BPRI Staff

360-650-2642
Laurie.Trautman@wwu.edu

Dr. Laurie Trautman engages in a range of research activities focused on the U.S. – Canada border, particularly in the Washington – British Columbia region. Topics include trade, transportation, security, and human mobility. In addition to working with faculty and students, she collaborates with the private sector and government agencies to advance policy solutions that balance cross-border flows with the need for efficiency and security. Laurie participates in working groups that are actively engaged in the U.S. – Canada relationship, including the International Mobility and Trade Corridor Program and the Canada – U.S. Transportation Border Working Group. She co-chairs the Border Issues working group of the Pacific Northwest Economic Region and was recently appointed to the steering committee for the Cascadia Innovation Corridor. Laurie is currently a Global Fellow with the Woodrow Wilson Center and a Fellow with the Canadian Global Affairs Institute.
She holds a PhD in Geography from the University of Oregon, a MSc. from Montana State University, and a BA from Western Washington University in Environmental Economics.

(360) 650-3253
Jennifer.Bettis@wwu.edu

Jennifer heads BPRI research efforts including: fieldwork projects, data & policy analysis, and pursuing new research trajectories. She manages the portfolio of BPRI's research initiatives and grant funded projects; facilitates the publication of BPRI reports and briefs; conducts media outreach & manages social media. Jennifer manages BPRI's student research assistants and interns, as well as works with faculty and researchers on a variety of topics related to the border. Her work plays a critical role in both maintaining and furthering regional understandings of the importance of the international border in the BC – WA context.

Jennifer Bettis' research background is in political science and public policy. Her research interests include cross-border regionalism, cross-border media, environmental policy & law, cross-border trade, and political institutions. She holds a Master's degree in Political Science, and a BA in Social Science - both from CSU Chico.

 bissona2@wwu.edu

Dr. Andréanne Bissonnette’s research focuses on reproductive health access in the United States, with a focus on the intersections of ethnicity, immigration status and geographical position. More broadly, she engages in research on the US-Canada and US-Mexico border dynamics, with a focus on health. Her research interests include health policies, US politics, international migrations and contemporary geopolitical issues. She currently serves on the board of the Association for Borderlands Studies and is book review editors for the Journal of Borderlands Studies. She holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Quebec in Montreal.

Dr. Bissonnette is part of the binational research team focused on the equity of Canada – US border measures during the pandemic. This collaboration with Simon Fraser University’s Pandemics & Border project is supported by the New Frontiers in Research Fund administered by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

I am a senior at Western Washington University pursuing a degree in environmental studies with an emphasis in geographic information science along with a GIS certificate and geology minor. My academic interests include cartography, spatial modeling, and the geography of Cascadia. 

Outside of my classes, I enjoy skiing, skateboarding, and having potlucks with my friends. Doing research and cartography for the BPRI has been a highlight of my time at Western!

August assists the BPRI team with cartography, data collection & analysis, and research project assistance. 

I am a senior at Western Washington University pursuing a degree in Economics, with a certificate in Energy Economics and a minor in Business Administration. My academic interests center on statistical modeling, data collection, and energy markets and policy. Through my research at the BPRI, I’ve explored cross-border economic dynamics with a focus on translating data into meaningful insights.

Ammaya assists the BPRI team with economic data analysis & collection and research project assistance. 

Rosaline is a senior at the University of British Columbia, and is graduating from the Honours Political Science program. Her academic interests include public policy, economic development, and clean technologies. She is writing her honours thesis on the democratic governance of hydrogen energy, where she is able to apply these interests

Rosaline was first exposed to the impactful work of BPRI through working at InterVISTAS Consulting, where she currently works as a research analyst. Outside of school and work, she enjoys windsurfing, fashion, and photography!

Don.Alper@wwu.edu

Don is a Professor Emeritus who retired after 43 years of teaching in the Political Science department at WWU. Don established the BPRI in 2005 and served as the longtime director of both BPRI and the Center for Canadian – American Studies.  A native of California, he holds a Ph.D. in political science from The University of British Columbia. Don’s research interests focus on Canadian politics and British Columbia-U.S. transboundary issues. He continues to be involved with the BPRI.