Elise Cope

Stephanie Solien lives on Orcas Island and loves spending time on and near the water, beaches, wetlands and forests of the Salish Sea. She is passionate about working with diverse communities and the political process to drive positive change. She co-chaired Governor Inslee’s Southern Resident Orca Whale Task Force and was Vice Chair of the ... read more

This January, 38 contractors—excavators, general contractors, arborists, landscapers, and gardeners—from five different islands came together at the Mullis Center on San Juan Island for a Shore Friendly workshop hosted by Friends of the San Juans in partnership with the Northwest Straits Foundation and the Washington State Shore Friendly Program. The free workshop focused on the ... read more

Alchemy Art Center and Friends of the San Juans are teaming up to bring art and ecology together in “Interconnected,” a collaborative mural project celebrating eelgrass—a vital but often overlooked marine plant in the Salish Sea. With the generous support of A Waterworks Gallery, this community-driven project invites locals to craft ceramic tiles for a ... read more

Marni joined the Friends team in late 2024 to help us dive into phone banking and will continue leading this effort in 2025! A phenomenal volunteer with extensive experience in phone banking and nonprofit fundraising, Marni trained our staff and volunteers to connect directly with supporters. After developing a phone script and providing hands-on guidance, ... read more

Are you new to “Comp Plan land”?We’ve got you covered! What is the Comp Plan, and Why Does It Matter? The San Juan County Comprehensive Plan is like a roadmap for our community’s future. It’s designed to manage growth and keep the islands a healthy place to live by setting long-term goals to protect our environment, ... read more

Raven Preston, Orcas Island — Raven is a seasoned user experience researcher and communication strategist with a passion for leveraging data-driven insights to drive impactful change. Her work focuses on improving user engagement and developing strategies within the SAFe Agile framework. With a background in integrating Black and Indigenous methodologies, Raven brings a culturally responsive ... read more

Panel Discussion + Lummi Blackhawk Dancers Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Boldt Decision During Native American Heritage Month  On Saturday, November 9th at 6:30 PM, Friends of the San Juans, in collaboration with the Stewardship Network of the San Juans and Friday Harbor Film Festival, will host a special screening of the documentary FISH ... read more

Friends of the San Juans has long been a vigilant protector of the Salish Sea, with a steady focus on safeguarding the endangered Southern Resident killer whales. This spring and summer, we entered important talks with Phillips 66 Ferndale Refinery about their project to produce Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Their original plan involved up to ... read more

On August 24, 2024, Friends of the San Juans was honored to host Governor Jay Inslee and his wife, Trudi, on a tour of the San Juans’ vibrant kelp and eelgrass beds. We explored these crucial marine ecosystems and highlighted the contributions of the Climate Commitment Act, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. ... read more

In a groundbreaking step towards protecting the future of the San Juan Islands, the Samish Indian Nation and Friends of the San Juans are excited to announce that they have been awarded $499,000 as part of a transformative $73.6 million federal grant from NOAA’s Climate Resilience Regional Challenge.   The two entities will be a part ... read more