My Journey

I was born and raised in Upstate NY where my passion for fish started from a young age. I spent an abundance of my childhood fishing my local rivers and streams and in doing so learned about and connected with those ecosystems.

I obtained my bachelor's degree in aquatic and fisheries science from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (GO STUMPIES!) and during undergrad I met my partner Tyler who is as passionate (if not more) about fish than I am.

Upon graduation, we moved to Minnesota together to peruse higher education and experience all the Midwest had to offer. I received my master's degree in water resources science from the University of Minnesota with my thesis focusing on aquatic invasive species prevention efforts.

I now live in North Carolina where I work remotely for the Great Lakes Commission (confusing, I know). After both graduating from the University of Minnesota, Tyler and I moved down to North Carolina where he is pursuing his PhD and I am enjoying the southeastern fish diversity with lots of travel back up to the Great Lakes Region (the best of both worlds!).

In my career, I use my skills to enhance and protect freshwater resources and better understand the ecological and social aspects of aquatic invasive species and their impacts.

My Career: Great Lakes Commission

I joined the GLC’s aquatic invasive species team as a program specialist in 2023. In this role, I work on various projects including:

Invasive Mussel Collaborative
European Frog-bit Collaborative
Great Lakes Phragmites Collaborative
Great Lakes Aquatic Invasive Species Landing Blitz
Great Lakes Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species
Great Lakes Spawning Whitefish and Invasive Mussels (SWIM) Project

My Graduate Studies: University of Minnesota

My thesis work aimed to quantify the costs and effectiveness of aquatic invasive species prevention practices completed by boaters and trained watercraft inspectors. Results have helped inform managers on the most cost-effective locations to place their prevention resources across the landscape. As a graduate student, I sought out creating community and served as the Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Center (MAISRC) Graduate Student Chair and Water Resources Science Students In Action (WRSIA) Co-President.

My Undergrad Studies: SUNY ESF

The time I spent at SUNY ESF solidified my passion for better understanding and protecting freshwater ecosystems. While obtaining my degree I regularly volunteered at local fish hatcheries, attended meetings of the ESF Student Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, and went out on field trips.

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