I grew up in Providence, Rhode Island and I moved out to the west coast in 2017 when I started my B.S. in Marine Biology at University of California – San Diego. While in undergrad I focused on mangrove conservation and was a co-author on a publication about equity in global mangrove research. I switched gears after graduating and started to work with Northwest Youth Corps, a conservation nonprofit based in Eugene, where I developed a passion for wildfire prevention, land management, and community resiliency. Because of that job, I’ve spent the last three years living out of my tent in some of the most beautiful places that the PNW has to offer, like Crater Lake and the Sawtooth Mountains. My experiences have put me on the path of pursuing a career in environmental policy and I am super excited to be a part of the creation of PIELC this year!