Education

Degrees & Coursework

Ph.D. Candidate, Biology. Miami University. Oxford, OH. 2005-09.

Research dissertation project: Measuring nearby nature sensitivity in the built environment.
Co-Advisors: Dr. A. John Bailer (Chair & Distinguished Professor, Statistics) and Dr. Richard E. Lee, Jr. (Distinguished Professor, Biology). Committee members: Dr. Douglas Meikle (Chair & Professor, Biology), Dr. Christopher Myers (Director, Project Dragonfly; Professor, Biology), and Dr. Stacy Lowery-Bretz (Distinguished Research Professor, Chemistry Education).
Select courses: Biology of Invasions; Conservation Biology; Environmental Analysis & Modeling; Ecological Modeling; Population and Community Ecology; Population Genetics.

Master’s of Science, Ecology. Purdue University. West Lafayette, IN. 2004.

Research thesis: Following the bannertail: a study of the home range utilization and mating system of Dipodomys spectabilis via spool-and-line tracking.
Advisor: Dr. Peter Waser (Biological Sciences). Advisory Committee: Dr. Robert Swihart (Forestry & Natural Resources) and Dr. Richard Howard (Biological Sciences).
Select courses: Animal Communication; Applied Regression Analysis; Ecology and Population Biology; Environmental Education; Evolution; Natural Resource Policy Analysis; Nature of Science in Science Teaching; Philosophy of Biological Instruction; Sex and Evolution.

Bachelor’s of Science, Biology. University of Dallas. Irving, TX. 1999.

Research thesis: The species setback: the necessary difficulties in not defining terms.
Advisor: Dr. Margaret ‘Marcy’ Brown Marsden.
Select science courses: Animal Behavior; Avian Ecology; Biochemistry; Biostatistics; Calculus; Community Ecology; Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy; Evolutionary Biology; Experimental Techniques; Genetics; Physiology; Organic Chemistry I & II.
Select core courses: American Civilization I & II; Western Civilization I & II; Literary Tradition I, II, III, IV; Philosophy & Ethical Life; Philosophy of Being; Philosophy of Man; Philosophy of Science; Principles of American Politics; Understanding the Bible; Western Theological Tradition; Intermediate German I & II; Basic Drawing; The Human Figure.

High School Diploma. Manchester High School West. 1995.

Mentors: Mr. Timothy Bertrand and Mr. Dane Badders (my biology teachers and ecology club advisors who taught me birdwatching).

National Council for Mental Wellbeing. 2021.

Connecting Faith and Health: Inspiring faith communities to be health champions for individuals, families, and local communities.

The Science of Well-Being. Yale University. 2020.

Florida Department of Health. 2019 - present.

ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences); Building Resiliency in Response to Toxic Stress: Infusing Relationships with Joy and Play; Domestic Violence, Substance Abuse, Mental Health Disorders and Child Abuse; Psychological Maltreatment; Understanding Toxic Stress; Geriatric Late Life Depression. Building Bridges to Communication with Multi-Sector Partners. Community Facilitator 101; Community-Based Planning and Evaluation for Wellness; Facilitating Focus Groups; Facilitation Tips and Techniques for Whole Health Facilitators; Introduction to Complementary Approaches. Active Shooter Awareness; Cultural Awareness: Introduction to Cultural Competency and Humility; Public Health Preparedness Orientation; Quality Improvement 101 & 102; Quality Improvement in Public Health; Introduction to the Incident Command System; Introduction to the National Incident Command System.

Penn State Extension. 2020.

Rollins College Graduate School of Business, Edith Bush Institute for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership. 2018.

Board Member Orientation; Getting Governance Right; Effective Year Long Intentional Board Recruitment; Board Members as Excellent Fundraisers Essentials of a Strategic Plan; Creating a Diversified Fundraising Program; Planned Giving; Program Evaluation; HR Essentials; Capacity Building for Nonprofits.

Conservation Psychology Institute. Antioch University New England. 2011. (1-week, in person, training.)

Human Subjects Research. Institutional Review Board. Miami University. 2009, 2012.