While earning a graduate degree and serving on the forest engineering faculty at Oregon State University, she was part-owner of a logging and forest consulting company. This experience highlighted how little traditional forestry programs cover the basics necessary to succeed in the timber industry, which now influences her research and teaching in forest operations and planning at UM. She relies on Montana timber industry partners to help provide students with opportunities to discover how theory applies to practice. In turn, relationships with industry professionals and constant contact with forest managers and practitioners allows her to keep her course content current and relevant.