EDUCATION

Ph.D. in Aquatic Resources – In Progress
Texas State University – San Marcos Texas (In Progress); Research Interest: Water Resources Planning under Uncertainty

Master of Public Affairs
Indiana University, Bloomington Indiana (May 1998); Majors: Environmental Policy Analysis; Natural Resource Management

Master of Science in Environmental Science
Indiana University, Bloomington Indiana (May 1998); Majors: Applied Ecology; Water Resource Management

Bachelor of Science
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Illinois (May 1994); Majors: Ecology, Ethology and Evolution; Pre-medicine

WORK EXPERIENCE

River Systems Institute at Texas State University, San Marcos Texas (October 2003 to Present)
Assistant Director
Principal manager for research and Institute programs

• Manage Institute staff and contracts, develop and maintain budgets, and write and secure grant funding
• Principal Investigator to develop a Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis for the Rio Grande watershed; worked in collaboration with Mexican institutions to receive GEF funding
• Manage interdisciplinary watershed projects that involved stakeholder participation, including: Blanco River, Pedernales River, Cypress Creek, and Rio Grande
• Oversee development of annual Institute conference
• Coordinate Scientific Review Panel for the Lower Colorado River Authority/San Antonio Water Systems interbasin transfer feasibility study
• Edited, developed, and researched “Water in Texas: An Introduction” by Andrew Sansom published by UT Press in 2008
• Develop and maintain a resource clearinghouse database on institutions, water policy, and water management issues
• Supervise students, guide research projects, and assist with a conservation leadership class

United Nations Development Programme – GEF Global Medical Waste Project (October 2008- Present) Programme and Management Consultant

• Provide technical consultation
•  Provide financial management, administrative and programmatic assistance to the Global Project Expert Team (GET)
• Support the Global Project Coordinator in the day-to-day operations of the GET
• Liaise with the UNOPS project manager on financial and administrative matters
• Responsible for national coordination of two countries

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Austin Texas (July 1998 to October 2003)
Policy and Regulatory Coordinator Responsible for managing complex projects; developing and writing policies and regulations, while taking into account the needs of multiple constituents

• Developed agency-wide policies and programs; responsible for writing new policies, including the agency’s human resources personnel manual
• Developed and authored the “Land and Water Resources Conservation and Recreation Plan,” the State of Texas’ ten year strategic conservation plan
• Analyzed and interpreted legislative bills affecting the agency’s policy-making authority or management ability
• Researched and authored an internal agency-wide policy audit for the state’s legislatively-mandated Sunset Commission review process; managed the implementation of legislative mandates
• Developed and researched “Taking Care of Texas,” Governor Bush’s Task Force on Conservation
• Served as project manager for inter-divisional projects
• Reviewed and analyzed agency regulations for their effectiveness in an ongoing and legislatively-mandated rules review process
• Selected to participate in the agency’s “Natural Leaders” program, a training, managerial, and mentoring program for managers

Sycamore Land Trust, Bloomington Indiana (January 1997 to July 1998)
Assistant Land Steward for Heritage Woods

• Developed and administered plant composition survey; Recruited and managed volunteer activities

Indiana Department of the Army, Office of the Environment, Camp Atterbury Indiana (June 1997 to August 1997)
Field Botanist

• Performed Land Condition Trend Analysis; Surveyed 33,000 acre army base for human impact on plant ecology

RESEARCH AND VOLUNTEER WORK
Universidad Simόn Bolívar, Puerto Ayacucho & Caracas Venezuela (May 1996 to September 1996)
Research Team Collaborator for the Limnological Group

• Collected and tested water samples from the Orinoco River and tributaries; Analyzed hydrochemistry and suspended solids composition of water data

Research Assistant for Laboratory Unit of Solid Waste

• Performed hazardous materials clean-up consulting for petroleum companies; Researched application of and compliance with environmental policies and regulations Sycamore Land Trust, Beanblossom Bottoms Indiana (August 1995 to March 1996) Volunteer plant species surveyor and database developer
• Constructed GIS land-use database for potential viable land acquisition; Conducted research on land-type, plant species, hydrology, ownership, and land cost

PRESENTED WORK

2008. Rio Grande Database and Clearinghouse. Presented at the SAWC Conference. San Marcos Texas.
2007. Information and Data Clearinghouse. Presented at the Rio Grande Basin Initiatives Conference. South Padre Island Texas.
2006. Rio Grande Organization and Information Database. Presented at the Rio Grande Basin Initiatives Conference. Ruidoso New Mexico.
2005. Rio Grande Clearinghouse and Data Management. Presented at the Rio Grande Basin Initiatives Conference. Alpine Texas.
2005. Integrated Water Resources Management for Sustainability: The Orinoco River Case Study. Presented at the International Seminar on Sustainability of the Precious Water Environment – Partnership Between Texas and Shimane. Shimane Japan.
2003. Take Care of Texas! Outreach-Education-Interpretation Strategic Plan. Co-Author. Presented to Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission. Austin Texas.
2003. Identifying Barriers and Solutions to Intra-Departmental Communication. Co-Author. Presented for approval to Texas Parks and Wildlife Executive Committee. Austin Texas.
2002. Land and Water Resources Conservation and Recreation Plan. Author. Presented for approval to Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission. Austin Texas.

LANGUAGES

English and Spanish – Fluent

GRANTS AND CONTRACTS

Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, The Nature Conservancy of Texas, Lower Colorado River Authority, The Global Environment Facility, and multiple private foundations.

PEER REVIEW

Higher Education for Development (2007,2008); Sul Ross State University Sustainable Agriculture Water Conservation Program (2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009)