I have integrated science communication and activism for improved racial and class equity in academia and outdoor spaces throughout my career.
In 2019, I started a chapter of the Feminist Bird Club in Madison, Wisconsin where I lead free bird walks. Our club advocates for equity in outdoor spaces and raises funds for organizations that support LGBTQ+ folks and BIPOC. During my PhD, I was elected president of the Graduate Assistant Union at the University of South Florida and senator for United Faculty of Florida where I served on the statewide Diversity and Leadership Committee. As president of USF-GAU, I was the chief representative for the 2,200 GAs at USF advocated for the fair treatment and compensation for graduate assistants at USF and across the state university system. Much of my work as president focused on creating paid parental leave policies for graduate assistants across the state and advocating for the fair treatment of international students at USF. Because of my work with GAU, I was nominated to served as the sole graduate student member of the USF Title IX committee where I primarily assisted with creating parental leave policies for graduate assistants and postdocs. During my PhD, I also gave public presentations, served on panels, and did live radio interviews on a wide variety of topics, including applying for graduate school, amphibian and reptile conservation, birding, and the politics of science funding. As an undergraduate, I co-founded the University of South Florida's Biology Club, which quickly became the largest student organization on campus. We held regular seminars where we learned about research opportunities at USF and how to prepare for graduate research programs.