I graduated with honors from Louisiana State University with a bachelor’s degree in Natural Resource Ecology and Management with a concentration in conservation biology. There, I gained valuable knowledge and experiences in the Southeast practicing field and management techniques while developing a foundation of biological sciences. During my undergraduate years, I gained experience in environmental education through internships in Florida, Texas, and Alaska. After graduation, I was fortunate to work in wildlife technician positions for state organizations, furthering my knowledge and skills in wildlife management and research. From 2012-2015, I was a graduate research associate for UGA’s central Georgia black bear project. I conducted three field seasons (both independent and with a team) which included trapping, chemical immobilization, triangulation, and data collection and analysis. Although my thesis was focused on den ecology and reproductive biology of this population, I gained experience in all aspects of the project including population estimation using hair snares, monitoring of GPS collared bears for a GA DOT joint project, and camera surveys near wildlife crossings. In the past, I was an Area Bear Biologist for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. This job increased my knowledge of techniques in wildlife management both in an urban and rural setting as well as the intricacies of inter-agency and stakeholder coordination. Currently, I am the Black Bear and Furbearer Technician for North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.