Meet our new Climate Action Fellow: Josette Chun

We’re excited to welcome Josette to the team!

Josette Chun, Climate Action Fellow

Josette is a senior at Middlebury College majoring in Environmental Policy. She is rooted in public speaking and storytelling to share environmental narratives. After researching the human health impacts of PFAS across Lake Champlain last summer, Josette was inspired to do more Vermont-focused climate work.

Josette’s fellowship with Vermont River Conservancy and the Climate Action Program at Middlebury College focuses on developing and executing outreach for conservation plans of Vermont rivers and basins. Already, she’s working on stories to share river recreation safety tips with people via our blog and newspapers. And later this summer she’ll help develop Storymaps to help people understand the parts of a river (eg. what’s an oxbow lake?), and will develop communications to help share the upcoming conservation plan with Vermont communities.

Additionally, Josette hopes to coordinate town teach-ins and educational events for Vermonters to learn about river biodiversity, conservation strategies, and climate resiliency. Lastly, Josette will aid in press work for the Vermont River Conservancy, contributing to creative blog posts highlighting diverse community stories about connections to their local rivers.

Outside of the fellowship, Josette is a Board Leader on TEDxMiddlebury and a public speaking coach for Oratory Now, where she aims to create platforms for storytellers and changemakers. Previously, Josette has interned for U.S. Senator Peter Welch, in Washington, D.C. Additionally, she has interned a federal judge in the U.S. District Courts of Massachusetts, where she has observed litigation around energy and land use. This upcoming year, she will be a National Environmental Leadership Fellow at the Rachel Carson Council. Much of her future aspirations are in environmental law and policymaking. In her free time, Josette enjoys playing tennis, reading, running, thrifting, and growing her pottery skills.