She received her PhD in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology from the University of Minnesota in 2011. She then worked for two years as a social scientist for NOAA Fisheries. She has conducted human dimensions research in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, and California. She is an avid surfer and fisherman. She loves exploring the rocky shores of the North Coast looking for waves, food, and vistas.