From the desert of Saudi Arabia to the farmland of Illinois, from the woods of Maryland to the grandeur of California, the natural environment has been at the core of many of my oldest and best memories and of my academic, professional, and personal pursuits.
At the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill I double majored in Biology with an emphasis in ecological systems and in International Studies with emphasis on trade, economics and the environment. I earned my MS from UNC’s Environmental Science and Engineering program where I conducted research on public sector implementation of environmental management systems. This was the beginning of my investigation into the use of voluntary programs to achieve environmental goals, which has continued to be a unifying thread in my career. During graduate school I also served as a teaching assistant, and through this experience I found that I have a love for teaching. Designing and leading field experiments at the local biological reserves and in Salzburg, Austria where I spent two summers with a study abroad program in international environmental risk analysis, was particularly fulfilling. Helping people to connect to and appreciate the amazing ecosystems that make human life possible is deeply rewarding for me.
Since graduating, I have been working as a consultant for ICF International. My initial focus was on evaluating the success of the funding mechanisms of international environmental treaties. I then took a personal and professional leap by moving to California to design and implement a utility program focused on improving the energy efficiency of residential new construction. This was the impetus for the development of my expertise in residential energy efficiency. I currently manage the team supporting the USEPA’s ENERGY STAR for New Homes Program and the Baltimore Gas and Electric ENERGY STAR for New Homes Program, which provides a balance of national policy development and direct, local implementation.
To help expand my career focus to broader green building and sustainable design principals, I have earned numerous professional certificates including the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design accreditation by the US Green Building Council, the Permaculture Design certificate. I also have also earned the Master Gardner certificate and yoga teacher certificate for fun. Since my husband and I moved back to Columbia, Maryland, I have served on the Green Building Institute Board of Directors and as the Chair of the committee focused on developing a community driven vision for the future of our village that prioritizes sustainability.
It is my intent to focus my doctoral studies on using eco-literacy and eco-design as a framework for re-envisioning our communities as places where children can connect with and learn from nature in their daily lives, both through the educational system and through opportunities designed into the fabric of the community. Focusing the creation of sustainable communities through this lens recognizes the urgency in ensuring that young people have the opportunity to connect with nature and grow to become informed and responsible stewards of our environment. I look forward to beginning my studies, forging new relationships, and finding a way to balance family, school, work, and my favorite pastimes of being with my son, suburban homesteading, yoga, and communing with nature.
