Project Manager for Trout Unlimited

Field: stream restoration

"The best part of my job is also the hardest: problem solving. Each project is a puzzle, and when it works, it's incredibly satisfying."

I remember walking in the woods when I was ten or so when I came to a big spider web. I was about to knock it down to pass through when I suddenly stopped. I realized in that moment, for the first time, that I was on the spider’s turf. In those woods, I was the visitor. So, I stopped and watched it for a while and then walked around. It was experiences like that – the opportunities to play in nature, observe it, and be in the woods, that I was drawn to. I loved being outdoors as a kid, but it wasn’t until I was in high school that I realized there were jobs that let you work outdoors.

Now, with Trout Unlimited, I oversee stream restoration projects to improve fish habitats. My favorite days are those that I get to be on streams with other scientists, heavy equipment operators, or landowners. A big part of my job is bringing the right people and information together to turn ideas into on-the-ground projects. 

The best part about learning science is how it makes everything you look at more interesting. It’s hard to not be fascinated and inspired when you look a little closer.