Hello Everyone!

I’m very excited to announce that I will be joining PDXWildlife’s team of fall 2017 Interns at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Ya’an, China! I could not be more enthusiastic about this opportunity to contribute to the conservation of such a unique and incredible species. The groundbreaking research that has already been conducted by PDX Wildlife and its participants, has secured a legacy of ethical, progressive and conscientious contributions to science; that I couldn’t be more honored to become a part of. My hopes are, that my previous experiences in research and the zoological field, will enable me to provide valuable support to ongoing Giant Panda research.

As a kid who grew up in the rural outskirts of Portland, Oregon, nature was my first (and often my most dependable) companion. Spending hours at a time, bent over a stream or army crawling through fern thickets…I came to know nature intimately, and developed an appreciation for it that would carry throughout my life. Likewise, my love for animals began very early with snake, worm and frog collections, fallen baby bird rehabilitation and a very full orphanage of feral country kittens. It was a wonderful way to grow up, and I credit those roots with instilling in me an organic desire to participate in and commune with nature.

Peachy Pig Farm

After a life spent traveling and living abroad, my adventures were punctuated by the completion of a bachelor’s degree in Spanish, at Willamette University in 2007. I then spent several years working in the field of legal translation and getting familiar with the professional realm. I cultivated some essential skills during that time, but ultimately found myself too far from my passions to feel fulfilled. I discovered an internship opportunity working for two- and three-toed sloth conservation in Costa Rica, and took a fork on my path.

Shilo and I, getting in some smooches before lunch

My interests and experiences made the full circle in 2014 when I completed a second degree in Biology and Management of Zoo Animals. Participating in the B.M.Z.A. program included a rotation of specialized internships at the Oregon Zoo, centering around major taxonomic focuses. We acquired a diverse knowledge of species, their natural histories and how to study them (in addition to some specific Conservation Biology emphasis).

Lunch time for the adorable river otter family at the Oregon Zoo

Since graduating from that program, I have had the privilege to work towards conservation in a sanctuary setting, as well as research at the National Primate Research Center in Oregon. When the opportunity knocked, for me to join the Giant Panda research team in China, I had no doubt that every step on my path was leading me in that direction. I have been eager to gain field work experience in species conservation…and there is nowhere I’d rather do that. I’m looking forward to writing to you again, from the other side! Stay tuned.

A baby sloth bear is the newest member of the family!