Rivers to Rangelands: Careers in Conservation | Ask Alumni Webcast

From waterways and wetlands to working lands and open ranges, conservation careers take many forms. Join us to hear from Oregon State alumni across conservation-focused fields as they share how their academic experiences shaped their professional paths.

During this interactive panel, Beaver alumni will discuss their career journeys, lessons learned along the way and how they’re making an impact in areas connected to agricultural and natural resource stewardship and conservation.

Whether you’re a student exploring career possibilities, a recent graduate charting your next steps or an alumnus interested in conservation-focused work, this conversation offers practical guidance, inspiration and the chance to connect with the OSU alumni network.

Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences Department Head Selina Heppell will moderate the conversation.

Co-hosted by the College of Agricultural Sciences and the OSU Alumni Association, don't miss this opportunity to connect with other Beavs working to conserve our shared landscapes.

Our panel includes:

Patricia Billette, ’15
A conservation and biodiversity advocate, Patricia Billette has advanced inclusive and science-based initiatives through her work with the American Bird Conservancy, the Wildlife Habitat Council and The Creature Conservancy. She focuses on strengthening community resilience and protecting species and habitats across diverse landscapes.

Natalie Godwin, ’25
With experience ranging from fisheries surveys to bird banding to sage-grouse population research, Natalie Godwin brings a strong field-based perspective to her work as an early career gamebird ecologist. She now serves as a conservation contractor with the Oregon Hunters Association, supporting wildlife migration corridors and collaborative stewardship efforts.

Carissa O’Donnell, ’24
Former ASOSU President and OSU Homecoming Court Ambassador Carissa O’Donnell graduated from Oregon State University with an honors degree in environmental economics and policy. Since then, she has earned a master’s in climate and society from Columbia University's Climate School and now serves as a policy advisor with the New York State Senate.

Sara Orofino, ’15
An ocean scientist with The Nature Conservancy, Sara Orofino combines data, visualization and hands-on fieldwork to support marine conservation not only in her home state of California, but across the globe. Her work helps transform complex science into actionable insights that guide real-world conservation decisions.

Katherine (Katie) Wollstein, M.S. ’18
As a rangeland fire specialist with the OSU Extension Fire Program, Katie Wollstein, Ph.D., focuses on the social, ecological and policy dimensions of fire resilience in Oregon’s working landscapes. She assists ranchers, agencies and community partners in leveraging their different tools and types of knowledge to improve fire resilience on rangelands with multiple owners, values and uses.