JR Washebek

JR Washbek is the AI and Ecosystem Management Fellow at the Environmental Policy Innovation Center (EPIC). Washbek works on emergent problems at the nexus of AI, environment, and society, focusing on projects designed to navigate the conflict between immediate needs and long-term ecological health. Her current portfolio includes research on environmental ethics and AI alignment, cultivating modern skills for ecological management workforces, evolving environmental literacy at all levels to include deep understanding of AI, digital twins, sensor networks, distributed technologies like blockchain, and robotics, and understanding the changing nature of federalism. These interconnected focus areas reflect her belief that environmental challenges require technological innovation, workforce adaptation, and governance evolution working in concert. JR joined EPIC in May 2025 after eight years with the U.S. Forest Service, where she built the organization's first comprehensive AI program as AI Program Manager.