SCIPP Team

Rachel Riley

Rachel Riley is the Director of the Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program at the University of Oklahoma. She has over a decade of experience co-producing useful and usable research and information that helps communities and states in the South Central U.S. better plan for and respond to climate-related challenges. Ms. Riley has expertise in climate adaptation and hazard mitigation planning, communication, decision support tool evaluation, and social science methodologies. She holds a B.S. in meteorology from Iowa State University and an M.S. in interdisciplinary studies (communication and meteorology) from the University of Oklahoma.

Barry Keim

Mark Shafer

Trey Bell

Trey Bell is SCIPP’s Engagement Associate and is located at the University of Oklahoma. His work focuses on managing logistics for SCIPP events and building connections with new groups and industries facing climate related challenges across the south-central United States. Trey received a B.S. in Meteorology (2020) from OU and brings 4 years of experience collecting and analyzing meteorological station data from his prior role as a Quality Assurance Meteorologist at the Oklahoma Mesonet. Utilizing these skills, he aims to effectively transform complex climate and hazard data into actionable intelligence for stakeholders, increase access to SCIPP resources, and foster relationships with external groups across the region.

Darrian Bertrand

Vincent Brown

Caylah Cruickshank

Caylah Cruickshank is SCIPP's Program Manager and is located at the University of Oklahoma (OU). Ms. Cruickshank holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and a minor in Marketing from Tulane University. Ms. Cruickshank manages SCIPP’s interdisciplinary research projects, coordinates team and budget functions, generates SCIPP Annual Reports, and facilitates communication between NOAA, university partners, and stakeholders in the region. She is passionate about connecting people to science that enhances their abilities to address weather and climate challenges.

Xochitl Hidalgo

Xochitl Hidalgo is the Climate Communications Assistant at SCIPP. She is currently a Senior pursuing a dual major in Meteorology and Environmental Sustainability at the University of Oklahoma. Xochitl joined SCIPP in August 2023 as an Undergraduate Research Assistant and moved into the role of Climate Communications Assistant in May 2024. As part of her duties, she is responsible for synthesizing and sharing SCIPP research and updates. Xochitl’s professional interests include climate change and hydrology.

Derek Thompson

Ioana Cionea

Ioana Cionea, Ph.D. is an associate professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Oklahoma. Her research focuses on the role of culture in communicative interactions, such as conflict situations. She is also interested in research methods and modeling of human behavior. 

Dr. Cionea works with SCIPP as a program evaluator, assessing and providing recommendations on various aspects of SCIPP's work with stakeholders, partners, and advisory committee members. 

Simone Domingue

Dr. Simone Domingue is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability at the University of Oklahoma. She recently completed a PhD in Sociology from the University of Colorado Boulder and holds an M.S. in Environmental Sciences from Louisiana State University. Dr. Domingue studies how vulnerability to hazards and disasters and social inequality intersect with the goal of supporting equitable and just resilience planning. Her dissertation critically examined Louisiana’s historic and current response to coastal land loss and climate change through the lens of environmental justice. She is currently working with a team of researchers to analyze and improve community capacity for equitable climate change adaptation planning in Gulf Coast States. 

Renee Edwards

Aimee Franklin

Cassandra Jean

Cassandra Jean, Ph.D. (they/she), is a Climate Resilience Specialist and researcher with Adaptation International. Their research delves into understanding social and behavioral risk perceptions of environmental hazards and disasters, identifying climate adaptation needs, and creating avenues for youth and community engagement and development. Their work extends across various coastal communities in the United States, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and centers systemically marginalized and underrepresented individuals and communities. Dr. Jean's academic background includes a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Adelphi University, an M.A. in Public Policy and Administration, and a Ph.D. in Sociology and Criminology from Howard University. They also held a postdoctoral scholar position at the University of Washington School of Public Health.

Renee McPherson

Lauren Mullenbach

Dr. Lauren Mullenbach is an assistant professor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability at OU. She is a scholar of urban environmental justice, focused on climate adaptation, green space development, gentrification, and wellbeing. Her current work focuses on equitable green space planning, city climate change planning, and homelessness.

Randy Peppler

Sascha Petersen

Sascha is the Director of Adaptation International and has been working specifically on climate change for more than 15 years. He has direct experience bridging the gaps between climate change science, policy, management, and action. He has partnered with and supported dozens of communities across the country as they work to build climate resilience. Sascha was a Lead Author for the Great Plains Region of the National Climate Assessment (2014), the Pacific Northwest Region of the 2018 National Climate Assessment, and the Southwest Region of the upcoming 2023 National Climate Assessment. He lives in Austin, TX, has a bachelor’s degree from Pomona College and a master’s degree focused on climate change science and policy from the University of Washington in Seattle. Before shifting his focus to climate change, he trained astronauts at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Laura Picariello

Ms. Picariello currently serves as the Interim Director of Texas Sea Grant at Texas A&M University. In this capacity, she oversees the implementation of Texas Sea Grant’s mission through research, extension and education programming to support the stewardship and wise use of coastal and marine resources. Ms. Picariello’s work specializes in helping commercial and recreational fishing communities understand and utilize research, technology and management to support and improve sustainable practices and find practical solutions to problems facing their communities. Ms. Picariello has a master’s in marine conservation and policy from Stony Brook University in New York.

Celine Rendon

Celine has been deeply involved in sustainability and environmental planning efforts, anchoring her background knowledge in environmental science and experience in grassroots environmental justice efforts. With Adaptation International, she is currently leading their partnership with historically underserved communities, bringing an equity-first approach to climate resilience collaborations.

Working with various community groups and city municipalities, she spearheaded community engagement and climate planning efforts focused on racial equity, sustainability education, and strategy development. Initiatives she helped drive include Austin’s 2021 Climate Equity Plan, the Austin Youth Climate Equity Council, and the City of San Antonio’s Mayor’s Youth Engagement Council. As a student, Celine conducted research and engagement focusing on the environmental, economic, health, and cultural impacts of land use and community development with PODER in addition to the City of Austin’s early foundations of resilience planning. Celine holds a BS in Environmental Science and a Bridging Disciplines certificate in Public Policy from the University of Texas at Austin.

Vincent Brown

Darrian Bertrand