the science editor at the University of Colorado Boulder, covering engineering, biotech, energy, and climate research, receiving two awards from the Public Relations Society of America. Originally from Minnesota, he holds a M.S. in science writing from MIT.
George Sparks
President & CEO, Denver Museum of Nature & Science