I am an NSF GRFP Fellow and former Eugene Cota-Robles Award Fellow pursuing my Ph.D. in the Glassman Lab at the University of California Riverside. I am passionate about research which fuses classical microbiological techniques with cutting-edge molecular and DNA sequencing tools. My Ph.D. research explored the interaction of wildfire with soil bacteria and fungi through a broad range of DNA sequencing and bioinformatic processes utilizing field samples and through culture-based assays using phenotypic profiling and whole-genome sequencing of a large post-fire microbial culture collection which I created over a 4 year period. In addition to my research endeavors I have a strong record of mentorship, having mentored 13 undergraduate and post-graduate trainees during my career. I have also assisted the instruction of multiple classes (Field Mycology, Microbiology Theory, Microbiology Lab) and have an extensive record of disseminating my research both locally for various mycological societies and broadly at both national and international conferences (ASM, MSA, ESA, IMC, etc.).