I grew up in western Washington state, close to the Olympic rainforest and Cascade Mountains. That is where I first became infatuated with nature and plants (but also very sick and tired of rainy weather). Seeking sunshine and adventure, I came down to Cal Poly Pomona for my undergraduate degree in Biology (Botany emphasis). By assisting with various research projects there, I fell in love with the rugged landscapes and resilient plants that are native here in Southern California.

After graduating in 2018, I began working here at CalBG as a Field Botany Technician on the Invasive Plant Crew, eradicating noxious weeds in the Angeles National Forest. Next, I sought out the Seed Conservation Internship and worked as a technician in the seed bank, collecting and processing native seeds. I had such an amazing experience as a CalBG employee for three years; I knew I wanted to keep working with the staff here as I pursue my master’s degree in Botany.

My botanical interests include biogeography, plant community ecology, rare plant conservation, and understanding how climate change and other human impacts affect plant distribution.

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For my thesis, I will be conducting a floristic study of the Sacatar Trail Wilderness area in the Southeast Sierra Nevada Mountains. This wilderness area has an elevational range of 3,500 to 8,851 feet and includes a diverse array of vegetation types, from Mojave Desert creosote bush scrub at low elevations to Joshua tree woodland, pinyon-juniper woodlands at mid-range, and Sierra Nevada pine forests and montane meadows at the top. It’s a bit of a “botany blackhole,” where no extensive floristic work has been done before, and most collections that do exist were from the 1960’s. I’m excited to see what I can find starting in Spring 2022!

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