Meet the DERT Team
Phoebe Cross
Executive Director
(she/her)
Phoebe Cross is an environmental educator and community engagement professional dedicated to connecting people with the natural world. With a background in Communications and post-graduate study in Humane Education, she develops programs that explore marine life, riparian habitats, estuaries, and the impacts of wastewater and stormwater systems on ecosystem health, highlighting the links between compassion, human behavior, and environmental stewardship.
Phoebe currently serves as the Executive Director for the Deschutes Estuary Restoration Team and as Strategy & Growth Lead for Eco-Net, a regional network that connects, supports, and amplifies the work of environmental educators across the South Sound. Her goal is to foster collaboration among organizations, enhance the visibility of individuals and groups advancing environmental protection, and strengthen collective capacity to achieve meaningful environmental outcomes. A lifelong animal lover and advocate, she’s passionate about fostering empathy for animals and inspiring care for the ecosystems we share. She lives with her husband Ryan and their rescued dogs, cats, and rabbit, who are a constant source of joy and inspiration.
Jesika Westbrook
Communications Coordinator
(they/them)
Jesika grew up in Olympia and has worked in the local political and non-profit scene practically since they could walk. They received their BFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 2018. They had the great honor and pleasure of working for Lt. Governor Denny Heck from 2021 until September of 2025. They now live in Vancouver with their partner and step-daughter, and are a working musician in the live theater scene - but you will frequently find them traveling the I-5 corridor to come home to Olympia. Beyond DERT, they work with their mother and local legend Danielle Westbrook for her firm Westbrook Music & Consulting, supporting non-profits and getting progressive candidates elected in Thurston County and beyond.
Community Development Assistant
Ivy Major
(she/her)
Ivy Major grew up in Olympia, where she became passionate about environmental issues at a young age. She loves wetlands, and developed success metrics for salt marsh restoration at the Deschutes Estuary as part of her coursework for the University of Washington's Wetland Science and Management program. Ivy has a BS in Environmental Science from Western Washington University, and she uses her scientific background to support DERT's mission of estuary restoration and watershed health. Ivy and her wife live in Olympia with their perfect little dog, Clover.