Hello and welcome to this site! I’m an associate professor in the Department of IdLS at James Madison University, and an affiliate professor in the Department of Biology. I am also an affiliate of the Bloomington Urban Forestry Research Group (BUFRG) at Indiana University.
In 2012 I graduated from Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs with a PhD in Environmental Science. Prior to that time I received a dual master’s degree in Environmental Science (MSES) and Public Affairs (MPA) from Indiana University, and a biology degree from Gustavus Adolphus College.
My research started in the mountains of Guatemala, where I studied the ecosystem services of shade-grown coffee systems, and the land-use/cover change dynamics of coffee-forest landscapes. During that time I worked on a number of projects with BUFRG scholars and colleagues associated with the Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis (now Ostrom Workshop). These projects informed my current research which is focused on investigating the social-ecological dynamics of urban forests, including private residential forests, street trees, public parks, and other greenspaces.
Prior to joining the JMU faculty, I postdoc’ed at Carleton College. I enjoy teaching, and have taught a number of advanced courses at JMU (urban ecology, agroecol
ogy, environmental science, coffee ecology and culture) as well as introductory natural science courses for non-majors biology students and pre-service teachers. I’m an ISA Certified Arborist and try to apply my arboriculture knowledge to campus and community forestry initiatives. As a result, I currently sit on a number of campus and community committees that address urban forest composition and cover, including JMU’s Tree Advisory Committee and campus pollinator committee, and the City of Harrisonburg’s Land Use and Green Space committee, Regional Food Systems committee, and the Environmental Performance Standards Advisory Committee.