As the Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) Director at the Guadalupe-Blanco River Authority, I am actively leading the charge in developing a river basin-wide conservation plan, aimed at integrating water resource management with biodiversity conservation. My role involves managing complex relationships with utilities, local government, and industry entities that are interested in participating in the conservation plan. I am also responsible for managing a $3 million consulting contract and overseeing $2 million in federal grant funding, ensuring both are aligned with the plan’s goals and GBRA’s broader objectives.Key Responsibilities: • Strategic Relationship Management: Building and maintaining strategic relationships with utilities, local governments, and industry stakeholders interested in the conservation plan, facilitating collaborative efforts and shared objectives. • Financial and Contract Management: Managing a $3 million consulting contract and $2 million in federal grant funding, ensuring efficient use of resources, compliance with financial guidelines, and alignment with project goals. • Regulatory Compliance and Permitting: Propelling the planning process forward towards the submission of an application for an Incidental Take Permit (ITP), aligning with GBRA’s objective to obtain regulatory assurances and provide reliability and certainty to its water supply, wastewater treatment, and hydroelectric services and operations. • Conservation Strategy Development: Continuously guiding the strategic planning and execution of a multispecies habitat conservation plan to balance water resource management with biodiversity conservation. • Innovative Problem-Solving: Leading cross-functional teams to address organizational and environmental challenges, fostering an environment of innovation to develop effective solutions.

• Partnered with hydrologists and engineers to develop five-year strategic plans for two regional groundwater planning groups, as mandated by state law. This process involved engaging stakeholders and updating them with relevant scientific and technical information. The plans were successfully adopted by the planning groups and endorsed by the state water authority. • Contributed to an interdisciplinary team in creating a five-year project timeline that facilitated the development of a regional state habitat conservation plan being designed for federal approval. • Designed a survey tool to evaluate environmental engagement opportunities across a client’s operations, including areas such as wastewater treatment and electric generation facilities.

My dissertation examines the capacity of regulatory bodies to achieve public policy objectives, with a particular focus on situations where limitations in this capacity contribute to governance failures. The research adopts a systems perspective to analyze the interactions between government, commercial entities, and civil society organizations.The study involves conducting interdisciplinary fieldwork in western states, engaging with stakeholders involved in developing new state-level credit trading systems aimed at offsetting the environmental impacts of oil, gas, and mining operations on biodiversity. This fieldwork led to the creation of a detailed case study of these initiatives, providing a basis for examining how regulatory capacity is established and where it may falter, the role of scientific inquiry in instances of governance failure, and the influence of public commentary on the formation of a contentious federal regulation.This research contributes to a broader understanding of regulatory processes, the intersection of science and governance, and the significance of public participation in regulatory decision-making.

• Successfully negotiated partnerships with eight Psychiatry residencies across Texas, leading to the integration of the Recovery-to-Practice model—a participatory treatment approach emphasizing engagement with peers with lived experience—into their training programs. • Led collaboration with the State Department of Health Services to promote the widespread adoption of Recovery-to-Practice in medical education throughout the state, setting a precedent for future healthcare education standards. • Spearheaded the inclusion of certified Peer Specialists in a programmatic advisory capacity, ensuring their active participation in shaping the implementation of Recovery-to-Practice initiatives. • Designed and implemented a comprehensive data collection strategy, and conducted in-depth data analysis to assess the effectiveness and impact of Recovery-to-Practice training programs and dissemination efforts, facilitating continuous improvement and evidence-based practice adjustments.

Leveraged expertise in data analysis and strategic planning to support a state water agency through significant programmatic transformations over a seven-year period. My role involved consolidating critical data that underpinned these changes, enabling the creation of a comprehensive reference document. This document not only cataloged the history of changes but also served as a strategic roadmap to guide and prioritize future change management initiatives.

• Collaborated on the implementation of a $20 million inter-jurisdictional, stakeholder-driven conservation program, contributing to the advancement of regional conservation efforts. • Coordinated and supported the facilitation of over 20 meetings with the Science Committee, the National Academy of Sciences, and various workgroups, enhancing communication and collaboration among stakeholders. • Assisted in the drafting and editing of scientific and technical reports, including workgroup summaries and annual reports, to ensure accuracy and clarity of the program’s findings and progress. • Supported the initiation and successful final approval of the program’s first major adaptive management action by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), contributing to a key milestone in the project’s implementation. • Managed municipal financial reporting and oversaw the reimbursement process for $3.2 million in funds, ensuring efficient and accurate financial administration for the program. • Improved the applied research procurement process by assisting in the expansion of Request for Proposals (RFP) distribution by 230 times, increasing the breadth of competitive bids and enhancing the quality of research contributions to the program.

• Supervised research staff and center interns, ensuring effective team collaboration and support for research activities. • Worked with faculty to develop over 50 grant and contract proposals aimed at supporting research efforts. • Managed over 20 active research grants, totaling more than $5.3 million in extramural funding, allocated for faculty research projects. • Coordinated subcontracts with institutions in the U.S., Mexico, Guatemala, and Costa Rica, facilitating international research collaborations. • Ensured compliance with regulatory requirements for clinical trials, in accordance with guidelines set by the Food & Drug Administration. • Administered an NIH training program to enhance research capacity in Costa Rica, which resulted in a significant increase in recruitment and the achievement of program goals, leading to the restoration of suspended federal funding.

• Tasked with managing an NIH study consortium across the U.S., Mexico, Guatemala, and Costa Rica, coordinating across international borders to ensure project alignment and success. • Managed the collection of diagnostic, neurocognitive, and genetic data for over 3,000 subjects, ensuring comprehensive data integrity and adherence to study protocols. • Coordinated over 40 local, state, and national meetings to facilitate the progression of project milestones from data collection through to publication. • Oversaw a team of 5 interns, providing essential research support and contributing to the project’s objectives. • Responsible for the recruitment and coordination of the internship program, ensuring a structured and beneficial experience for participants. • Directed the training and supervision of research staff and interns at multiple sites, maintaining high standards of research methodology and data collection. • Implemented diagnostic and neurocognitive assessments for study participants according to more than three distinct protocols, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of collected data.

• Supervised a team of 5 interns, providing research support and maintaining project continuity. • Handled the recruitment of interns and coordinated the internship program to meet research objectives. • Oversaw the training and management of research staff and interns at various sites, ensuring adherence to project guidelines. • Performed diagnostic and neurocognitive assessments on study participants, following more than three established protocols.

• Supervised a team of 5 interns, providing research support and maintaining project continuity. • Handled the recruitment of interns and coordinated the internship program to meet research objectives. • Oversaw the training and management of research staff and interns at various sites, ensuring adherence to project guidelines. • Performed diagnostic and neurocognitive assessments on study participants, following more than three established protocols.