My research aims to increase accessibility to Earth observations for improved decision-making to protect nature and improve livelihoods.
In my role as Agroclimatology Advisor for USAID’s Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) I assure the integration of agroclimatological and water availability information from NASA, NOAA, USGS, and university partners into analyses of emergency food insecurity and livelihoods that underpin FEWS NET food security scenario development.
I have extensive expertise in building tools and models that use satellite observations and climate projections to support conservation decisions. Prior to my position with FEWS NET, I was the SMAP Applications Coordinator. Before coming to Goddard in 2022, I was the Senior Director for Ecological Monitoring for the Moore Center for Science at Conservation International (CI). There, I developed decision-making tools delivering time-sensitive information for improved fire and natural resources management. During my 20-year career at CI, I worked on various research projects, including forest cover and change mapping, fire risk modeling, climate downscaling, and impact evaluation of conservation investments.