Rise Up Boston: A Climate Event

Angela Jones is a marine biologist with a lifelong passion for nature. She began her journey as a high school volunteer at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, where she discovered the importance of connecting communities with animals to promote awareness and conservation. Angela earned a bachelor’s degree in zoology and a master’s in biology from Humboldt State University. Now pursuing her PhD at Northeastern University, she studies sea star morphology—specifically how the microstructures on sea stars’ surfaces interact with surrounding water flow. As the only marine biologist in her family, Angela is committed to demystifying science. She believes anyone can be a scientist—and that you don’t need a degree to make a difference.

Crystal Johnson is the assistant secretary of environmental justice at the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, where she leads the Office of Environmental Justice and Equity. A senior environmental planner and energy strategist, Crystal brings more than 30 years of experience in strategic planning, policy, research, and the assessment of energy and environmental resources. She has led innovative programs with a strong focus on equity, sustainability, and youth engagement—empowering the next generation of climate leaders. Crystal holds a degree from the University of California, Berkeley.

Julie Wormser is Cambridge’s first chief climate officer. She leads a team working across City departments to phase out fossil fuel use by 2050, prepare people and places for extreme weather, and set a model for other communities. Before joining the City, Julie served as deputy director of the Mystic River Watershed Association, where she co-founded the Resilient Mystic Collaborative—a 20-community partnership that has secured nearly $140 million for regional climate preparedness projects since 2018. Earlier, as executive director of The Boston Harbor Association, she was instrumental in raising awareness of Boston’s vulnerability to coastal flooding from sea level rise and extreme storms. She coauthored Preparing for the Rising Tide and Designing With Water and co-led the Boston Living with Water international design competition. Julie holds a BA in biology from Swarthmore College and an MPA from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. She lives in Cambridge with her family.

Dr. Katie Dafforn is a distinguished professor of coastal resilience at the University of Massachusetts and director of Stone Living Lab. She is dedicated to advancing how we understand and manage coastal ecosystems. With more than 15 years of experience in research and academia, Katie has led projects and publications exploring the intersection of ecology, ecotoxicology, and environmental science. She is also co-founder of Living Seawalls, a global initiative that promotes sustainable coastal resilience through nature-based innovation. Her work has been recognized with several honors, including the Emerging Leader in Marine Science Award from the Australian Marine Science Association. Katie holds a PhD in biological sciences and a graduate certificate in university learning and teaching from UNSW Australia. She is passionate about fostering collaboration across disciplines to build more resilient coastal communities.

Dr. Skye Morét is an information designer and marine scientist whose work explores the power of visual storytelling to connect people with the ocean. Having sailed more than 100,000 miles around the globe, she brings firsthand experience to her data-driven investigations of rapidly changing marine ecosystems. Skye’s installations have been exhibited at Science Gallery Dublin and the Canadian Cultural Centre in Paris, and her interdisciplinary work has been featured in Science, Slate, Popular Science, and Public Radio International. She recently completed an interdisciplinary dissertation at Northeastern University focused on the theory and practice of climate change visualization.