I believe that those most burdened by climate change and environmental challenges deserve a meaningful role in shaping the response. That conviction has grounded my twenty years of applied research, program leadership, and fieldwork across Africa, Central Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Pacific Islands, and the United States.

Most recently I served as Principal Investigator of a multi-year, multi-million dollar USAID Climate Adaptation Research Program that supported early-career scholars across the Global South to advance disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation in their communities. I am also co-founder of Global Fair Share Games, an experiential learning platform that transforms environmental governance challenges into collaborative learning experiences. I hold a PhD in Environmental Social Sciences, Duke University and a BA in International Studies, specializing in Science and Technology, from the University of Arizona.

My research examines how individuals, households, communities, and institutions manage scarce resources and navigate resilience under social and environmental pressure across land and water systems, food systems, and communities on the front lines of climate hazards. I have worked in multiple countries and within the southwestern United States to address these questions. My research approach requires qualitative and quantitative tools and working consistently with collaborators who bring complementary expertise, disciplinary perspectives, and community knowledge to the research. Producing rigorous scholarship and ensuring that evidence actually reaches the people and institutions who can act on it are equally important commitments for me.