Understanding behavior.
Designing for care.

I am an educator and licensed school administrator pursuing a transition into animal behavior research. My background spans assistant principal service, P-12 teaching, curriculum development, and Indigenous community engagement.

I have worked in public and charter schools, Indian Education, Head Start, juvenile detention, juvenile prison, and residential mental health education. I have also designed and built art programs and created community murals to support expression and participation.

As a Native American woman with multinational roots, I approach learning through relationships, responsibility, and attention to context. I bring those commitments to my work while developing the scientific foundation for animal behavior research.

I want to investigate how enclosure design, enrichment, and feeding strategies support animals in zoos, sanctuaries, and rehabilitation, particularly nonhuman primates.

Why I am making this transition

My animal-care experience has clarified the questions I want to pursue, while my education career has prepared me to lead complex projects, evaluate programs, and communicate across disciplines. My zoology studies build the biological foundation for this next step.

Developing a research approach

I seek doctoral training in behavioral observation, ethogram development, observer reliability, experimental design, and statistical modeling. I want to combine repeated observations with controlled environmental changes to examine individual responses. In rehabilitation, I would evaluate enrichment against recovery and release goals while limiting habituation to people.

Long-term purpose

I aim to collaborate with zoos, sanctuaries, rehabilitation centers, horticulturists, engineers, and animal-care professionals to design and evaluate environments that meet animals’ needs. I also want to connect research with public learning, conservation partnerships, and habitat stewardship.

My identity as a Native American woman connects Indigenous nations and European family histories. My Wasco and Chinookan roots connect me to the Columbia and Willamette river regions, and my Wolastoqiyik ancestry connects me to the northeast. I also carry Polish, Scottish, and French ancestry. These connections shape how I understand community and approach different perspectives.

Returning to my Grand Ronde homeland in 2017 marked an important step in my cultural reconnection. I continue that journey through learning, listening, and responsibility to relatives and community. My multinational identity asks me to hold distinct histories together and build belonging through relationships.

My doctoral dissertation research on the school-to-prison pipeline and American Indian residential boarding schools deepened my attention to school design, relationships, and educational experiences. Teaching, education leadership, art programs, and community murals taught me to build trust and create meaningful opportunities for participation.

Education and animal welfare demand distinct ethical frameworks and evidence. I bring habits of observation, reflection, and accountability from my education work as I develop the scientific preparation to study animal behavior.

In academic and community partnerships, I aim to mentor learners, communicate research clearly, and invite different perspectives. In work with Indigenous communities, I follow community priorities, respect their authority, and honor their decisions about sharing knowledge.