I work for the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) as the Fire Prevention and Investigation Program Coordinator within the Fire and Aviation Management Bureau, Forestry Division. I am dedicated to supporting Montana’s communities to create a Fire Adapted Montana. The four program areas I work in are: (1) Homeowner and Community Risk Reduction (2) Fire Information (3) Prevention and (4) Investigation. In addition this, I also serve as Keep Montana Green’s Executive Director www.keepgreen.org.
I recently completed my Master’s in Public Administration from Montana State University and my research is focused on understanding how collective action dimensions of wildfire preparedness influence private landowner decisions regarding risk reduction behaviors on their property. I am conducting this work in partnership with the Human Dimensions Lab in the University of Montana, W. A. Franke College of Forestry, specifically with Lab Director Alex Metcalf and Master’s Candidate Alice Lubeck. I received my Bachelor’s degree from the University of Montana, College of Forestry and Conservation.