I am an Aquatic Ecologist and Taxonomist from the Upper Midwest USA, with a focus on freshwater macroinvertebrates. For the past 10 years, I've worked at biomonitoring laboratories in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, and New York, as well as completing master’s degrees in Germany and Poland. In these roles, I've identified aquatic invertebrates to genus or species level from streams, wetlands, and lakes, including the Laurentian Great Lakes. During this time, I found a real passion in photographing these critters to share with the world.

Diving into the world of freshwater invertebrates didn't occur until my undergraduate years at UW-Stevens Point, but my interest in water started at an early age. My family would often take trips such as touring the Wisconsin River on the Wisconsin Dells Duck rides and going fishing on Lake Superior. I'm always most comfortable and at peace near water, whether it be hiking along a mountain stream, walking a wetland boardwalk, or visiting a beach.

As someone always learning, I found out rather quickly that the internet is not the most helpful source when looking for quality, accurately identified invertebrate images. That's something I hope to help change over the coming years! One of my goals is to share my images of aquatic insects and other critters, along with some ecological information, to help improve the overall understanding for other scientists, educators, and the public.

View my current photography projects in the photo gallery. I held two certifications through the Society for Freshwater Science: EPT genera- East (2018) and Chironomidae of North America (2019). I have been the primary taxonomist on projects to genus level for most of my career, as well as several projects to species level, including Chironomidae midges, aquatic Oligochaeta worms, and zebra mussels in the larval veliger life stage.

In my spare time, I enjoy woodworking activities, primarily lathe work, scroll saw, and wood burning. I also like to spend time hiking around natural areas. When I have time, I enjoy knitting, playing tennis, and playing piano. Feel free to contact me with any requests or suggestions and check out more of my invertebrate photos on my Instagram page!

Want to know more? View my CV and research abstracts below!

CV