My work uses a diverse range of evidence to reveal the stories of how humans and climate events have shaped extreme environments over the last 12,000 years. My M.S. research at Northern Illinois University focused on the interface between changing bat communities, climate and people in Madagascar. At the University of Tennessee, I am using a multi-proxy approach to study how Neotropical páramos—high-elevation grasslands—have been shaped through human intervention and changing climate. I hold two previous degrees: a B.S. from Northwest Missouri State University and an M.S. degree from Northern Illinois University.