Eliza Knepler

Eliza is from Edmond, Oklahoma and recently graduated from Oklahoma State University. Her academic interests include the management of coastal environments, especially balancing the demands of fishing and tourism industries with the needs and traditions of local Indigenous peoples. She has a passion for ecological improvements in Oceania and the pacific islands, such as the Philippines. As a recipient of the Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship offered by the U.S. Department of Education, she is studying second-year Tagalog this academic year. The combination of an academic background in SMEA and Filipino language training is excellent preparation for a future in public diplomacy and conservation.