Education

Ph.D. in Aquatic Resources
Texas State University – San Marcos Texas (In Progress)

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

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

Bachelor of Science

University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Illinois (May 1994)
Majors: Ecology, Ethology and Evolution; Pre-medicine
Concentrations: Plant Biology; Religious Studies

Experience

Texas State University, San Marcos Texas (October 2003 to Present)
River Systems Institute
Assistant Director, Resource Development and Coordination
Principal research and program assistant to the Executive Director. Responsible for:

• Managing water resources related projects
• Working with faculty and partners to develop project proposals
• Preparing Institute publications
• Developing and maintaining a resource clearinghouse on water policy research and water management issues
• Informing external constituents of Institute efforts

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, taking into account the needs of multiple constituents. 

• Developed agency-wide policies and programs; responsible for authoring new policies, including the agency’s personnel manual
• Developed and authored the  “Land and Water Resources Conservation and Recreation Plan,”  a ten year strategic plan
• 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 Report
• Reviewed and analyzed agency regulations in an ongoing and legislatively-mandated rules review process
• Analyzed and interpreted legislative bills affecting the agency’s policy-making authority or management ability
• Selected to participate in the agency’s  “Natural Leaders” program, a training, managerial, and mentoring program

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

Simόn Bolívar University, 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 Research

2005.  Rio Grande Clearinghouse and Data Management. Author. Presented at the Rio Grande Basin Initiatives Conference. Alpine Texas.

2005.  Integrated Water Resources Management for Sustainability: The Orinoco River Case Study. Author.  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 in speaking, reading, and writing