Wildlife biologist for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes' Wildlife Management Program

Field: Wildlife biology

"Being smart is cool! Never dull your shine to fit in!"

When I was younger, I liked to play outside, and I was often running around in wet ditches looking for snakes and bugs. My high school science teacher, Mr. Fauque, was amazing. He brought me to my first Montana State Science Fair in Missoula, where I won first place and grand awards. That experience gave me the confidence to enjoy and work hard in science.

I didn't always grow up on the reservation, but I live there now. Despite growing up away from my Tribe, their cultural principles align with what is naturally inside me. The best part of my job is interacting with the community and helping people to understand why wildlife are important and how we need to live with them in a healthy way. The worst part about my job is smelling dead animals.

Learning science is cool because science explains the world around us and keeps us healthy.