Alisan Amrhein earned a master’s degree in environmental science and management from the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management (specializing in Coastal Marine Resource Management) at University of California, Santa Barbara in 2014. Before graduate school, Amrhein interned with the Orange County Coastkeeper and was involved with the initial development of and data analysis for the MPA Watch Program, a citizen science program that monitors human activity in and around marine protected areas.
At the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Amrhein assisted with the development of a Fishery Management Plan for the northern California red abalone fishery.