Alumna Sarah Nayani graduated from the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs in 2015 and is now a Director of Compliance with Arctic Storm Management Group, LLC. We had a chance to catch up with Sarah recently and hear about her job, her time at SMEA, and advice she has for current SMEA students.

Can you give us a brief description of what you do for Arctic Storm Management Group, LLC?

Compliance and operations for two pollock catcher processor vessels (Arctic Storm and Arctic Fjord) and two catcher vessels (Sea Storm and Neahkahnie), as well as government affairs for our whiting interests on the West Coast.

What do you like best about your job?

Working with our amazing crew, NEVER having a routine – every single day is different from the last, and always staying on my toes with new challenges and new things to learn.

How did SMEA help you prepare?

I felt like I got so much out my experience through working at NMFS at the same time as I was going to school at SMEA, because I tried to think through the practical applications of all of my classes and work on projects that would relate to my job at the time and/or connect to the fishing industry. SMEA helped me think through policies, regulations, and learn so much about legal frameworks that help me in my current job every day. Not to mention the incredible networking and proximity to the fishing sector.

If you had one piece of advice for current SMEA students, what would it be?

Treat everyone you meet through your classes or thesis work as a future employer; it’s a small world and sometimes you might not realize you’re on a job interview! It’s a nice problem to have!

If you are a SMEA alum who would like to share what you’re doing, you can do so through our Alumni Update, we’d love to hear from you! You can also update your information via the UW Alumni Services site http://www.washington.edu/alumni/services/update/