Meet GCC's Fall 2025 Research Assistants

GCC's student Research Assistants work with our Mitigation, Adaptation, and Communications teams to conduct research on climate policy development and analysis, contribute to our Adaptation Clearinghouse online library, and support the publication of GCC's reports, events, and resources. As the Fall semester winds down, GCC extends our appreciation to our Research Assistants for their hard work.

Kristina McKean (2L), Madhura Shembekar (SFS ‘26), and Khristina Holterman (2L) rejoined GCC this semester, continuing on from the summer, and we welcomed new RAs Zoe Gutherman (CAS ‘27) and Raissi Bysiewicz (3L).

“Through Research Assistant opportunities, Georgetown students gain real-world experience and skills while expanding GCC's capacity to help local, state, and federal policymakers advance effective climate solutions,” said Kate Zyla, GCC's Executive Director.

Kristina Holterman (2L) | Communications Research Assistant Khristina Holterman (2L) is a Fall 2025 Communications Research Assistant at the Georgetown Climate Center and an incoming 2L at Georgetown University Law Center. Khristina is rejoining GCC for the Fall semester, continuing on from the Summer. Khristina graduated from UC Berkeley with a B.S. in Conservation and Resource Studies and a minor in Public Policy. At Berkeley, she served as an editor and staff writer for The Daily Californian and worked as a laboratory assistant at the Lawrence Hall of Science. She also previously interned at Environment California as a communications assistant. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Khristina enjoys exploring Northern California’s forests and surfing along the coast, and she’s excited to keep exploring D.C. She looks forward to continuing to use her writing and policy experience to support GCC’s work on advancing equitable climate policies and helping communities adapt to a changing environment.

Zoe Gutherman (CAS ‘27) | Communications Research Assistant Zoe Gutherman (CAS ‘27) is a Fall 2025 Communications Research Assistant at GCC. She is pursuing a B.S. in Environment and Sustainability, the new joint degree program between the Georgetown College of Arts and Sciences and The Earth Commons, as well as a minor in Law, Justice, and Society. Originally from New York State, Zoe has always liked the outdoors and is interested in how humans can positively interact with our environment. She is a TA for one of the undergraduate Environment and Sustainability Science courses and the BS-ES program ambassador with the Earth Commons. Outside of classes and work, Zoe is the Impact Manager at Georgetown REUSE and enjoys reading, playing tennis, and cooking in her free time.

Kristina McKean (2L) | Adaptation Research Assistant Kristina McKean is an Adaptation Research Assistant at GCC. She is a rising 2L at Georgetown University Law Center and previously received a BA in Environmental Science and Policy at Duke University. Prior to law school, Kristina was an Impact and Sustainability Manager at a public benefit corporation where she developed a sustainability program and successfully led the company through the B Corp certification process. She also spent time in the Office of Remediation Programs at the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. Kristina is pursuing a legal education with the aim of using the knowledge she gains in service of communities and the environment, and she is excited to begin that journey at GCC.

Madhura Shembekar (SFS '26) | Adaptation Research Assistant Madhura Shembekar (SFS '26) is an Adaptation Research Assistant at GCC. Madhura is a rising senior in the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown majoring in Science, Technology, and International Affairs with a concentration in Energy & Environment and a minor in Spanish. Originally from Scottsdale, Arizona, Madhura is passionate about the intersection between climate change, policy, and justice. At Georgetown, she has previously worked with the Earth Commons Institute on various projects as well as for their magazine, Common Home. Madhura is a Sustainable Business Fellow with the McDonough School of Business and she currently volunteers with the Center for Social Justice on their Climate and Environmental Justice Initiative. In her free time, she loves reading, exploring DC, and going to the movies.

Raissi Bysiewicz (3L) | Mitigation Research Assistant Raissi Bysiewicz (3L) is a Fall 2025 Mitigation Research Assistant at the Georgetown Climate Center and a 3L at Georgetown University Law Center. She previously served as a Law Clerk with the Fossil Fuels team at Earthjustice and as the Roger E. Koontz Fellow in Law and Climate Policy at Acadia Center, where she researched renewable energy finance, governance, and strategies for equitable decarbonization. Raissi has also worked with Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), supporting NEPA litigation and federal workforce advocacy. She looks forward to contributing to the Mitigation Team’s efforts to advance just and effective climate policy.