About

During my undergraduate years at Michigan State University, I developed a passion for captive animal welfare. In particular, internships at the Toledo Zoo, Potter Park Zoo, and Disney's Animal Kingdom instilled the importance of behavioral enrichment as a tool to improve welfare in zoo species. Ultimately, these experiences led to graduate research (Ph.D.) that integrated my interests. I performed my dissertation research at the Brookfield Zoo and the Lincoln Park Zoo, and also studied free-ranging species in Chicago, IL and Sydney, Australia.

I completed my Ph.D. at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Currently, I am a Special Lecturer at Oakland University in Rochester, MI, where I teach both lecture and laboratory courses in animal behavior/behavioral ecology and organismal biology. I also thoroughly enjoy mentoring undergraduate students interested in pursuing research opportunities. These more recent endeavors have lead to successful collaborations with both the Detroit Zoo, and Sea Life Aquarium Michigan (see Research Interests tab for more info).