Governor appoints WWU's Salish Sea Institute Director to NW Straits Commission
Ginny Broadhurst, Director of the Salish Sea Institute at Western Washington University, has been recently appointed by Governor Jay Inslee to the Northwest Straits Commission.
The commission oversees the nationally recognized Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative, which brings together scientists and countless community volunteers in seven counties in northwest Washington to improve efforts to save regional waterways.
"We are thrilled to have Ginny join the Northwest Straits Commission in her new role as a Gubernatorial appointee. She has extensive experience in marine conservation through community engagement, and broad vision for tackling complex issues that are pertinent to the whole Salish Sea. Ginny will add immense value to our organization," said Lucas Hart, Director of the Northwest Straits Commission.
Broadhurst added, “It's an honor to join the Northwest Straits Commission in this role, and I look forward to being back in the company of this impressive group of people who are working day-to-day to recover habitats and species in the Salish Sea, a mission that resonates profoundly with that of WWU's Salish Sea Institute."
The Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative focuses on several areas in their efforts to protect the marine environment of Washington State. These include conducting research to understand the ecosystem's health and inform management decisions, implementing habitat restoration projects, managing invasive species that threaten native biodiversity, fostering community stewardship and sustainability through education and outreach, and advocating for policy changes in support of effective marine resource management.
Read more about both the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative, as well as Western's Salish Sea Institute.
About Western Washington University
Western Washington University offers more than 200 academic programs on its main campus located in Bellingham, and at additional sites in Anacortes, Bremerton, Everett, Kirkland, Port Angeles and Poulsbo. Western is recognized nationally for its successes, from being named the top master’s-granting institution in the Pacific Northwest for 23 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report, which also named WWU #2 among public universities in the Western U.S., #6 for veterans, and a Best Value School, to its recognition as one of the most sustainable, green campuses in the nation by the Sierra Club. Western is also known for being a top producer of prestigious National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Hollings Scholars, Fulbright Scholars, and Peace Corps volunteers, and ranked as one of the top 10 baccalaureate institutions nationwide for graduates who go on to earn research doctorates. The Chronicle of Higher Education’s Academic Workplace report named Western as one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, winning honors in two categories: teaching environment and tenure clarity and process.
Media Contact
Jonathan Higgins, Director of WWU Communications, jonathan.higgins@wwu.edu