About Me

Hi! I just finished my Ph.D. at Central Michigan University in the Earth and Ecosystem Sciences program. I'm now a postdoctoral research fellow at the Smithsonian National Zoo's Center for Conservation Genomics. I am broadly interested in using molecular tools to answer ecological and conservation related questions, particularly in aquatic habitats. 

My dissertation work is under the supervision of Dr. David Zanatta centering conservation, genomics, and evolution of freshwater mussels. You can watch my defense seminar here.

My research at the Smithsonian is under the supervision of Dr. Robert Fleischer focusing on a variety of conservation genomics and population genomic projects of birds.

Check out the Research tab to read more about my work. 

I grew up on Florida's Gulf Coast falling in love with the ocean. As a little girl, I knew I would grow up to be a scientist (though at that point I wanted to be a paleontologist), and I am so grateful for the opportunities that have led me here. After I graduated Magna Cum Laude from Port Charlotte High School, I moved to the gorgeous Pensacola, FL to complete a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology at the University of West Florida. The program at UWF allowed me to gain hands-on experience with lab and field techniques relevant to my research interests. After completing that degree, I worked as a Benthic Ecology intern at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium. I wasn't quite done with UWF, and I returned under the supervision of Dr. Alexis Janosik to complete a Master of Science degree in Biology. You can read more about my past experiences and current research on the respective pages.