Fort Collins, Colorado, United States
I’m a Research Associate at the Colorado Forest Restoration Institute (CFRI), where I apply advanced geospatial tools and analytics to support wildfire risk reduction and landscape resilience across the western United States. My work focuses on developing scalable, data-driven solutions to guide fuel treatments, suppression strategies, and collaborative fire planning. My expertise includes wildfire modeling and risk assessment, geospatial workflow development, remote sensing and landscape analysis, collaborative fire planning support, and applied research communication. I use Python, R, and ArcGIS to automate workflows, build predictive models, and integrate diverse datasets into practical tools for fire and land managers. I am passionate about translating complex data into clear, actionable insights that support meaningful planning and informed fire management on the ground. At CFRI, I lead and support research efforts that inform wildfire containment planning, structure triage classification, suppression difficulty assessment, and risk transmission analysis. I work closely with land managers, fire personnel, and agency partners to ensure our geospatial products are both scientifically sound and operationally relevant. I’m always interested in connecting with others working at the intersection of fire science, spatial data, and real-world planning.
Contributes geospatial technical and analytical skills to the development and customization of decision support tools, advancing collaborative forest restoration, integrated natural resource planning, and wildfire risk mitigation in Colorado and the Interior West. Responsible for spatial data production using remote sensing and GIS technologies, spatial data management, and conducting spatial analyses to support science and planning initiatives.
Worked on and with Wildland Fire Incident Management Teams, specializing in providing spatial assistance. Proficiently employs ArcGIS Pro and Enterprise Geospatial Portal (EGP) to integrate incident data with the National Incident Feature Service (NIFS). Effectively manages incident data within the NIFS AGOL Organization, creating web maps, apps, and dashboards. Demonstrates proficiency in utilizing mobile applications such as Collector for ArcGIS and Survey123 for ArcGIS. Remains dedicated to ensuring the safety of teams and communities while consistently making a positive impact on wildfire incident management.
Research focused on the defensibility of structures in the context of wildland fires, focusing on the perspective of wildland firefighters. Using a random forest to classify structures and examine the factors that may be considered by wildland firefighters during their assessments of structures.
Engaged in the advancement of the DIGIT Lab's geospatial database development and analytical services, collaborating with international, federal, state, and local agencies, as well as private sector entities through contractual arrangements. Specialized in GIS, GIS-based web application development, remote sensing, and utilized coding languages such as Python and R to automate processes, perform machine learning classifications, and conduct remote sensing analyses.
Developed and conducted an analysis aimed at improving the accuracy of wildland fire risk assessment in Kansas. Utilizing GIS software like ArcMap and ArcPro to gather, analyze, and process data, enabling improved predictions for fire occurrence probability, fire behavior, fire suppression effectiveness, and impact on valuable assets. Created structured workflows to streamline the process and organized large data outputs to ensure accessibility and adherence to workflow procedures.
Oversaw the Invasive Plant Management Program for the Mogollon Rim Ranger District, supervising and training crew members in various fieldwork tasks. This included herbicide use, equipment maintenance, sprayer calibration, species identification, and accurate data collection with GPS units. Independently, developed project plans, conducted field treatments and surveys, and delegated tasks to ensure timely completion. Utilized software such as DNR Garmin, ArcPad, Trimble Pathfinder, and synchronized data with Collector for ArcGIS in an enterprise GIS environment.