Originally from the Chicago area, I moved west when she was 19 to work as a wildlife technician in Yellowstone National Park. There, I discovered a passion for both wildlife and ecosystem interactions. I stayed in Yellowstone for over 10 years researching and managing wolves, bears, and bison before returning to graduate school. I received a Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology from Utah State University, where my research focused on wolf-bison interactions in Yellowstone, and wolf-brown bear interactions in North America and Scandinavia. I am currently working on numerous research and science communication projects with several universities and non-profits across multiple countries. My research generally focuses on large carnivores, predator-prey interactions, and animal behavior.