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I am a marine scientist interested in global change ecology and restoration in the rapidly changing world keeping in mind the people that utilize and enjoy these ecosystems. 

I am originally from Massachusetts, USA.  When growing up my parents brought my brothers and myself to the ocean from a young age, bringing us to aquariums, going on camping trips and longer trips as well. My summer playground was Cape Cod where I would go to the beach, skimboarding, looking through the seagrass, saltmarshes, sand and mudflats looking for critters with a net and bucket and biking. I attempt to surf but I am no good.  When I was a young kid, I said I wanted to be a marine biologist but I was afraid to go underwater for any extended period of time so in middle school I was going more into the climate and weather fields, but the ocean and the the outdoors always called my name. By the end of middle school my ears no longer got infected going under water and I didn't fear going under water. Then my family and I went to the US Virgin Islands for a family trip, where I snorkeled and from there generally knew I wanted to work in marine science.  I then went to community college and got my gen eds out of the way getting my associates degree. I also took a coral reef ecology class and then went to Umass Boston. 

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After community college I went to Umass Boston, where I received my B.S in Environmental Science along with minors in Biology and Environmental Anthropology.  At UMass I took a summer course at the Nantucket Field Station. This opened up my opportunity to volunteer for the Byrnes laboratory helping. I then became an undergraduate research assistant for the lab working in seagrass and saltmarsh work. This included my honors thesis which I completed at the Nantucket Field Station.  During my last semester, Once I graduated, I then went and became a teaching assistant for Shoals Marine Lab in New Hampshire.  I then applied to the Marine and environmental science program at the University of the Virgin Islands. 

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I recently graduated from the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) with my Master of Science degree in Marine and environmental science. (In the MMES program). Here I worked in coral restoration and marine diseases as a research assistant with Reef Response. For my thesis, I looked at how the Non-Native seagrass Halophila stipulacea impacts invertebrate communities around the waters of St. Thomas. This research consisted of invertebrate community assessments, seagrass surveys, Predation experiments and feeding experiments. Currently working on getting my thesis published. 

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After living in the US Virgin Islands working and getting my M.S degree, I will be moving to Victoria Australia to get a PhD in Environmental Science working on a seagrass mapping and restoration project. 

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