Welcome - I am currently a Research Assistant Professor at the Center for Public Service (CPS) in the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University. As a member of the research faculty at CPS, I lead projects that explore leadership development, climate governance, public policy, workforce development, sustainable industries, and innovation in higher education. I also work with organizations around the Pacific Northwest, helping them build leadership and change management capacity.

Prior to my role at CPS, I served as a teaching assistant professor in Public Administration at PSU, teaching courses in civic engagement, leadership, the environment and natural resources, and nonprofit management. Trained in ecology, evolution, and marine biology, I have studied the effects of acidification and hypoxia on valuable and threatened marine species around the Pacific Rim, developed a public-private education and conservation program in the Coral Triangle, contributed to a bilingual teacher pathway program in Oregon, and co-founded a nonprofit research station in southern southeast Alaska. My background bridges natural and human systems, honing my professional focus on strategic research and training programs in the public and nonprofit sectors. 

I hold a B.S. in Aquatic Biology, an M.A. in Comparative Physiology, and a Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology from the University of California at Santa Barbara.