I am the co-founder of a non-profit organization based in Gainesville, Florida. Our mission is to inspire people to value healthy food, land and community by supporting our local food system. Through the lens of farming, gardening and seed saving education we work with youth and adults to create inspiration and excitement around local food, sustainability and self-sufficiency.

I have actually worked as an employee and student at the FCFWRU since 2004, with a brief time away in 2009-2010 and now I'm back!The co-op keeps you working on many different things with so many research projects going at once, but my main duty is overseeing a project in the Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge that is looking at how climate change impacts may affect small mammal and vegetation communiites.

I worked on several ecological studies including avian, herpetofaunal and vegetation research in central and south Florida wetlands. I acquired many field skills including floral and faunal identification, airboat and outboard operation and trailering. In the office I managed data and wrote annual reports, in addition to conducting analyses for the project that became my thesis. I graduated with a Masters degree in Interdisciplinary Ecology, and I still work here as a field biologist.