Dr. Erika Zollett | Executive Director
Email: support@cuel.ucsb.edu
Biography
Dr. Erika Zollett is the Executive Director of the Greti U. Croft Center for Undergraduate Environmental Leadership (CUEL), beginning in 2023. Previously, she was the Program Manager for the Environmental Leadership Incubator (ELI). She continues to manage the ELI mentorship program, advises students on their environmental change-making projects, and coordinates logistics of the program.
Dr. Zollett began working at UCSB in 2019 after working for over a decade in the environmental consulting sector. As a Senior Marine Scientist for MRAG Americas, she regularly collaborated with various stakeholder groups and used the best available science and innovative solutions to address challenging issues in fisheries management. She possesses an expertise in protected species bycatch and protected species, particularly marine mammal, conservation. She holds a B.S. degree from Bates College, a Master of Environmental Management Degree from Duke University, and a Ph.D. in Natural Resources and Cognate in College Teaching from the University of New Hampshire.
Dr. Zollett remains involved locally with both ocean conservation and environmental education work through her involvement in a NOAA-funded Ocean Guardian program and Sustainability Committee at a local elementary school. The Ocean Guardian program has successfully raised awareness about ocean health, eliminated single use plastic utensils in the cafeteria, started a composting program for students, and more. The student group won the Explore Ecology Environmental Stewardship Award at the Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival in both 2019 and 2024. Dr. Zollett also served on the Board and as the Fundraising Chair of the Santa Barbara Sea Shell Association, a local volunteer-driven organization, dedicated for over 75 years to teaching children, ages 8–18, the art, skill, and sport of sailing, and imparting a love of sailing, a stewardship of our local harbor, and a sense of community through family-oriented and volunteer-driven programming.