Eliza King

Originally from Northern California, Eliza King (she/her) currently lives in Denver, CO on Arapaho, Ute, and Cheyenne lands. 

Eliza joined River Network in early 2026 as a part-time AmeriCorps member through River Science River Corps, and she started full-time as the Program and Communications Associate in October 2026. She supports different communities with their Urban and Community Forestry Projects and helps out on the Communications team.

Eliza earned a BA in biology and a minor in English from Macalester College in Minnesota. Although she has always loved storytelling and working with people, initially she pursued research post-graduation, working on projects around predator-prey interactions in Yellowstone and Kenya and non-native species monitoring on the Great Lakes. She is passionate about environmental justice and community health, and she’s very excited to work closely with communities all over the country towards these goals.

Outside of work, Eliza can be found playing volleyball, swimming or paddling in the closest body of water, or curled up on the couch with a good book.

Which River Network value most speaks to you? 

Inclusion. Conservation and environmentalism are historically exclusive fields, but I’ve seen how they benefit when people from all different backgrounds are included. We learn from one another. We create stronger communities. We do better work. Creating access and opportunity for everyone fosters an inclusive network that makes us all better, and it is crucial that historically underrepresented voices are lifted up in this work. 

What was your earliest memory around water? 

I grew up on the coast of California and with family on the East Coast, so a lot of my childhood was spent outdoors and around water. My sister and I would spend summers with my aunt in Vermont, and I loved going to the lake surrounded by blueberry bushes. We’d always have a day dedicated to picking blueberries—with dips in the lake when we got too hot! 

How do you recharge outside of work?

I am always down to try something new and have found myself with a plethora of hobbies as a result. Right now, my cup is filled by a combination of social and solo activities, like playing volleyball in the park or curling up on the couch with a new knitting project and consequently getting distracted by whatever show I’m watching (currently rewatching Parks and Rec). I also love being in and around water and will do it any chance I can get!