I am originally from Eau Claire, Wisconsin. I pursued my undergraduate studies at Northland College in Ashland, Wisconsin, where I earned a bachelor’s degree in Natural Resources with a focus on forestry. During my time at Northland college, I worked in dendrochronology with Dr. Jon Martin analyzing tree core rings. I also was a member of Dr. Sarah Johnson’s rare plant research team, conducting population tracking of rare plant species within the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. My involvement also extended into assisting in the management of the on – campus greenhouse. I then graduated with a Master of Science degree from Wichita State University. Under the guidance of Dr. Houseman in the Community Ecology lab, my research focused on understanding the relationship between plant traits and species performance during the early stages of community assembly in tallgrass prairies. Beyond my thesis work I was also involved in other collaborative projects during my time as a graduate student which included assisting in a study on combining goats and cattle to combat problematic plants in the Flint Hills, Kansas pastures. Along with assisting in a seed bank viability study for Sericea lespedeza.

M.S University of Minnesota  

Experience working at multiple agencies. Interested in invasive species, insect and disease monitoring, planting, and monitoring. Lover of trees.