About Us

Maria Archibald (she/her) has spent a decade organizing regionally and nationally with youth-led climate justice groups such as UYES and Uplift. She was previously the producer and host of the Sustain podcast with the University of Utah’s Sustainability Office.

Amelia Diehl is a writer, musician and organizer with a background in community based storytelling and grassroots climate justice. Growing up in Michigan, the Great Lakes were foundational to her sense of belonging to and protecting a place. After attending University of Utah’s Environmental Humanities graduate program, she is eager to continue learning from the Great Salt Lake ecosystem. You can find her around town drinking coffee, running, perusing record stores and reading non-fiction.

Connor Estes was born in Ogden, Utah, and spent much of his childhood at Great Salt Lake. He loves audio storytelling and its power to connect us and create positive change. He currently works as a producer and music editor at KRCL 90.9FM for the Radioactive program. He's honored to be a co-producer for season 2 of Stay Salty!

Ashley Finley is a lauded birth keeper, a published writer, a keynote speaker, certified yoga instructor, and an educator. She is inspired by the ancestral wisdom of her foremothers, the everlasting beauty of nature, and the vivid imagination of a liberated future for all colonized and marginalized people. Ashley’s favorite work involves facilitating a sacred space where collaborators can explore what it means to use their unique purpose to begin the work of decolonization and liberation. She believes that all people have the potential to create a more compassionate, inclusive, and creative world. 

Meisei Gonzalez is an environmental justice advocate and communicator based in Salt Lake City, Utah. As the Director of Communications for the Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah (HEAL Utah), he focuses on addressing environmental disparities faced by the Latino and LGBTQ+IA communities. Meisei has successfully lobbied for environmental-focused legislation at both the national and state levels. With a unique perspective as a first-generation Latino, he is affectionately known as the "EnviroCowboy" and is dedicated to making a lasting impact in the fight for environmental equity.

Jeri Gravlin (she/her) is a Michigan raised and now Salt Lake City based photographer. Her mission in life is to tell stories through imagery that inspire positive change. She has degrees in Fine Arts and Environmental Studies. She recently graduated with her Masters of Science in Resilient and Sustainable Communities from Prescott College. She currently works for the Salt Lake City Public Library as a Social Media Manager and Photographer, where visual storytelling is an intricate part of her job. She loves reading, hiking, dancing, spending time on the water and with loved ones. 

Olivia Juarez (they/them) is a lifelong Utahn based in Salt Lake City, UT. They serve as the Public Land Program Director of GreenLatinos. With Latino Outdoors, Utah Coalition of La Raza, and the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, Olivia has nurtured Latino/a/e joy and leadership in conserving nuestra tierra pública. Olivia was recognized as one of “10 Under 40” in 2021 by the National Parks Conservation Association for their commitment to creating safe, equitable access to public lands for Latino community health. Olivia holds an Honors Peace and Conflict Studies degree from the University of Utah. They enjoy camping with family, loud music, playing in the snow, bicycling, yoga, and gazing at cryptobiotic soils.

Brooke Larsen (she/her) is a queer storyteller, journalist and writer based in Salt Lake City. She currently writes for High Country News, covering conservation, rural communities and agriculture across the West. Brooke is the co-editor of New World Coming: Frontline Voices on Pandemics, Uprisings, and Climate Crisis. She also has a background in community organizing, with a particular focus on climate justice. Brooke enjoys growing food, listening to stories, cooking for family and friends and swimming in desert waters. 

Frances Ngo (she/her) is a tiny queer artist, biologist, and proud multiracial Mexican and Chinese poet. You’ll often find her roaming through fields, forests, and fens in search of her next subject or a good nature metaphor. She’s the artistic equivalent of a habitat generalist, dabbling in many different media and interests! Frances graduated from the University of Wyoming with a Bachelors of Science in Zoology and a minor in Painting. Currently, she works as a freelance artist and the Conservation Outreach Biologist at Tracy Aviary. 

Katherine Quaid (she/her) was born and raised in rural central Oregon and is a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of Umatilla. She has worked in the climate movement for over a decade at the grassroots and international level in communications, fundraising, campaign organizing, event planning, and training coordination. As an Event Curator for Of Salt and Sand, she supports the coordination of listening sessions, storytelling workshops, community events and more! Katherine moved to the Great Salt Lake region in 2020, and counts the Lake as one of her first friends here in Utah.