I have a lifetime of experience in animal husbandry and a passion for science and protecting my community. I believe an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and doing things right the first time is the way to go. I have a strong sense of ethics, and legitimately enjoy regulation and compliance work, including research into laws and policies. These facts combined to push me toward Public Health, in particular OneHealth. I've managed a horse and goat operation as the Ranch Manager through undergrad and my masters degree. Keeping animals healthy and those reporting to me safe have been my top priorities. I want to help our world avoid the spread of animal and zoonotic disease and help in the recovery process when avoidance isn't possible. I also want to help our communities prepare for natural disasters, be those fires, floods or other conditions that threaten humans and animals alike. With years of leadership skills, the desire to protect others and an inborn sense of duty towards community service, I jumped headlong into the livestock community's response to the 2018 and onward California wildfires. I saw what can be achieved by dedicated, skilled individuals in times of crisis. It was then that I decided to do everything I could to join their ranks in a professional capacity. I soon found a more official volunteer opportunity with CEDR Digital Corps where I quickly became a subject matter expert on wildfires and am now the IC Wildfire channel lead. This position places me in charge of managing CEDR's activation level and associated response to wildfires nationwide and in the American territories. This spans volunteer management, alert monitoring, modern fire watching, disaster work & helping those impacted cope. I am a member of my county's Community Emergency Response Team, where I am a go-to for companion animal and livestock considerations. I am proud to have activated to the JFO for multiple federally declared disasters as a member of Cal OES, including filling the role of Hazard Mitigation Branch Director. Working with federal partners in FEMA and the USDA was infinitely rewarding. From all my experience I have found an overarching theme. Public Health, OES operations and Animal Services need to work together more closely and much more often. I believe I can bridge these different areas and help chart a path that leads to better outcomes for the communities we all live to serve.A personal specialty and shared creed among the agriculture industry, OES and Public Health: Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.