Where are they now? Find out how the Knauss Fellowship helped shape the career of ’96 alum Samantha Woods

Samantha Woods has been the Executive Director of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association (NSRWA) since 2002. The NSRWA is a grassroots nonprofit, and is one of the largest watershed association in the state of Massachusetts. Woods spends her day staging informative public events about the issues facing the rivers, advocating for specific solutions with public officials, and teaching the general public to understand the importance of protecting the rivers. She received both her undergraduate degree in Environmental Coastal Studiesand her Masters in Environmental Coastal and Ocean Science from Umass Boston. Prior to working at NSRWA she worked as a Coastal Scientist for HorsleyWitten Group where she managed projects such as US EPA Office of Water, Oceans and Watershed’s Coastlines Newsletter and the Commission for Environmental Cooperation’s report on the Impacts of Contaminants on the Resources of the Gulf of Maine.Samantha was an Executive Sea Grant Knauss fellow in 1996. What was your fellowship placement?NOAA National Marine Fisheries Office of Science and Technology How did the Knauss Fellowship help you in your career?It provided me with insight into how decisions were made at the federal level regarding the environment. Familiarity with this level of government as helped me throughout my career to gain funding and understand where to go to influence environmental decision making.What is one of your favorite memories from your fellowship?The other fellows were a large part of my experience, I gained great personal and professional lifelong relationships through this fellowship. My favorite memory was attending a meeting at the National Academy of Sciences to make a presentation on the need for funding fisheries research vessels.