Trust, Tension, and Action at the Border

Ginny Broadhurst is the Founding Director of the Salish Sea Institute at Western Washington University. In this role, she led the publication of the State of the Salish Sea report, created an international Salish Sea Fellows program, and spearheaded the Salish Sea Studies minor. Prior to this appointment, she was Director of the Northwest Straits Commission. Broadhurst has served on numerous regional and international advisory groups related to coastal ecosystem health. She is a Gubernatorial appointee to the Northwest Straits Commission, serves on the board of Washington Conservation Action and is a member of the US/CAN Statement of Cooperation Workgroup.

Derek Moscato is a professor of journalism at Western Washington University, where he teaches classes in news media, public relations, and environmental journalism. Additionally, he teaches in the university’s Canadian-American (C/AM) Studies and Honors programs. Moscato is a research fellow with Western's Border Policy Research Institute (BPRI), and a previous fellow with the Center for Canadian-American Studies and Salish Sea Institute. His recent research projects have focused on cross-border communication and cultural flows within the Cascadia region, and the role of media and advocacy in global environmentalism.

Christopher Sands is the Director of the Hopkins Center for Canadian Studies at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in Washington DC. He previously taught in the College of Business and Economics at Western Washington University, and in the School of Public Affairs at American University. He directed think tank research on U.S. – Canada relations at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Hudson Institute, and most recently at the Wilson Center until it was recently DOGEd.

Sen. Sharon Shewmake was sworn into office on Dec. 9, 2022 and is the first Democrat to represent the 42nd District in two decades. She serves as Chair of the Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee and on the Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee and Transportation Committee. Shewmake is focused on helping families with affordability of housing and energy, creating jobs and building infrastructure, and ensuring everyone can live in safe communities. Shewmake is a professor of environmental economics, urban economics and energy policy at Western Washington University in Bellingham, as well as a children’s book author, spouse, and mother of two young boys.

Dr. Laurie Trautman serves as one of the nation’s experts on the Canada – U.S. border and associated border policies. While she focuses primarily on the 'Cascadia' region of Washington State and British Columbia, she also collaborates both binationally and internationally to advance policy relevant research to promote cross-border mobility and collaboration. In addition to partnering with faculty and students, she has working relationships with the private sector and government agencies. A regular contributor to the media, her latest (co-authored) book, "When the World Closed its Doors: The Covid-19 Tragedy and the Future of Borders," explores the expanding use of international borders as a policy response to a growing range of crises - and the collateral damage that results. Laurie participates in numerous initiatives that are actively engaged in the U.S. – Canada relationship and previously served as a Global Fellow with the Woodrow Wilson Center and a Fellow with the Canadian Global Affairs Institute. She holds a Ph.D. in geography from the University of Oregon.