I am a Ph.D. candidate in the Natural Resources & Environmental Management (NREM) Department at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa. It is an interdisciplinary program focused on the ecology of natural resources and social science theory in resource management. I am currently in the Oleson lab, conducting social indicators research in collaboration with the NOAA Ecosystem Sciences Division. Prior to entering NREM, I received my Master’s in Biology with a specialization in Marine Biology from California State University, Northridge. My thesis explored the effects of ocean acidification on the Mo'orea Coral Reef in French Polynesia. My research interests are centered around coral reef conservation and my current research involves building a social-ecological model that quantifies the social and economic benefits of nearshore marine resources.