Bio

I have loved paleontology even before I could spell it.  Growing up in Kansas City, I was surrounded by fossiliferous limestones and would spend hours searching for marine invertebrate fossils.  My excitement of being the first human to see a fossil in millions of years established a deep interest in ancient life.  I first announced my future career in paleontology as a 3rd grader and even spent my recesses searching for tiny crinoid fossils in the playground gravel. 

And later, although I started Emporia State University (ESU) with plans of becoming a high school science teacher, I changed my major after taking an intro to geology class.  While completing my undergraduate I became the Assistant Curator of ESU's Johnston Geology Museum and received a paid summer internship at Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historic Park in Nebraska.  In December of 2007, I graduated with a Bachelor's of Science in Earth Science and a Minor in Paleontology.

In January of 2008, just a few short weeks after graduation, I started my position as the Collections Manager of the University of Montana Paleontology Collection (UMPC), where I still currently work.  During these 15+ years I've supervised a large renovation of the collection facility, gave hundreds of tours to school and community groups, organized public outreach events, facilitated paleontological research, and even consulted for Disney (more about this here).  

Then in 2017, I became a co-host and content consultant on PBS Eons. Eons is an award-winning YouTube channel that is a collaboration between PBS and Complexly a production company based in Missoula, Montana.  The channel explores the history of our planet and the evolution of its life.  I also hosted a livestream for the newly renovated Deep Time Hall at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.