Before pursuing a career in ecology, I worked as an art handler and project and collections manager in the art handling industry for nearly ten years. I received a BFA in Fine Art Photography from Arizona State University in 2012. After that, I decided to change careers and go back to school to study science. I received my BS at the University of Washington in 2023, where I studied Environmental Science and Resource Management.
I am currently pursuing a PhD at Syracuse University. My research focuses on the role of mycorrhizal fungi in temperate and boreal forest ecosystems. I am focused on how fungi impact biogeochemical cycles and their role in soil carbon stability and persistence across depth. My research explores how mycorrhizal fungi, both living (biomass) and dead (necromass), influences the soil environment.
When I am not focusing on school, you can find me foraging for edible or dye mushrooms, hiking, camping, reading, knitting, painting, hammocking and making pictures.