Strategic Solutions in Environmental Policy
OUR TEAM
Leadership
Emily Patrolia
Founder and CEO
Emily Patrolia is the Founder & CEO of ESP Advisors, and together with her team, combines environmental science expertise, strategic policy engagement, and communications prowess to drive success for their clients.
Most recently, Emily was Director of Sustainability at Invariant Government Relations, helping fortune 500 companies lead on environmental issues and influencing U.S. policy through advocacy, partnerships, and data-driven solutions. She advised clients on food, agriculture, trade, and environmental and ocean policy.
Martha Newell-Kinsman
Chief Strategy Officer
Martha Newell-Kinsman brings leadership and experience from the military, Capitol Hill, and the non-profit sector to her role as Chief Strategy Officer at ESP Advisors.
Working for the Dean of the House and co-chair of the House Oceans Caucus, Martha prioritized bipartisanship and reaching across the aisle for compromise. She wrote and passed legislation pertaining to public lands management, energy, fisheries and wildlife management, and ocean health, among others.
Kat Montgomery
Chief Operations Officer
Kat Montgomery leads the policy team at ESP Advisors, drawing upon her ocean policy expertise and years of experience managing projects, programs, and teams.
Kat was most recently staff for Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS), then-Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. While serving for the Chairman, Kat spearheaded bipartisan aquaculture legislation, commercial and recreational fisheries, unmanned maritime systems, illegal fishing enforcement, seafood trade, and more.
Sam O'Brien
Chief Financial Officer
Sam O’Brien is the Financial and HR Director at ESP Advisors. She is a Certified Public Accountant with experience working across various for-profit and non-profit industries for a broad range of clients.
Most recently, Sam worked as a Senior Audit Associate at CohnReznick LLP where she specialized in non-profits and affordable housing developments assessing financial and other corporate data to help ensure compliance with both private and public funding requirements.
Team
Sarah Keartes
Communications Manager
Sarah Keartes brings extensive media and science outreach expertise to her role at ESP Advisors. Sarah has reported on marine science, conservation, and the environment for a decade, in evidence-based news stories, narrative features, scripts for educational video programs, and informational copy for environmental organizations. Her work has been featured by National Geographic, PBS Digital Studios, Hakai Magazine, Save our Seas Foundation, and other outlets. Sarah is passionate about using storytelling as a pathway to learning, and strives to make complex topics both accessible and engaging.
Stacy Knight
Policy Manager
Stacy Knight has over a decade of experience in the corporate, academic, and non-profit sectors from areas of research, science, conservation, and ocean policy.
Stacy’s background is in applied research and science, and her continuing focus is connecting people to the ocean through public speaking, events, publications, and outreach. Most recently, Stacy worked to elevate industry partner relationships and sustainability commitments for a non-profit and its members. Previously she worked on the Consortium for Ocean Leadership’s policy team, focusing on issues ranging from ocean security and STEM education to aquaculture and climate change.
Senior Advisors
Pamela Day
Senior Advisor | Policy
Pamela Day is a Senior Advisor at ESP Advisors. She was most recently Chief of Staff for Congressman Don Young (R-AK), the Dean of the House and father of many initiatives and laws that govern ocean resources today. She served Young for 25 years, overseeing 16 original bills that were signed into law and managing the annual appropriations process each year. Her network includes Members and senior-level staffers across both chambers of Congress and both sides of the aisle, as well as agency staff and leadership.
Christine Sur
Senior Advisor | Policy
Christine Sur is a policy consultant with expertise in ocean and environmental policy, and provides strategic advice and support to ESP Advisors for conservation focused clients.
She was most recently a Senior Policy Advisor to Congressman Jared Huffman and was the lead staffer covering the natural resources portfolio for four years, which included developing legislation focused on sustainable fisheries, coastal restoration, public lands, and wildlife conservation, among other issues.
Cat Elia
Senior Advisor | Design
Cat Elia specializes in marketing and brand development, logo and brand asset design, unifying communication, graphic strategies, and client relations.
She is an in-house creative working in the corporate industry for over six years. As a designer and artist, she has a keen eye for corporate design that conveys strategic messaging and intrigues audiences to engage. She has vast editorial experience developing client-specific work, targeted messaging and RFQ/P submissions.
