Overview

I apply ecology, environmental policy and data science to monitor, study, manage and conserve threatened and endangered species, and biodiversity more broadly. My background includes over 5 years of professional post-graduate research experience studying birds—including imperiled species—across the United States in federal government and NGO roles, where I developed practical solutions to collect, manage, analyze and interpret ecological and geospatial data in the context of long-term population demography studies. I hold a B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Science from Tennessee Tech University and a M.S. in Biology (with a thesis in the ecology and behavior of federally threatened Florida Scrub-Jays) from the University of Central Florida. I am certified as an Associate Wildlife Biologist® by The Wildlife Society.

My work at conservation science NGOs in California and Florida, where I was a sub-permittee on federal bird banding permits, developed my practical skills in field research. I gained additional proficiency in experimental design, quantitative ecology and independent research as a master's student. Cumulative coursework, teaching and professional research experiences provided me with a comprehensive education in both theoretical and applied ecology, plus a detailed functional knowledge of GIS and statistical software applications that I honed as an independent researcher. This early-career development culminated in my selection as a Directorate Fellow with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, where I applied my skills to develop novel data entry and management interfaces for biologists at the Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge, and my subsequent appointment as a Fish and Wildlife Biologist at the Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office.