College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Fisheries and Wildlife

I grew up in Northern Wisconsin, where a love for fish and wildlife was instilled in me at a very young age. This love has followed me throughout my life and inspired me to pursue a career in fisheries conservation and management. 

 

I graduated from Michigan Technological University with a BS in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and a minor in Fish Biology in 2023. During my undergrad, I led a conservation genetics research project focused on creating a dietary metabarcoding library for two deep-sea tilefish species to understand their dietary composition and potential competition. 

 

Once graduated, I leapt into the field as a Fisheries and Wildlife technician on Isle Royale National Park. I helped a graduate student collect fish community assemblage, zooplankton, and water quality data from multiple remote inland lakes on the main island. In 2024, I transitioned to fisheries conservation in the nonprofit sector, working as a lead technician for the Northern Wisconsin branch of Trout Unlimited. Along with my crew, I assessed hundreds of road-stream crossings for hydrological and structural data, completed habitat assessments, and spent beautiful days electroshocking streams to assess and PIT tag Brook Trout populations for monitoring. In 2025, I focused on outreach, engagement, and education as a Junior Ranger Angler Program Coordinator working for the Keweenaw National Historical Park and the Calumet Keweenaw Sportsmen’s Club. In collaboration with 20 organizations, I planned, organized, and hosted fourteen community events focused on engaging and teaching children about fishing with the hope to inspire a lifelong love for the hobby. I am so thankful for the positions I have held as a professional, as they have set the foundation for my knowledge and skills in Graduate school at MSU. 

 

I am currently a graduate student pursuing an MS under my advisor Dr. Jared Homola. I will be studying Brook Trout in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. My research is focused on identifying the potential genetic influences that hatchery broodstock may have on wild brook trout populations within inland UP waterways.