Isabella Briseño Elalfi: Community Building, Systems, and the art of ArcGIS Storytelling | Sea Change

November 14, 2023

From Maps to Impact: Bella's Story

This episode features a fantastic discussion between Jenna and Isabella (Bella) Briseño Elalfi, recent graduate from Penn State University double majoring in Environmental Resource Management and Political Science. Bella's ArcGIS expertise was central to the development of the⁠ Voices of a Healthy Ocean ⁠story map platform, which is designed to take people on an audio visual advocacy journey and expand upon the ⁠Voices of a Healthy Ocean miniseries⁠ that was featured on this network during the summer of 2022. During this episode, the two chat about storytelling through story maps and dive into the power of community building, systems, and storytelling have on human and environmental health.

Show Transcription
This transcription was generated by a computer. Please excuse any errors.
Jenna Valente

A passion for conservation and appreciation for the natural world was engrained in Jenna at a young age. Her father was in the Coast Guard. This meant she always had the fortune of living near the ocean, including Hawaii, Washington State, and Maine. Both of her parents encouraged her to spend the majority of her time outside. As a result, she finds that she is most comfortable barefoot and exploring the coast, countryside, or mountains. Her favorite thing about the ocean is the sheer power of it all. Jenna joined the American Littoral Society as the Healthy Oceans Coalition Coordinator from the Chesapeake Research Consortium where she was a member of the communications staff and focused on building the brand of the program and ensure the health of the Chesapeake Bay. Jenna completed her Executive Master of Natural Resources from Virginia Tech in 2015 and also has her Bachelors in Communication and Journalism from the University of Maine.