Education

Master of Science, Marine Biology from Northeastern University

Bachelor of Arts, Fine Art; Bachelor of Arts, Environmental Studies from Pitzer College

Experience

Program Director at PangeaSeed, remote (12/2022 - 8/2024)

PangeaSeed is an internationally engaged nonprofit that bridges art and science to increase ocean literacy and empathy

  • Facilitate collaboration between artists and scientists on ocean conservation-themed artwork

  • Co-develop new strategic vision, mission, and theory of change in collaboration with founders

  • Build partnerships with research institutions, nonprofits, and community organizations

  • Lead grant writing and collaboration with proposal partners

  • Program manager for Sea Walls: Artists for Oceans South Africa, executing 18 large-scale ocean conservation murals in conjunction with community outreach events and internal programming for team

Program Associate at Biodiversity Funders Group, remote (1/2021 - 11/2022)

The Biodiversity Funders Group is a philanthropy-serving organization that supports education and collaboration for environmental grantmakers focused on policy, climate change, environmental justice, and indigenous-led conservation

  • Provide administrative and operational support to the Marine Conservation Program and the Land and Freshwater Conservation Program

  • Assist planning and execution of virtual and in-person program meetings with 40-80 participants, managing all Zoom and other virtual platform logistics

  • Organize, convene, and facilitate conference calls with program chairs and planning committees

  • Prepare marketing materials such as newsletters, event invitations, online schedules, and program descriptions

Senior Project Manager at Intertidal Agency, remote (9/2021 - 9/2022)

Intertidal Agency is a nonprofit data design consultancy dedicated to making ocean data open and accessible

Operations Director at Intertidal Strategies, remote (9/2020 - 9/2021)

Intertidal Strategies is the for-profit arm of Intertidal Agency, a data design consultancy dedicated to making ocean data open and accessible

  • Manage portfolio of environmental data design and strategy projects

  • Assist in meeting design, materials development, and create visual aids to translate research findings

  • Maintain and refresh website

  • Collaborate with Founder on grant writing

  • Develop and nurture organizational culture of empathy, flexibility, and trust through collaborative team building

Program Manager for Research Partnerships at the Global Resilience Institute, Boston Massachusetts (1/2018 – 7/2019)

Northeastern University’s Global Resilience Institute is an interdisciplinary resilience research hub

  • Facilitate the growth of the Global Resilience Research Network (GRRN), a network of international research institutions; network growth from 2 to 27 partners

  • Build and maintain a research database capturing the work of over 300 researchers

  • Organize, accelerate, and manage research groups and research content within the GRRN from conception to completion working directly with primary investigators

  • Write grant proposals and manage proposal process for NSF, USAID, and various foundation RFPs

  • Develop content and oversee design and dissemination of website, newsletter, blog, and report communications

  • Manage dedicated student research assistant and internal collaboration across departments

Fellow & Research Assistant at the Global Resilience Institute, Boston Massachusetts (6/2017 – 12/2017)

Northeastern University’s Global Resilience Institute is an interdisciplinary resilience research hub

  • Assist Coastal Resilience Measurement research project in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme and grant funding from Northeastern’s Global Resilience Institute

  • Code project documents using NVivo, qualitative analysis tool, for major themes

  • Translate Nvivo data into quantitative measures and visualize using Tableau software

  • Research, write, and present peer reviewed and published report on global coastal adaptation activities in Least Developed Nations

Executive Assistant & Bookkeeper at ArtSmart Inc., Los Angeles, California (9/2012 – 7/2016)

ArtSmart Inc. is a financial consultancy for artist studios, galleries, and creative businesses

  • Provide essential day to day administrative support such as scheduling, coordinating travel, maintaining secure database of sensitive client information for Amy Davila, art business consultant

  • Liaise between executive and artist and gallery clients through email and phone communications and train clients on proprietary ArtSmart online database

  • Manage a team of two assistant bookkeepers and two interns

  • In charge of client billing, accounts receivable and payable, and company books using Quickbooks Online

  • Problem solve under deadlines with independence and resourcefulness

Publications

Laura Kuhl, Kyla Van Maanen, Steven Scyphers. “An Analysis of UNFCCC-Financed Coastal Adaptation Projects: Assessing Patterns of Project Design and Contributions of Adaptive Capacity.” World Development, 21 Nov. 2019, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305750X19303973?via%3Dihub

Kyla Van Maanen. “The Effects of Ocean Acidification and Warming on Corals and Other Calcifying Organisms.” J. Emil Morhardt (ed.) Global Climate Change and Natural Resources: Summaries of the 2008–2009 Scientific Literature. Claremont, C.A., Roberts Environmental Press. June 15, 2009.

Skills

Proficient in Mac OS, Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suite

Project management: Asana and Trello

Marketing: MailChimp, Hootsuite, and Canva

Website content management: WordPress and Squarespace

Data analysis and visualization: proficient in NVivo and Tableau

Professional Memberships

American Academy of Underwater Sciences SCUBA certified

Member of the Society for Women in Marine Science

Member of the Oiled Wildlife Care Network

Volunteering

Sustainable Ocean Alliance Hub Leader in Los Angeles

Marine Mammal Rescue and Rehabilitation Internship at The Marine Mammal Center in 2020

Orange County vote center worker for the 2020 Presidential election

Conferences

Protect Blue Wavemakers Impact Strategy Residency in Ericiera, Portugal, 6/2024

  • Selected as participating ocean advocate to develop impact strategy and build community among a small cohort of international changemakers

Biodiversity Funders Group 2022 Marine Conservation Program Annual Meeting, Santa Barbara, CA, 9/2022

  • Event organizer for three day, in-person conference with 75 attendees

Biodiversity Funders Group 2021 Marine Conservation Program Annual Meeting, virtual, 9/2021

  • Event organizer and moderator for virtual meeting with 90 attendees

Solutions for Global Resilience in Freiburg, Germany, 03/2019

  • Organizer, presenter, and facilitator

Climate Change/Crisis/Creativity Conference in Boston, MA, 02/2019

  • Speaker “Ecological, Cultural, and Educational Impacts of Underwater Art Installations”

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change COP24 in Katowice, Poland, 12/2019

  • Member of Northeastern University’s Observer Delegation

Sustainability and Development Conference at University of Michigan, November 2018

  • Paper presentation “Coastal adaptation in developing countries: a synthesis of approaches used and contributions to UNFCCC-financed adaptation projects”