About me:

​Cannabis research has been an important part of my scientific journey, offering unique opportunities to explore plant–insect interactions, drought resilience, and cultivation practices for a newly regulated crop. At the same time, my professional scope is much broader—spanning ecology, environmental science, agricultural outreach, and teaching.
  • Research: Designed and led multi-state arthropod surveys, outdoor drought experiments, feral vs. cultivated crop comparisons, and insect feeding bioassays—collecting and curating over 4,000 specimens—while developing robust data-collection workflows and communicating outcomes through data visualization.
  • Teaching: Taught Evolution and Principles of Biological Investigation lab, emphasizing hands-on learning and clear scientific communication.
  • Extension: Co-authored fact sheets, coordinated producer field days, and, as a UC Master Gardener, developed public workshops and participatory phenology studies of vegetable varieties  across the Tahoe Basin.
  • Outreach & Community: Designed and delivered workshops, community garden programs, and municipal resource initiatives including KEEP TRUCKEE GREEN, as well as educational programming with the UNR Museum of Natural History, engaging audiences from K–12 students to local agencies and community members.
  • Coursework Foundation: Built a strong technical base through undergraduate studies in ecology, hydrology, and environmental law, including regulatory frameworks such as NEPA and CEQA.

When I'm not wrangling insects, data or chemistry, I'm wrangling these two pups!!!

As a kid, I loved volunteering as a re-enactor and docent at Stuhr Museum—a living history museum in Nebraska. That experience fostered an interest in history long before I became a scientist. Because I value these stories, I digitized a large collection of family photos to preserve them, and the images here are just a small glimpse. I hope you enjoy these views of life in Nebraska and Minnesota as much as I do!