Thesis Topic

The effects of land use and habitat connectivity on the movement of Roosevelt Elk (Cervus canadensis roosevelti) on the North Coast of California

About Me

I was born and raised in Renton, Washington, where I was always surrounded by city life and traffic. Luckily, I grew up in a family that loved the outdoors and would regularly go on camping trips and spend time in nature. I grew up knowing that I wanted to work with animals in some shape or form, and that’s what led me to pursue my undergraduate degree at Washington State University. While obtaining my undergraduate degree, I volunteered at several of the captive wildlife facilities on campus including the pygmy rabbit, grizzly bear, and bighorn sheep facilities. During this time, I also became a project manager for a non-profit conservation organization based out of Pullman, Washington where I focused on the restoration of fragmented native habitat in and around the Black Hills National Forest. After receiving my degree, I spent some time in Montana surveying black-footed ferret and prairie dog populations, which exposed me to my first full season of field work. In 2019 I was happy to receive a job with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife out of Eureka, California, working with Roosevelt elk on the north coast. This job eventually led me to pursue a master's degree at Cal Poly Humboldt assessing elk populations on the coast! In my free time, I enjoy crafting, reading, getting outside, and hanging out with my cat.

Undergraduate Institution

Washington State University, Pullman