AKWA-DC - Key Persons

Alex Hale comes to AKWA-DC after a Public Law Fellowship with Ocean Conservancy's Arctic Team, where she focused on the intersection of tribal law and fisheries management in Alaska. She earned both her B.A. and J.D. from the University of Chicago. Born and raised in the mountains of northern Utah, Alex fell in love with Alaska while interning at Alaska Department of Law's Civil Division after her first year of law school and devoted her remaining time at school to Alaska-specific issues. Over the course of her law school tenure, Alex worked extensively in the Abrams Environmental Law Clinic and contributed to filings in several ongoing federal cases concerning the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act. Alex's experience in legal research also includes two years as a research assistant to Professor Alison LaCroix, state-level case research for the Democratic National Committee's Voting Rights Project, and two years interning for the Natural Resources Defense Council's Energy and Transportation Division. In her spare time, Alex is either deep in the mountains photographing wildlife or following Pearl Jam on tour.

Ann Robertson joined AKWA-DC in 2022 after serving three years in the Office of Senator Lisa Murkowski as a Sea Grant Fellow and subsequently as the Senator's fisheries advisor. Prior to working in the Senator's office, she spent four years as a research contractor with the Alaska Fisheries Science Center (NOAA) while also working as a deckhand in the Southeast Alaska gillnet fishery. In 2016, Ann worked as a policy intern in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy's Division of Energy and Environment, supporting the President's Arctic Executive Steering Committee. Hailing from Juneau, Ann brings a practical blend of scientific expertise, hands-on commercial fishing experience, extensive community stakeholder and policymaker connections, and a deep understanding of State and Federal fish policy. Ann holds a BA in Earth Science from Vassar College and a Master's in Environmental Management from the Yale School of the Environment.

Job Titles:

• Founder
• Principal
• AKWA - DC Founder

Ephraim Froehlich leverages more than a decade of experience as a policy expert and relationships developed at the highest levels of government to achieve legislative and regulatory results. He was born and raised in Juneau, Alaska. He holds a bachelor's degree in government from Dartmouth College and a J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law. Froehlich worked for United States Senator Lisa Murkowski in Washington, D.C., as lead policy advisor on fisheries, wildlife, maritime transportation, environmental change, and the Arctic. He next joined Alaska Governor Bill Walker's administration as senior advisor on fish and game and as the deputy director of federal relations. In 2018, Froehlich served on the board of the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. Froehlich founded AKWA-DC LLC in 2019, a policy consulting firm focused on fisheries, maritime, and the environment. He enjoys getting outside whenever possible with his sons and partner to camp, hike, and fish and is an avid soccer and basketball player.