Cate Byrne is a research assistant and undergraduate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill completing her Bachelor's in Political Science and Economics with a minor in Sustainability Studies. She intends to begin a JD program in the fall of 2021. Cate is passionate about environmental justice and focuses on upholding vulnerable community perspectives in environmental policy and research, largely inspired by her work as a Disaster Case Manager in coastal North Carolina communities. Her undergraduate capstone addresses racial disparities in North Carolina water utility finances during COVID-19, and as a 2020 Burch Fellow, Cate is also conducting exploratory research on best practices in building equitable drought resiliency strategies following the Cape Town water crisis.