Dr. Peter Lawson earned his Bachelor’s degree at Evergreen State College, and his Master’s and Ph.D. in Stream Ecology at Idaho State University. Dr. Lawson was a field ornithologist in northeastern Mexico, studying in particular parrots and peregrine falcons. After earning his graduate degrees he joined the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife using modeling to study Coho salmon.
Laura Anderson, a third-generation commercial fisherwoman, began fishing with her father at the age of 14, engaging in salmon trawling and crab fishing along the Northern California coast. Her experiences as a female in the male-dominated fishing industry were shaped by her father's accommodating approach, which made her time on the boat more comfortable. After her fishing years, Laura studied marine policy and science in college.