Connie Bolte is a native Virginian who started her career as a science educator and the Director of Sustainability at the public high school level. She returned to graduate school to engage in scientific research related to plant ecology and evolution. A doctoral degree in Integrative Life Sciences was awarded to Connie from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2022. Connie then transitioned into a two-year Postdoctoral Scholar position at Penn State University within the College of Agriculture - Department of Ecosystem Science and Management. She is interested in policies and practices used to solve complex global change challenges and strategies that are (or could be) used to secure food, water, health, and access to education. Outside of work, Connie enjoys hiking, swimming, and family time.

Dr. Mark Feuer DiTusa received his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Chicago, where he studied the properties of plastic semiconductors to improve their electronic performance. Mark was a Christine Mirzayan fellow working for the Gulf Research Program's Board on Gulf Education and Engagement, and was most recently Chemistry & Engineering News's producer for their podcast Stereo Chemistry. He relishes being in interdisciplinary roles and situations that require the synthesis of multiple knowledge bases, whether between sciences or between science and another discipline. As someone who grew up in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and attended Louisiana State University, he has seen firsthand how the energy industry impacts and shapes communities. He also believes strongly that science is for everyone, and that communicating and educating about science is critical to an informed citizenry. He hopes to utilize his wide breadth of scientific, communications, and policy knowledge to work improving the lives of Americans, particularly in clean technology, environmental justice, and scientific education.