Welcoming Natalie Peoples!

My name is Natalie Peoples (she/her), and I’m so excited to join the Choose Clean Water Coalition as the Digital Media Intern!

I’m no stranger to the bay. Growing up just 45 minutes away in a very outdoorsy family meant spending countless days fishing, hiking, kayaking, or looking for shark teeth along the shore. Those experiences sparked an early appreciation for the natural world that has stayed with me ever since.

I’ve always loved the outdoors, especially with my camera in hand, and I knew I wanted to combine my passion for the environment with visual storytelling. I graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a B.S. in Environmental Science and a B.A. in Media and Journalism. As an undergraduate student, I split my time between research and visual communication. I had the chance to study coral reefs in St. John and participate in an ichthyoplankton sampling cruise off the coast of Cape Hatteras. Although I loved contributing to research, I found my passion using visual storytelling to connect people with the environment and inspire action to protect it. My first photo essay explored noninvasive research at the Duke Lemur Center, and I helped film and produce a video about brewery sustainability in North Carolina’s Triangle region for PBS SciNC. I’m currently pursuing my Masters of New Media Photojournalism at George Washington University focusing on conservation and science stories.

When I’m not outside or behind the camera, I love reading, watching documentaries, and baking!

Visual storytelling has given me the chance to meet with incredible people and learn something new nearly every day. I’m thrilled to continue connecting with communities and help advocate for a healthy and clean watershed!

Meet City Wildlife, the organization providing care for DC’s injured wildlife