I am a postdoctoral researcher studying wading bird populations in the state of Georgia. I am originally from southeastern Louisiana, where I completed my BS in Biology and MS in Marine and Environmental Biology. While in Louisiana, I researched wetland ecosystems and colonial-nesting waterbirds on barrier islands. I went on to earn my PhD in Zoology at Southern Illinois University where my research examined avian, small mammal, and arthropod responses to grassland diversity and restoration practices in the Prairie Pothole Region. I am broadly interested in applied ecological research and management of wildlife populations, with an emphasis on understanding community-level interactions.