For more information on the The Wyss Scholars Program, please return to the Wyss Scholars Page.

Kevin Le
Environmental Policy and Planning

Playing in the state and national parks of California and being involved with the Boy Scouts of America introduced Kevin to the amazing wonders of the outdoors. His fascination and interest led him to pursue a Marine Biology degree at the University of California, Santa Barbara where he focused on conservation. Upon completion of his degree, he worked at the California Energy Commission and was exposed to issues related to state mandated renewable energy development and the need for land conservation.

 

Seeing the need to understand more about conservation and energy policy, at the University of Michigan, Kevin set out to learn about identifying methods to make sure that the intent of a policy can be smoothly translated upon implementation of aforementioned policy.

 

Upon graduation in 2013, Kevin accepted the Oregon Hatfield Residential Fellowship that allows him to work at Metro Regional Government in Portland, Oregon. He is working on a feasabillity analysis to determine if it's in the agency's best interest to become involved in regional wetland mitigaiton banking and identifying policy options for the agency to consider in moving forwards.

Diana Portner
Behavior, Education, and Communication

Diana Portner grew up in Illinois, but it was not long before she gained a love for Western landscapes, frequenting Colorado and Wyoming on summer vacations as a child. She made her way back to the West in a round-about way, taking detours in Wisconsin for a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Environmental Studies, followed by seasonal field work on the Florida National Scenic Trail and McHenry County Conservation District back in Illinois. In 2010-2011, she spent 8 months living and working in the Owens Peak Wilderness Area in California’s Mojave Desert. During her life in the field, she gained extensive experience in ecological

restoration, trail and grounds maintenance, and management of native ecosystems, and developed a passion for working with communities to develop the best policies for resource management on public lands.

 

Diana graduated from SNRE’s Behavior, Education and Communication program in May 2013. Her research revolved around stakeholder engagement and collaborative problem-solving, assisting with the development of a stakeholder-vetted watershed management plan in northern Michigan, and leading strategic planning efforts for a watershed-based partnership in Montana’s Bitterroot Valley.

 

Following graduation, Diana joined Meridian Institute’s Dillon, Colorado office as a Mediator and Program Associate. During her time with Meridian, she has focused on forest planning and freshwater resources, providing planning and facilitation support for stakeholder collaboration for the Flathead National Forest and Oregon Department of Forestry, among others. She has also assisted with national convenings of water experts to discuss the future of U.S. freshwater resources and urban water infrastructure.