Meet the team behind Open Rivers

by Elena Tsakakis

Open Rivers was founded with the belief that there is a way to do better, for the environment, the species that live in it, and for our communities, organizations and their employees. We work with clients and collaborators to find a more robust path to grow and evolve while maintaining our values and without destroying the very elements that connect us to this planet. Open Rivers has a strong commitment to preserve this earth and to support the many people working tirelessly to find solutions to the world’s greatest challenges. 

Open Rivers wants to do things differently; this is reflected by a fully virtual team of research assistants from diverse backgrounds with a broad range of interests and expertise. While the team often works collaboratively, everyone brings their own knowledge, ideas and unique perspective to Open Rivers and collaborations. Each team member focuses on different elements of the business: research, outreach and business operations.

Nicole

Nicole Ho works on research operations at Open Rivers. She recently finished her masters in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University where she focused on renewable energy and design. Her undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering and Engineering and Public Policy sparked her interest in sustainability, and she continued her education to learn more about engineering applications in sustainability. As an undergraduate, Nicole gained hands-on experience through multiple internships where she assisted with a nuclear power plant design, identified the opportunities for Smart Cities throughout the U.S. and developed supplier standards for a liquified natural gas plant. Outside of engineering, she also enjoys volunteering and helped run one of the largest philanthropic events on Carnegie Mellon’s campus for several years.

She has applied her interest in environmental sustainability and public policy through several projects which included evaluating the feasibility of the Green New Deal, and conducting a sustainability assessment for Carnegie Mellon and 12 peer institutions. Nicole’s engineering background has developed her ability to synthesize complex information and skills in data management. At Open Rivers, Nicole is responsible for data collection, organization and analysis and enjoys communicating technical information with a broader audience. Nicole is currently based in Houston. 

Morrine

Dr. Morrine Omolo is a volunteer focused on research. She is a Zawadi Africa Education Fund Scholar from Kenya and completed her dissertation in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Her research at UMN Extension - Center for Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources - focuses on understanding food safety regulations and the education programs that help food entrepreneurs navigate the regulatory landscape. Prior to her PhD, Morrine received her M.S. in Food Science from UMN and was the first UMN student to receive the Schlumberger Faculty for the Future Fellowship. With her broad background, Morrine looks forward to an exciting and fulfilling career in food regulatory affairs, with a special interest in the interplay between food policy, food safety and food security.

Morrine volunteers at Open Rivers conducting desk research on various aspects of agriculture as part of an ongoing project. She is passionate about understanding the complexities of the global food supply chain, including primary production and connecting agri-food scientific data to everyday human living. 

Elena

Elena Tsakakis assists with outreach and communications at Open Rivers. She has a master’s degree in Natural Resources Science and Management from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and is currently based in Minneapolis. She received her B.S. from the University of South Dakota where she was a 4-year member of the women’s soccer team and a 2015 Academic All-American. While her undergraduate degree was in Biology, she cultivated an interest in natural resource management from work on mountain pine beetle management in the Black Hills National Forest and work on rangeland research as a technician for the USDA-Agricultural Research Service in Eastern Oregon. 

After spending a year as a high school teacher in France, she realized her passion for science communication and community engagement, and returned to her home state of Minnesota to pursue a graduate degree. While in grad school, her research focused on the “people” side of natural resource management and she spent two years researching the visitor experience on the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. Overall, Elena enjoys working as part of a team and collaborating with people from diverse backgrounds (one of the best parts of working at Open Rivers!). Elena applies her love for effective communication by managing outreach efforts and social media, and supporting research at Open Rivers.

Jill

Jill Rodgers, the first Open Rivers RA, worked across all 3 areas with an emphasis on business operations.  She is currently a senior at Bucknell University studying Mechanical Engineering; she is also a B-Wise Scholar and the co-president of the Society of Women Engineers. At Bucknell, she enjoys giving back to the community by mentoring freshman engineering students and staying involved in outreach efforts with Lewisburg children’s groups. Prior to joining Open Rivers, Jill applied her organizational skills through work at the Bethel Board of Education in Connecticut and gained valuable insights into aerospace engineering and medical device manufacturing through her externships. 

After graduating, Jill hopes to pursue a career in robotics where she can combine her love of building with her desire to help people and communities, and is considering pursuing a graduate degree in engineering management and robotics. She also plans to continue playing in local orchestras and working with children to support and encourage women in STEM. Coming from Bethel, Connecticut, Jill is also one of the first recipients of the Open Rivers Scholarship. At Open Rivers, Jill’s attention to detail and multi-tasking ability allows her to do a little bit of everything. She assists on business operations and research as well as maintaining the website and contributing to outreach efforts.