Jessi Kershner is an environmental specialist that works at the interface of scientific research on climate and resource management decision-making. She has a background in ecology, physiology, marine biology and oceanography, and natural resources policy and management. Her education and work experiences have been focused on natural resources management strategies for natural and human influences (including climate change) in terrestrial, freshwater, and coastal and marine ecosystems.

Jessi leads the Adaptation Consultation program for EcoAdapt, and provides support on the State of Adaptation, CAKE, and Awareness to Action programs. Currently Jessi is leading several projects with the U.S. Forest Service aimed at helping them to incorporate climate change vulnerability assessments and adaptation planning into Forest Plan revisions. Jessi also serves as the lead of EcoAdapt's Spatial Prioritization of Adaptation projects, which focus on ways to synthesize and translate spatial information - both climate and non-climate - to inform vulnerability assessments and develop targeted adaptation strategies.

Prior to joining EcoAdapt, Jessi worked with the Puget Sound Partnership, NOAA, and the University of Washington to evaluate, rank and select ecological indicators for measuring the success of restoration in Puget Sound. Other work includes writing a book chapter on the impacts of ocean acidification in the Puget Sound-Georgia Basin region, contributing to a marine riparian guidance document for Washington State, assessing the status of coastal water resources for the National Park Service, and translating scientific articles into a more accessible format to bridge the gap between science and the public. More recently she has branched out into the social and cultural dimensions of resource use and management in terrestrial ecosystems. Jessi has an undergraduate degree in Marine Biology from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and a Master’s degree in interdisciplinary marine science and policy from the University of Washington. Jessi lives in Seattle and tries to get outside as often as possible. Her hobbies include fly fishing, cross country skiing, camping, hiking, soccer, painting, reading, and dabbling in photography.