Oceans, Coasts, and Watersheds Project

Abby is from Idaho Falls, Idaho. She fell in love with the outdoors while hiking and skiing in the Teton Valley. She took her passion for the environment to the University of Utah, where she received degrees in Environmental and Sustainability Studies and Political Science. After graduating, Abby returned to Idaho to work for the Wood River Land Trust in Hailey. While at the Land Trust, she witnessed the challenges of watershed management and the transformative power of restoration efforts in reversing riparian habitat degradation to enhance a river's resilience. 

During her time at Oregon Law, Abby has been involved with Land, Air, Water. In the summer following her 2L year, she interned for Oregon Wild, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting Oregon's old-growth forests, wildlife, and waters. Also during her 2L summer, she worked as a research assistant for Professor Adell Amos on the upcoming 7th edition of Water Law in a Nutshell. During her final year of law school, Abby is excited to work with the ENR Center and help organize the 2026 Public Interest Environmental Law Conference (PIELC) as a Conference Co-Director. 

Jay is from Boise, Idaho, where he grew up camping and hiking in the mountains and forests. These formative experiences gave him a deep reverence for the natural world and inspired him to study biology at Boise State University, where he learned more about the complexity of biological life and natural systems. He switched majors during the pandemic and ultimately graduated with a degree in Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication. He chose to attend Oregon Law because of its environmental law program and because of Oregon's stunning natural beauty. 

During his 1L summer, Jay externed at the District Court for the District of Oregon with Judge Michael McShane. He learned more about how the judiciary works and had the opportunity to evaluate parties' submissions to the Court, draft judicial opinions, and witness various court proceedings. Now a 2L, he looks forward to organizing the 2026 Public Interest Environmental Law Conference (PIELC) as a Conference Co-Director, continuing his work at the federal courthouse, and contributing to the ENR Center's freshwater research. He hopes to help find pathways to modernize western water laws to address climate change and increasing water scarcity. 

In his free time, Jay loves to be outdoors. He enjoys camping and backpacking with his partner, running and biking on the path by the Willamette River, skiing, and playing Ultimate Frisbee. 

Charlie grew up in Chicago but has called Eugene home since 2018, when he began college at the University of Oregon. Throughout undergrad, Charlie spent much of his free time skiing, fly fishing, and biking in western and central Oregon. As a junior at the School of Journalism and Communications, he felt compelled to give back to the environment through storytelling. As an intern at Eugene Weekly, he dove into environmental and outdoor journalism, compiling numerous feature stories on fisheries, agriculture, and wildlife. 

After graduating from UO in 2022, Charlie pursued a career in local journalism. He served as an outdoors intern at the Salem Statesman Journal, writing on the environment, climate, and Oregon's wildest places. At the Eugene Register-Guard, he covered public safety and wildfire. These experiences provided a unique window into environmental law and natural resources management. His time in journalism led him to pursue a legal education with a focus in environmental law. 

After his first year at Oregon Law, Charlie clerked in the Washington State Attorney General's Office. At the Public Lands and Conservation Division in Olympia, Charlie saw first-hand the ways state agencies balance competing interests in natural resources and make important policy divisions affecting diverse stakeholders. During his 2L summer, along with clerking for a local civil litigation firm, he served as a research assistant to Professor Adell Amos. As an RA, he supported Professor Amos' work on the 7th edition of West's Water Law in a Nutshell, gaining unique exposure to recent developments and issues in western water law. 

Blakely was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, though she has always felt most at home on North Carolina's coast. Growing up, she visited the beach every summer with her family, leading her to develop a strong interest in coastal issues and the environment. She continued to develop these interests at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, completing a capstone research project on the vegetative dynamics and community perceptions of a maritime forest in North Caroliina. She graduated with a B.A. in Environmental Studies and minors in Women and Gender Studies and Environmental Justice. 

Blakely's interest in the environment led her to Oregon Law, where she hopes to learn how the law can be used to address coastal issues. During her 1L summer, she interned for the National Sea Grant Law Center, researching federal and state responses to contaminants of emerging concern. Now entering her 2L year, Blakely looks forward to expanding her knowledge of environmental law and applying the skills she has developed to new challenges.