Education and Employment

2/22-Present Scientific Consultant

Companies/entities include: insitro, Biodesign Challenge, Engineering Biology Research Consortium, Align to Innovate

Oakland, CA

• Consulting for biotechnology companies in the healthcare space, and nonprofits working in all areas of biology, biotechnology, and biotechnology policy. I provide ecology, infectious disease, biotechnology, communication, and healthcare (both human and animal) perspectives to my clients.

• I develop scientific publication strategy and outputs; write and edit external policy publications; and do higher level research on healthcare innovations. I both lead teams and integrate into existing structures as needed.

• I also help coordinate outreach efforts (e.g., scientific workshops) between company members, company employees and academic groups, and companies/groups and the general public.
  

5/20-Present Freelance Illustrator and Writer

Oakland, CA

• Illustrated 2022 Engineering Biology Research Consortium (EBRC) Roadmap for Climate & Sustainability, with 6 theme figures. Also contributed to and edited sections of this Roadmap.

• Created a 2-page spread for 2022 winter Gear Patrol Magazine, a 12-panel comic showing the history and science of denim production. 

• Official illustrator for Standard & Strange (Oakland, CA, Santa Fe, NM, and NY); illustrations have also raised >$75k for social justice initiatives through the company.

• Illustrator for Workhorse Rye and Golden Gate Whisky (Oracle, AZ and Oakland, CA).

• Illustrator for diversity programs at Kehilla Community Synagogue (Oakland, CA)

2/17-5/20 Head of Publishing and Academic Relations

Zymergen, Inc.

Oakland, CA

• Developed and directed long-term internal and external scientific publishing strategies across multiple disciplines for a company that grew from 250-800 employees during my tenure; ghost-wrote popular press science articles about the company. 

• Developed and directed company-wide conference attendance, presentation, and sponsorship strategies; scientists attended >100 conferences/year. 

• Established and managed >15 strategic academic scientific collaborations and created (with the EBRC) an industry-wide internship program for PhD science students.

• Developed and directed the corporate scientific literature library. 

12/16-2/17 Research Coordinator

OakCare Medical Group/Alameda Health System

Oakland, CA

• Co-developed research programs for ~25 physicians, residents, and medical students involving clinical experiments, existing data studies, and outcomes research.

9/15-10/16 Postdoctoral Affiliate

University of CA, Berkeley, Dept. of Environmental Science, Policy & Management 

Berkeley, CA

• Co-designed a 5-institution, international study examining transmission dynamics and host-parasite interactions of migratory birds, securing $2 million in NIH funding. 

7/13-10/15 Postdoctoral Researcher, Grand Challenges Fellow

Princeton University, Dept. of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Princeton, NJ

• Designed and directed a field and lab study examining host-parasite dynamics and parasite-microbiome interactions in wild non-human primates in Kenya. 

• Secured $200k in funding and collaborated with scientists from 5 institutions. 

• Managed Mpala International Field Laboratory.

5/08-5/09 Xtracycle and Worldbike

Copywriter, Executive Assistant, and Board of Directors Secretary

Emeryville, CA

• Acted as primary website copywriter, ran social media, coordinated board meetings. 

• Acted as interim director of WorldBike, the company’s affiliated non-profit organization.

2005-2013 Ph.D., Environmental Science, Policy, and Management

University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA

• Was one of 3 founding members of a 9-institution, 8-year international research collaboration investigating the ecology of anthrax in Etosha National Park, Namibia; secured $2 million in funding through grant writing. 

• Designed and directed research examining seasonal changes in free-ranging wildlife immune function in conjunction with infectious disease.

• Managed Etosha International Field Laboratory.

2006-2014 Graduate Student Instructor, Lecturer, Postdoctoral Teacher, and Instructor of Record

University of California, Berkeley, Princeton University, and Helms Middle School (San Pablo, CA)

• Taught and led 8 semesters of writing-intensive university-level courses, taught an experimental design course in Kenya, and gave 14 guest lectures at 5 institutions.

• Acted as senior thesis writing and statistics mentor for 16 students, and as primary senior thesis research mentor for 5 undergraduate students. 

• Co-developed and taught biodiversity lesson plans to 7th grade students for 1 year. 

3/05-8/05 Cornell University Department of Clinical Sciences

Research Program Coordinator and Conference Assistant Coordinator 

Ithaca, NY

• Managed a field and lab research project on immunopathology of COPD in horses. 

• Acted as co-coordinator for the 200-attendee 2005 World Equine Airways Symposium.

2001-2005 D.V.M.

Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine

Ithaca, NY

• Focused on wildlife medicine, with competitive externships at the National Zoo (Washington, DC); White Oak Conservation Center (Yulee, FL); The Marine Mammal Center (Sausalito, CA); and Aquavet I and II courses (Woods Hole, MA). 

5/01-10/01 Quality Milk Promotion Services of Cornell University 

Research Program Coordinator 

Ithaca, NY

• Managed a 4-person field and lab research project on immunity of dairy cattle mastitis. 

2000-2001 Clinical Research Coordinator

Washington University School of Medicine

St. Louis, MO

• Ran 2, Phase 3 clinical drug trials involving ARDS and sepsis. 

• Screened patients daily in 5 ICUs, enrolled patients, and completed IRB documents. 

1994-1998 B.S., Zoology

University of Wisconsin – Madison  

Madison, WI

• Graduated Phi Beta Kappa and with Honors; awarded 1 of 3 Dean's Prizes for the College of Letters and Science, the top prize for seniors in this ~5000-person class. 

• Awarded a College of L&S Honors Thesis Research Grant.
  

Additional Activities 

• Interviewed for Smithsonian Magazine (2024)

• Two-time judge for UC Davis Biodesign Challenge Finals (2022-2024)

• Six-time judge for the international Biodesign Challenge Summit (2017-2022).

• Two-time judge for the Biodesign Challenge Sprint, in conjunction with Google and Mars Inc. (2021-2022).

• Invited speaker for the Biodesign Challenge; gave hour-long talk to student teams around the world; webinar addressed the interaction between ecology and biodesign and included 33 hand-illustrated slides (2022).

• Invited panelist for India’s Centre for Wildlife Studies CWS Wildlife Chronicles webinar (2022); discussed infectious diseases of wildlife and challenges for conservation.

• Member of EBRC Educational Outreach Working Group (2018-2020).