Olivia Grace Haun is an ecologist, conservation biologist, filmmaker, and educator from Chicago, IL. She holds a Master’s degree in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior from the University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor’s in Biology and Italian from Indiana University Bloomington. Olivia’s diverse training spans digital storytelling, science communication, psychology, bioregional herbalism, and permaculture design. As a National Science Foundation Fellow, Olivia conducted research on the population ecology of rare plants in Big Bend National Park. Her deep passion for environmentalism and visual media has led her to produce films that resonate with both scientific and general audiences. Her work with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, including the award-winning film Bayou City, played a significant role in preserving Texas’s riparian habitats. She also led influential conservation initiatives and communication campaigns, such as the Bird City Texas Program and the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act. Driven by a profound devotion to the natural world and a commitment to nurturing future life on this planet, Olivia seeks to bring balance and compassion to a struggling world. Her career has exposed her to various industries, including government, start-ups, non-profits, and conservation organizations. She believes in the power of connecting with any stakeholder through compassion and an open heart. Olivia’s expertise in environmental communication, strategic storytelling, and community engagement makes her uniquely qualified to teach this course on Communicating for Impact – empowering students to craft narratives that bridge science and community, sparking transformative change. In her personal time, Olivia loves sitting under trees, creating art from natural materials, singing, weaving, making cyanotype prints, and spending time with her family and 18-month-old toddler.