my background

My journey to where I am today has been anything but linear. After facing significant mental health and addiction challenges as a teenager, I found myself feeling lost and uncertain of my future direction. In early adulthood, at a time when I lacked purpose and motivation, I was invited to work on a farm in upstate New York. In my first days on the farm, I discovered a genuine connection to the world around me: I fed the chickens and pigs, baked bread, and weeded the garden. I found these simple tasks to be incredibly rewarding. From my first moments on that farm in New York, I knew that amidst the crisis of my mental health struggles, I could finally see opportunity through agriculture.

This experience ignited a passion for agriculture, leading me to WWOOF in Hawaii, where I deepened my understanding of agricultural systems. Working on a vegetable production farm, I became enamored with growing food, fascinated with the challenges of managing pests and diseases, and experienced the rewards of contributing to the local community. My WWOOFing journey continued across the U.S., New Zealand, and Thailand, where I worked on a total of 13 diverse farms, exploring how different cultures adapted their farming practices to unique ecosystems and community needs.

Along the way, my interests expanded to include natural building and sustainable housing, leading me to work with non-profits like Earthship Biotecture and Community Rebuilds. Additionally, the therapeutic aspects of gardening were particularly inspiring, prompting me to spend three years working at CooperRiis Healing Community. There, I co-managed a 2-acre garden using horticultural therapy to aid mentally ill adults, reinforcing my belief in agriculture’s its ability to heal ourselves, our climate, and our communities.

Compelled to further my education, I enrolled at Colorado State University as an adult learner to study soil and crop sciences. My initial love for plants and agriculture grew into a profound respect for soil—not just as dirt but as a living, breathing ecosystem essential to our survival. This led me to pursue a PhD, focusing on how soil microbes influence carbon sequestration.

Today, as a dedicated PhD student, I am committed to finding practical solutions to environmental challenges. I believe that the answers to our climate crisis will come from many small, applied solutions in agriculture, science, and technology. My aim is to contribute to these efforts, striving to make a small, meaningful difference in our big, beautiful world.