I grew up in Washington, D.C. in a family largely uninterested in nature. As a result, I recall that my early experiences outdoors were self-motivated. I spent much of my time exploring Rock Creek Park, the Potomac River, and the largest estuary in the United States, the Chesapeake Bay. In addition to my early interest in the environment, I developed a strong interest in human and civil rights movements, and I explored these interdisciplinary interests throughout my undergraduate career.
My current research expands my commitment to social justice, conservation and environmental problem solving. My work explores the integrative social and ecological impacts of transnational pollution in the Tijuana River Watershed from a justice perspective. I focus on transnational grassroots environmental justice movements, studying how communities mobilize across borders, what factors strengthen social networks and how that translates into adaptive capacity and ecological integrity of borderland ecosystems.
Outside of my research, I enjoy spending time with my calico cat, Ivy, and working towards my goal of visiting all nine national parks in California before the end of my PhD (only three left to go!). Throughout my PhD thus far, I have participated in the Yale Environmental Fellows Program, completed an internship at Clean Water Action, served as a peer mentor in the Our Future is Science Program with the Aspen Institute, selected as 2023 Community, Equity, Learning and Persistence Scholar at the Aquarium of the Pacific, and developed and led a diving and marine science high school internship with the California Science Center.
