I am a scientific program manager within NOAA's National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) Competitive Research Program. My transition to federal service began as a Knauss Marine Policy Fellow working with NOAA's Senior Advisor for Coastal Inundation and Resilience, Mark Osler. 

I received my PhD at the University of Georgia's Odum School of Ecology, advised by Dr. Craig Osenberg. I graduated from the University of Florida in 2014 with a BSc in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, and a minor in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 

Over the past 12 years, I have conducted research along the Atlantic coast, particularly focusing on salt marshes, rocky shores, and bay estuaries. 

Expanding into my new role as a program manager, I strive to cultivate a broad awareness of the science advancing coastal community resilience, promote equitable access to these advancements, and to cultivate an inclusive scientific community. 

The experiences and the skills I have gained throughout my scientific career have culminated in my desire to better understand the ways in which scientific research can guide policy decisions made at local, state, and federal levels, particularly with regard to informing coastal resilience. Today’s coastal challenges cannot be solved by research, communication, or policy alone, but by their synergy resulting in informed, inclusive, and adaptive decision making.