Originally from the dunes and swales of northwest Indiana, I have a degree in Zoology/ Anthropology/ Entomology from Michigan State and a professional certificate in Geographic Information Systems from Penn State. My professional background has meandered from animal husbandry to field research to environmental education and back to field research, but I have found true passion in streamlining field research data workflows in order to communicate management and conservation efforts through the use of maps, apps, and whatever other platform I can figure out. In my free time I enjoy quiet misty morning walks, admiring bugs and moss, and getting into various types of tomfoolery with my wonderful family.

TSN Conference 2026

• January 22nd, 2026 (Thursday) // 3:05 pm – 4:05 pm // Room 103 // CHIPs! Funding Community Habitat Improvement Projects: Implementation, Data Streamlining, Case Studies, and Lessons Learned // Initiated in 2021, Oakland County Parks’ annual grants through the Community Habitat Improvement Projects (CHIPs) have been taking a bite out of the urgent local conservation and restoration needs one year at a time. CHIPs assists Oakland County municipalities and CISMA partners to tackle local invasive species and restoration priorities through indirect funding, coordinating contractor management, and directing staff capacity to maximize impact. This presentation will showcase the successes and pitfalls of this multi-pronged program from organizational development and coordination, GIS applications and data streamlining, impact and work completed, and implications for management innovations and recommendations from case studies. Types of projects that have been implemented through this program include: invasive species treatment, winter forestry mowing, turf-conversion projects, and native seed/plug plantings. Check out the webpage HERE for more information.

• January 23rd, 2026 (Friday) // 3:10 pm – 4:10 pm // Room 105 // Managing with Data: GIS Based Natural Community Assessment and Course Metrics at Oakland County Parks // Over the past ten years Oakland County Parks has endeavored to assess, manage, and track management activities within its parklands. This presentation will cover our data collection and tracking methods, baseline natural community assessment, ecological restoration work, and follow-up assessment metrics. We will discuss what has worked, what hasn’t, and other practical considerations for field staff and data managers.