Protecting the Salish Sea Through Science, Local Policy, and Community Engagement

County governments across the nation are grappling with the intensifying effects of climate change and the evolving role of local government in mitigation, adaptation, and climate resilience. Whatcom County is no different. Kaylee and Austin will dive into the innerworkings of Whatcom County government and its work pertinent to these climate issues including the Climate Action Plan, Climate Vulnerability Assessments, and the upcoming Comprehensive Plan update.  

Whatcom County depends on scientific and policy expertise, community engagement, and regional partnerships. The Whatcom County Marine Resources Committee (MRC) is a great example. They advise the County Executive and Council in local budget and policy decisions and implement important projects and programs critical to protecting the Salish Sea. The Whatcom MRC is one of seven in the Salish Sea region formed to engage their respective local governments and community and to collaborate with one another to protect and restore marine resources and habitat.

About the Speaker

Headshots of Austin Rose on left wearing baseball and scarf with boulder in background, right is Kaylee Galloway with long curly hair standing in front o a wood pannelled wall
Kaylee Galloway & Austin Rose
Kaylee Galloway - Whatcom County Council (District 1) | Austin Rose - Natural Resources Specialist II, Whatcom County Public Works (Natural Resources)

Kaylee Galloway is a Whatcom County Councilmember representing District 1. In 2025, Councilmember Galloway is the County Council Chair and Chair of the Climate Action and Natural Resources Committee. She also represents the County Council on several community boards and committees, including the Lake Whatcom Policy Group, Climate Impact Advisory Committee, Council of Governments, Marine Resources Committee, Opportunity Council, Racial Equity Commission, Whatcom County Tourism Board, Washington State Association of Counties (WSAC) Legislative Steering Committee, and the WSAC Timber Counties Caucus and Coastal Counties Caucus. Previously, she worked for the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, and Washington State House of Representatives. She received her Master of Arts in Policy Studies from the University of Washington Bothell and Bachelors of Arts from Western Washington University majoring in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics with minors in Energy Policy and Law, Diversity & Justice.

Austin Rose has worked for Whatcom County Public Works Natural Resources as the lead staff for the Whatcom County Marine Resources Committee for the past 11 years.  Through her travels and time living in the Pacific Northwest, she gained an overall love for outdoor recreation and human well-being, which shaped her passion for the environmental management of natural and cultural resources. She became actively involved in various outdoor volunteer programs where she gained experience supervising and working with volunteers on restoration projects from the mountains to the shorelines.  After completing her undergraduate degree in Geography – Natural Resource Management at Western Washington University, she worked for the Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (PBNERR), where she gained a passion for the marine environment specifically.  At PBNERR, she was introduced to the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative which combines science and ecosystem perspective together with community contribution to marine conservation.  After completing a M.S. in Geography at WWU, she was lucky to earn her dream job working with the Marine Resource Committee in Whatcom, working on projects reflecting local priorities and broader marine conservation goals for the Salish Sea.

Environmental Speaker Series

The Environmental Speaker Series is hosted by the College of the Environment at Western Washington University.

The Series is free and open to the public. Talks are held each Thursday at 4:30 pm in Academic Instructional Center West room 204 - AW-204. Talks will also be streamed via Zoom. Register with The Foundation for WWU & Alumni for the zoom link. Parking is available in lot C.

Learn more about the Environmental Speaker Series

Email Alumni@wwu.edu to be added to a mailing list to hear about upcoming events.