Experience

Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission

• United States
• Law Enforcement
• 500 - 600 Employee

• Section Leader - Ecosystem Assessment and Restoration

  • Feb 2022 - Present

  The Ecosystem Assessment and Restoration Section is responsible for monitoring and investigating harmful algal blooms such as Florida red tide; collecting and analyzing habitat and species data for terrestrial, freshwater, and marine habitats; and monitoring for and responding to fish and wildlife disease outbreaks. This section monitors the condition of Florida’s seagrass, coastal wetlands, coral reefs, terrestrial habitats, and freshwater plants, as well as evaluates the effects of management actions on these habitats. Researcher staff provide technical assistance related to harmful algal blooms, fish and wildlife health, and habitat to partners; respond to fish and wildlife mortality events, including stony coral tissue loss disease; study the unknown neurological disorder impacting the endangered Florida panther; and conduct surveillance for wildlife diseases such as Chronic Wasting Disease in deer.

• Habitat Research Administrator

  • Jun 2019 - Feb 2022

  The Habitat Research Subsection collects and analyzes terrestrial, freshwater, estuarine and marine habitat and species data to aid in effective conservation, management and restoration action.

• Species & Habitat Monitoring Coordinator

  • Apr 2017 - Jun 2019

  - Identified priority research, restoration and monitoring projects to address program goals.- Produced a roadmap for Florida’s status and performance monitoring to be implemented over the next 10 years in the revised 2018 State Wildlife Action Plan. - Leading the effort to incorporate effectiveness (outcome) monitoring into projects funded by the State Wildlife Grant Program to demonstrate the impact of habitat restoration actions. - Collaborated with partners to identify shared needs, leverage resources and develop grant proposals.- Conducted site visits and reviewed progress reports and deliverables for Florida’s federally-funded State Wildlife Grant Program. - Facilitated information sharing between researchers and managers as well as between the agency and partners.- Team Leader of the FWC-USFWS Landscape Conservation Project’s Indicators & Targets Team, which identifies habitat-based indicators to track the impact of Florida’s conservation actions on terrestrial, freshwater, estuarine and marine habitats. - Principle Investigator of a State Wildlife Grant project to develop a process for maintaining the FWC Species Ranking System and develop a user-friendly database that can track changes in status over time.

• Wildlife Legacy Biologist

  • Oct 2012 - Apr 2017

  - Leader of Legacy Initiative Goal Teams that allocated over $1.8 million of Florida’s State Wildlife Grants to 33 wildlife and habitat research and monitoring projects.- Facilitator for agency and partner teams, including the Florida TIG, USFWS-FWC Panther Recovery Criteria Sub-Team, FWC Law Enforcement Forensics Review Team, and the USFWS-FWC Annual Coordination. - Streamlined grant solicitation/selection processes, guiding applicants through the process on an annual basis.- Editor and contributor to the Legacy Initiative’s e-newsletter distributed to over 17,000 subscribers. - Provided technical and other assistance to conduct conservation planning, implement wildlife and habitat conservation actions, and manage project tasks within the agency’s North Central Region.



Clemson University

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Graduate Assistant

  • Aug 2009 - May 2012

  • “Activity Pattern, Home Range, and Diet of the American Mink (Neovison vison) & the Potential Impact on Species of Concern in the Northern Coastal Marshes of South Carolina” • Provided support to fellow graduate students’ research projects: Effectiveness of an Oral Contraceptive on Reducing Gray Squirrel Reproduction and Population, Coyote Ecology & the Potential Impacts on Federally Endangered and Threatened Species on Barrier Islands

• Graduate Teaching Assistant

  • Aug 2010 - Dec 2010

  Course: Wildlife Management & Lab• Presented lectures when necessary • Graded exams, literature review presentations, and wildlife management plans • Organized and assisted with the weekly labs