Molly was raised in the small community of Yakutat, Alaska. As a young child, she spent her summers trolling for salmon with her father from Yakutat to Baranof Island. During her teenage years, she worked with him onboard a lightboat fishing for market squid off the coast of California. Her love for Alaska and its fisheries never disappeared, and after she turned 18, she decided to return to commercial fishing in Alaska. She took a job as a deckhand and cook aboard a longliner operated by her now husband, targeting halibut and sablefish from Southeast Alaska to the Aleutian Islands and Bering Sea. Molly continued longlining with her husband until she was seven months pregnant with their first child, whom they welcomed in early 2025.

 

Molly’s upbringing and fishing career fostered a deep appreciation for Alaska’s coastal communities and fishing industry. Her background inspired her to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Fisheries Ocean Sciences through the joint UAS/UAF fisheries program. During her time at UAS she worked as an undergraduate researcher on various projects including independent research aging market squid as a marker for climate change in Alaska. Molly’s love for Alaska, its fisheries, and the communities dependent upon them has only deepened with the arrival of her first child. She currently resides in Yakutat with her fisherman husband, their daughter, and their dog. As a family, they believe strongly in protecting and advocating for Alaska’s resources for future generations.​​​​

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molly@akmarine.org