My Story

As a child, I had a Pegasus as a pet (seriously, nobody else saw it?), knew I was part mermaid, and believed Africa was just around the corner.

As an adult, things have changed: Pegasus flew off to follow his own path, my mermaid ancestry is a bit uncertain, and Africa is definitely NOT just around the corner from Maine. However, I still believe there is magic in the world and use my passion for nature to do my best to make the world a better place through research, writing, collaboration, and education.

Whether it was hanging with the menagerie that ranged from fish to horses that lived at my house, or observing wildlife, my world has always revolved around animals. This passion led to volunteer experiences that included the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of marine mammals and working as a licensed veterinary technician. But it was a visit to Kenya as an undergrad that cemented my love of animal behavior and conservation, ultimately leading to a master’s degree in Wildlife Science and PhD in Environmental Studies (where my research focused on painted dogs – also known as African wild dogs).

Animal behavior is my passion, but as the human component cannot be ignored, I’ve found myself focusing more on human-wildlife interactions and how we can peacefully coexist. In addition, I’m interested in integrating science and art to offer different perspectives for learning about and seeing this amazing planet we all call home. This is the basis of the projects I create and collaborate on – and what lets me combine my love of nature, research, and writing.