I began the Coastal Resource Management Program in the fall of 2003. My previous education consisted of a degree in Resource Conservation from the School of Forestry at the University of Montana and then a master’s degree in Applied and Resource Economics from East Carolina University. My previous experience includes working with the Pamlico-Tar River Foundation as their Outreach Coordinator. The highlights of my time with PTRF included the development of the Student Outreach Series (SOS), which involved educating K-12 students within the Pamlico-Tar River Watershed on environmental issues related to water quality and biodiversity. I also represented PTRF at the Central Coastal Plain Capacity Use Area meetings which attempted to develop rules for groundwater use in Eastern North Carolina. Since joining the program, I have continued my studies in natural resource economics and public policy. My main research interests are related to the interaction between coastal development and the natural environment. My research interests include non-market valuation of natural resources through the use of revealed and stated preference models, risk analysis as related to coastal hazards, and environmental policy analysis. I hope to find ways to better integrate geologic and ecologic processes within the context of economic and natural resource policy analysis.
