I grew up in multiple states across the eastern United States, where my love for amphibians and reptiles flourished. My childhood was largely spent immersed in herpetology field guides and searching for amphibians and reptiles in my backyard and nearby forests. My passion for these organisms never faded, and ultimately became accompanied by a strong resolve to pursue conservation-oriented research, after learning about amphibian declines in high school. I later earned my BS in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from the University of Florida in 2017, and my MS in Fish and Wildlife Conservation from Virginia Tech in 2019. For my MS thesis, I assessed factors influencing the utility of in situ artificial shelters for monitoring eastern hellbenders (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis).

 

I am currently a PhD candidate in the Piovia-Scott Lab at Washington State University. My current research centers on conservation biogeography questions spanning multiple scales, mostly focused on amphibians. For my dissertation research, I am evaluating the distribution of seeps and seep-associated species in the Pacific Northwest and working to identify locations where seeps and headwater streams may serve as climate change and disturbance refugia, using a combination of environmental DNA (eDNA) and visual encounter surveys. Other current projects include developing novel approaches for identifying global amphibian biodiscovery and conservation priority areas, as well as identifying the sensitivity of amphibians in the Pacific Northwest to climate change. My primary research interests include conservation biogeography, spatial ecology, and amphibian biodiscovery and conservation.