I completed the CA Naturalist training and the Climate Stewards training offered by the PG Museum of Natural History in 2021-2022. I am a docent in the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary in Pacific Grove, and a volunteer counter of butterflies while they are overwintering locally. I am also a volunteer with Sea Otter Savvy, observing sea otters in the Monterey Bay Area and recording their behavior and the impact of "disturbances" -- mostly people in kayaks getting too close to these predators.

I love iNaturalist because I learn so much from this tool. I post to learn, I post when I'm not sure which species I'm seeing, or when I'm looking for confirmation of what I see. When I travel I use iNaturalist too.

I believe climate change is an existential threat that we know has been brought about by human activity. Frankly, I believe it is caused and exacerbated by human thoughtlessness and short-term thinking. I believe actions to protect biodiversity, learn and educate about it, goes hand in hand with direct actions to combat climate change.

I'm a not a trained scientist, but am a community scientist. I believe community science and scientific research are essential in the fight to support biodiversity and combat climate change.