Q&A with Phoebe Skok, communications associate

DG+Design is excited to welcome Phoebe Skok aboard as our communications associate.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I grew up about 20 minutes outside of Seattle in a small town called Issaquah. As an only child, I was always either inside with my nose in a book and a cat on my lap, or outside swimming and paddleboarding in Lake Sammamish and other local lakes. 

I’ve worked in pretty much every sector of communications, PR, and journalism, though mostly related to climate or higher education. Most recently, I spent six months at Latitude Media as a reporting fellow, which I loved because it gave me the chance to go deep into the complex, wonky details of how different climate technologies function and how clean energy projects get off the ground.

Where did your interest in the environment come from?

My love of the environment is very deep-rooted, as I spent a lot of time outdoors when I was a kid. My desire to work in climate first started during the 2016 election when I grew deeply interested in politics and saw the overlap of climate and policy in stark terms. What gave me the final push, however, was when I studied abroad in Australia during high school. I was immersed in an entirely different landscape and fell in love with it. Within months of my return to the States, Australia experienced the “Black Summer,” one of its worst wildfire seasons on record. Seeing the devastation in my newfound home really cemented the idea in me that I wanted to work in the environmental sector.

I spent my first couple of years of college during the pandemic at Bellevue College and studied political science, but eventually moved to San Diego to finish undergrad at UC San Diego and pursue environmental anthropology and French.

More recently, I just finished my master’s degree in climate science and policy earlier this year! I attended Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, which is known for its climate research. It was a very interdisciplinary, one-year intensive program, so I dove into a variety of topics within climate science and spent a lot of time studying environmental policy. It was probably the most challenging academic year of my life, but I learned so much and made some of my best friends there.

In my program, students complete a capstone project, as opposed to doing a thesis, which is essentially a more hands-on project instead of a research paper. I worked with San Diego’s Old Globe Theater for my capstone, conducting a lifecycle analysis of the theater’s productions. The final product was a 100-page guidebook meant to help local theaters improve their sustainability. My capstone was a fun way to combine a few of my passions. 

What’s your favorite part about working in the renewable energy sector?

A couple things: For one, I really enjoy getting into the nitty gritty of things. I was never that great at math and science, but I’ve always loved understanding how things work. I was the kid taking kitchen appliances apart to see how everything functioned, and then reassembling them. So far, I’ve loved learning how electrolyzers produce green hydrogen, how the grid works, and how energy flows — all of it scratches the nerd side of my brain. And most importantly: the people! Everyone in the climate space is very passionate about what they’re doing. There seems to be a place for everyone, and everyone seems to be doing their part because they truly want to.

Why did you choose to work with DG+?

With graduation coming up, I knew I wanted to find a cool opportunity in climate journalism or communications. I had heard about DG+ during my time at Latitude, and sent off an application. The people seemed interesting, and after an interview, things just snowballed from there. I knew working at DG+ would bring together both of my interests in communications and journalism, and it seemed like a balanced blend of what I wanted to do and what I was good at.

What do you hope to accomplish while on the DG+ Team?

I’m looking forward to getting to work with a wide variety of people and companies in different industries, and learning about everything I can — from finance to energy to tech. Honestly, I’m just excited to learn. The level of nerdery at DG+ was attractive at first and still excites me now that I’m here.

Near or far, where in the world would you want to travel to next?

I’ve always wanted to go to Slovenia, where my father’s family is from. I would love to go there and see my roots, and explore all of the beautiful national parks and lakes. Beyond that, coastal Chile is supposed to have a really vibrant culture and an amazing lakes district, so I’d love to go there. You can tell I love the water!

What's your favorite way to spend a day off?

Honestly, it depends on the season, but if it were a sunny day in the 70s, a coffee, crossword, and cat would make for a perfect morning. Then I’d go for a walk with my partner at the lake or beach, read and swim, and then I’d cook something in the evening. 

Tell us something fun or maybe unexpected about yourself.

Unexpected: I have a variety of chronic illnesses/conditions — most notably hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome — and I’m very passionate about raising awareness and accessibility for those in similar circumstances.

Fun: I love paper crafts. I used to make super intricate letters and pen pal with my friend on the East Coast, and I really want to get back into doing that. I’ve also been dabbling in string art lately, so we’ll see what I come up with next