Resume

Education

University of Maryland, College Park, MD

Master’s of Applied Anthropology - May 2020

Faculty Advisor: L. Jen Shaffer, Ph.D.Thesis Project: Ethnobotanical Education at the San Antonio Botanical GardenFocus: Applied Ethnobotany, Food Anthropology, Museum Studies

Fordham University, Bronx, NY

Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Policy - May 2014

Thesis: Growing Roots: Gardening as a means to mitigate urban poverty and its symptoms

Highlights

Virtual exhibit exploring Texas native plants, ways they have been preserved, and their importance to the peoples of Central Texas.

Affiliations

American Public Gardens Association

Editorial Advisory Group - Public Garden! Magazine

07/2022 - Present

American Anthropological Association

Work Experience

Beal Botanical Garden and Campus Arboretum 

East Lansing, MI (Jan 2023 - Present)

Education Director: Support faculty and student success by developing opportunities and programs to maximize the use of the Garden in teaching and other educational efforts, both within the campus and the broader community.

San Antonio Botanical Garden          

San Antonio, TX (Sept 2020-Dec 2022)

Conservation Programs Specialist (5/22-Present): Manage conservation and adult education programming. Facilitate relationship between plants and people through research, writing, program development, and interpretation. 

Conservation and Volunteer Programs Specialist (9/20-5/22): Managed conservation programs & volunteers through GivePulse system.

University of Maryland: David C. Driskell Center      

College Park, MD (Aug 2018-Sept 2020)

Editor & Content Manager (5/20-8/20): Operations, website management, and development of “David C. Driskell Papers” online archival exhibition celebrating the legacy of Prof. Driskell. 

Graduate Assistant (8/18-5/20): Office administration, staff management, website management, student engagement, and development. Completion of 6 art exhibitions and planning future exhibitions. 

International Rescue Committee     

Baltimore, MD (March 2016-Aug 2018)

New Roots Specialist: Managed branch of a refugee health program. Ran urban gardens, managed farmers’ market partnerships, programming (mental health, nutrition), and grant development. Managed part-time staff and extensive, highly rated, internship program.

Scansite, Inc.        

San Rafael, CA (June 2015 – March 2016) 

Business Development Manager: Office operations, media production, assisting CEO; my focus was museum collaboration and development. 

Scanning Technician: Editing 3D data in GeoMagic Studio for 3D printing, reverse engineering, digital use, etc. 

The Phoenix Collection      

Lagunitas, CA (Dec 2014 – April 2015) 

Tea Associate: Chinese tea import and distribution company with education, purchasing, marketing, packaging, and tea tasting/analysis. 

Huyck Preserve and Biological Research Station        

Rensselaerville, NY (June- Aug 2014) 

Residential Coordinator and Field Teaching Assistant: Supervised High School Ecological Research camp.

Research Assistant: Surveyed deer exclosures for the Environmental Monitoring and Management Alliance. 

New York Botanical Garden        

Bronx, NY - Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden (Mar-Nov 2013)

Gardening Workshop Instructor: Maintenance, education, and program development of an urban educational vegetable garden. 

Dig, Plant, Grow Instructor: Developed programs and guided families through garden activities. 

New York Botanical Garden  

Bronx, NY - Wild Medicine Exhibition (May-Sept 2013) 

Public Education Interpretive Station Intern: Planner and interpreter for conservatory ethnobotanical exhibit.