I'm a biologist who grew up in and currently lives in the Tallgrass Prairie region of the United States, on land that was inhabited and cared for by ancestors of the Ioway, Omaha, Sauk, Fox, Sioux, and Ho-Chunk peoples.

I've been fascinated by nature since my parents took me hiking and foraging when I was a preschooler. I studied prairie plant ecology for a master's degree at KSU. Flowering plants of the tallgrass prairie are still my focus area, but I love observing insects, birds, fungi, and other living things. I appreciate the iNaturalist community for help in identifying my observations and sharing theirs.

I am the Plant Materials Program Manager for the Tallgrass Prairie Center at the University of Northern Iowa, where I manage our seed bank and native seed production areas. At home, I tend gardens that support many native species.