Chris Wolfe
Board of Directors
she/her/hers
Chris joined the Friends’ Board in 2019, motivated by the work Friends’ was doing to protect the Salish Sea from shipping impacts. Her previous work with the Environmental Defense Fund had focused on improving air quality at ports and in the shipping sector, and she brings that experience to support the Friends’ efforts to protect the Salish Sea. A lifelong environmental advocate, Chris has long recognized the special nature of the San Juans and surrounding areas. In addition to previous work with ship emissions and transportation, Chris has a strong science background, working in the field with birds, reptiles, and amphibians. She and her husband currently own and manage a local solar installation business to help provide county residents with an alternative for energy produced from hydropower.
Chris holds a master’s degree in Ecology/Evolution from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, as well as bachelor degrees in both Biology and Business Administration from the University of Washington. Her professional career has included working at a natural history museum at a major public university, with a large environmental non-profit organization, and in the private sector where she consulted in a variety of environmental areas.
Chris lives on Orcas Island with her husband and dogs. She is an avid sailor, loves to watch wildlife, and spends many hours wandering with her dogs and looking for mushrooms on her wooded property.
“The mission of Friends—protecting and restoring the San Juan Islands and the Salish Sea for people and nature—is what inspires and motivates me to support and work with Friends. The work includes on-the-ground science, as well as the nuances of policy, to help ensure the Salish Sea remains intact for future generations,” says Chris.
