I help diverse communities get, understand, and co-generate scientific information to connect with, protect, restore, and benefit from urban nature.
Most of my work is related to protecting and restoring urban ecosystems, streams, and native fishes, such as the Southern steelhead trout; wildland/urban interface issues such as fire and invasive species; and using nature-based solutions to increase ecological and cultural resilience.
I have studied conservation biology, genetics, and policy across Southern California, the Colorado River, and the African Great Lakes. In addition to my academic career, I have worked for the Urban Biodiversity Hub, the Council for Watershed Health, the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (in Malawi), the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the County of Los Angeles, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Applied Biosystems, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, and Hudsonia Environmental Ltd.
About me.
Engaging communities
I am also interested in how public participation in science (“citizen” science) can engage communities and result in better conservation outcomes, and particularly in bringing marginalized, low-income BIPOC communities into natural resource decision making processes.
I am the co-founder and former Associate Director of the California Naturalist program where I spearheaded efforts to use Extension naturalist training with city conservation corps to develop the next generation of leaders in urban stewardship.