I find joy in connecting people with the information, services, and/or collaborations that will help them achieve their goals. In my role as Associate Director of External Engagement at the ELO I get to do that in a number of ways, primarily by connecting external clients with students who can apply the expertise they’re gaining in and outside of the UMSI classroom to real-world issues. Having participated in experiential learning as an MSI student here at UMSI (‘10) I know firsthand the impact that project-based learning can have on students’ preparation for the future. From my previous role building and sustaining community-focused programs at the Internet Archive, I have seen how accessible, capacity-building support - like the kind provided by UMSI students - can enable organizations to flourish.

I come from a long line of German and Scots-Irish farmers in southwestern Iowa, but mostly grew up in Boise, Idaho. I studied Environmental History and Political Science at Boise State University prior to my stint at UMSI. I enjoy spending time with my family, carting my two kids around on our cargo bike, reading, and getting lost in the woods.