About Me

I grew up on a small beef and hay farm in central Pennsylvania, where I spent my childhood exploring the different features on the farm-- an old quarry, Buffalo Run, the little creek that ran through our property, and the mountains. That love for the outdoors and curiosity about the natural world led me to seek out every opportunity—both formal and informal—to learn more about it. I also love teaching about anything wild-- and center my teaching around compassionate conservation. 

I consider myself to be a wildlife conservationist whose research is at the intersection of ecological and social science. I use quantitative and qualitative approaches to study how environmental, social, and policy factors influence wildlife populations and species distributions. I also strive to  better understand approaches that mitigate conflict and encourage coexistence between people and wildlife. 

My research has taken me to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, where I evaluated the ability of the river otter (Lontra canadensis) to serve as an aquatic flagship species for the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, and assessed various camera-trapping methods to detect elusive carnivore species. I have also been involved in a multiple wildlife ecology projects focused in western Maryland and West Virginia, including a study on assessing the presence, den-site selection, and movements of the eastern spotted skunk (Spilogale putorius), a project assessing carnivore interactions at Allegheny woodrat (Neotoma magister) latrines, and multiple studies involving various bat species in caves and abandoned railroad tunnels.

As an Assistant Professor in the Environmental Science and Sustainability Department and Co-Director of the Watershed Research and Conservation Center at Allegheny College I engage in a variety of student-driven research projects and work to train our next generation of watershed stewards.