I am an ecologist with particular interests in wildlife and biogeochemistry. Most of my research examines wildlife responses to human activities and its broader consequences for ecosystems - bridging gaps between animal science (ecology, nutrition, physiology, movement, and behavior) and ecosystem functioning. I am largely motivated by issues of conservation and sustainability and strive to conduct research that improves the way we understand and protect biodiversity.

I am currently a PhD candidate in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department at Cornell University advised by Dr. Alex Flecker. I am also the President of the Amazon Research & Conservation Collaborative (ARCC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on biological and cultural conservation in the Ecuadorian Amazon. I received my BS in Environmental Science with an emphasis in Terrestrial Ecology from Western Washington University, advised by Dr. John McLaughlin. Prior to my PhD, I worked as a GIS Program Lead for Cascade Water Alliance, a municipal water corporation in the Puget Sound region. I have worked various outdoor jobs in the past (guide, technician), and am passionate about being in the field. I grew up in the North Cascade Mountains of Washington State and will always call the Pacific Northwest home.


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Recent blogs and media

- NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE: “Resisting the carbonization of animals as climate solutions”

- BLOG: “Reflections on ecotourism and wildlife conservation in the Peruvian Amazon”

- USA TODAY: “Climate change washed away bald eagles’ food. Now these eagles are becoming farm birds.”

- PHYS.ORG: “How feeding birds may be polluting local environments”

- CBC RADIO PODCAST: “Eagles are eating cows instead of salmon – and farmers are happy”


Canoeing along the waterways of New York, USA
Canoeing along the waterways of New York, USA
Examining the entrance to mineral lick (a tapir highway) with Maijuna hunters in Loreto, Peruvian Amazon
Examining the entrance to mineral lick (a tapir highway) with Maijuna hunters in Loreto, Peruvian Amazon
A lowland tapir visiting a mineral lick at the Tiputini Biodiversity Station, Yasuni, Ecuador
A lowland tapir visiting a mineral lick at the Tiputini Biodiversity Station, Yasuni, Ecuador
Boating the tributaries of the Sucusari River, Loreto, Peru w/ my good friend Joe
Boating the tributaries of the Sucusari River, Loreto, Peru w/ my good friend Joe
Sharing stories and research with visiting students at the Tiputini Biodiversity Station, Ecuadorian Amazon
Sharing stories and research with visiting students at the Tiputini Biodiversity Station, Ecuadorian Amazon
Collecting field data in southern Yasuni, Ecuador
Collecting field data in southern Yasuni, Ecuador
Overlook in Glacier National Park, MT, USA
Overlook in Glacier National Park, MT, USA
Hanging out with my pelican friend in Puerto Escondido, Mexico
Hanging out with my pelican friend in Puerto Escondido, Mexico