From the warm Caribbean waters of Panama to the freshwater lakes of Madison, Wisconsin, and the rivers of the desert Southwest, I’ve had the great opportunity to work on water conservation and biocultural restoration projects around North America.

I’ve focused my most recent work at the intersection of public lands, water, and environmental justice - working to ensure equitable access, funding, and management of land and water resources for Native Nations and Indigenous peoples.

 

CONSERVATION EXPERIENCE

 

Native Lands Partnership

· Research and development of key database and policy report for Executive Leadership Team on Native American land policy and co-management practices on federal lands. Provided strategic direction and federal policy recommendations, and a framework for a paradigm shift in co-management practices.

· Developed portfolio of new connections and opportunities for expanded partnerships in Indian Country.

· Crafted org-wide survey & assessment to evaluate TWS’s existing work with Native Nations to inform internal recommendations on improving support for Native-led projects and Tribal capacity-building.

· Led creation of Letters of Support, social media content, and key graphics on public lands equity work and place-based campaigns.

Water & Tribes Initiatives Fellow - Colorado River Basin Office

·  Analyzed 150+ Federal grant & loan programs to identify the challenges Tribes face in accessing Federal funding for water conservation projects. Created robust database for basin-wide partners to improve access to and knowledge of Federal programs. Made policy and practice recommendations and presented findings.

·  Supported development & coordination of community-building event among San Juan Basin Tribes aimed at facilitating basin-wide Native-led conversations about the future of the San Juan.

Researcher & Co-Author

Water Science & Policy article to be submitted for publication Winter 2022

·  Partner with Principal Investigators and co-Authors in writing, editing, and preparation of manuscript.

·  Conduct literature review and created synthesis matrix on WOTUS definition changes, U.S. water policy, geospatial mapping of wetlands, and ecosystem services.

·  Prepare and present detailed reports to project team and stakeholders on research & publication findings.

Graduate researcher

Lake Winnebago Intertribal Connectivity Project

·  Coordinated project team, intertribal partners, and state and local agencies to develop project plan and implementation of biocultural restoration of Lake Winnebago and its aquatic resources.

·  Qualitative & quantitative data analysis and literature review on L. Winnebago ecology and cultural history.

·  Conducted cultural story-mapping interviews with Tribal Elders in L. Winnebago watershed.

·  Secured $250,000 in key project funding through SeaGrant, with additional grant applications underway.

·  Convened Researcher Resources

Environmental Conservation specialist

Developed strategic initiatives addressing environmental conservation, community health, and water access.

·  Coordinated productive partnerships between government environmental agencies and community stakeholders on grants and proposals for restoration ecology and land management projects including watershed management, environmental health, and endangered species conservation.

·  Led community outreach in impoverished rural areas to identify opportunities for environmental & social impact projects including improved access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene.

·  Trained community volunteers in citizen science conservation and ecological restoration techniques.

 

PROJECT MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE

OWNER, project manager, designer

·  Oversaw project management to ensure that activities, budgets, and milestones were coordinated and updated frequently to ensure that project scheduling, spending, and reporting supported objectives.

·  Navigated complex team dynamics within commercial client groups by conducting deep-dive research and brainstorming sessions creating outcome-oriented concepts focused on desired business metrics.   

ENTREPRENEUR, DESIGNER

·  Developed and executed business plan, arranged financing, developed go-to-market strategies, and produced, marketed, and sold products in retail stores, online shops, and own web store.

·  Grew client base from 0 to 2500+ through marketing, direct engagement, and outreach.

·  Created in-house graphic design, copy, and photography for all product literature, marketing, & branding.

INTERIOR DESIGNER & PROJECT MANAGER

Managed highly valuable contracts from Apple Inc., Blackboard, and the U.S. Government.

·  Developed scoping requests for subcontract work and coordinated across design teams and client boards for the successful implementation of multi-million-dollar, high-pressure projects.