Where are you from?
I’m from Richmond, VT and currently live in Boston, MA.
Where do you/did you attend school? Share with us the city/town, what you are majoring in, what your academic interests are?
I graduated from Middlebury College in Middlebury, VT in May 2020. I majored in Geography and minored in French, but my wide range of interests also led me to take courses in Geology, Spanish, Environmental Studies, Sociology, and more. Most of my studies were linked by the common themes of climate change and sustainability, as well as my affinities for Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and data analysis.
What are your career goals?
Though I have yet to fully commit to a single career path, I envision myself using my skills in GIS to analyze issues in one of my core fields of interest. I have previously enjoyed experiences in climate change hazard mitigation and public transportation research and could see myself in any number of future GIS positions that fall under the umbrella of environmental sustainability.
Outside of school and work what are your hobbies and/or interests?
I was a member of the Track & Field team at Middlebury and still enjoy running whenever I get the chance. I also love playing and watching basketball, reading, cross-country skiing, and baking.
What is your internship project focus? Explain what you will be doing, which parks/partners will you be working with? Who is your mentor at OCLP?
The majority of my internship will be dedicated to designing web applications for collecting field data on trees at Park Service properties. I will be working with Michael Stachowicz to help parks standardize and streamline their data collection processes using field applications such as ArcGIS Collector and Survey123. These apps can integrate seamlessly with parks’ existing GIS data sets, which will provide significant advantages over paper-based tree forms. I will also be providing GIS support to several other OCLP efforts, including creating a Cultural Landscape Report map for Hampton National Historic Site and an existing conditions map for the Martin Van Buren National Historic Site.
Why did you choose to participate in a Designing the Parks Internship? How is your internship hosted?
I chose a Designing the Parks Internship for the chance to learn directly from field experts in a dynamic organization like the National Park Service. Given the uncertainties in the job market due to COVID-19, a fixed-duration internship offered a particularly enticing opportunity to gain experience while providing support to parks across the country. My internship is hosted by NCPE.
What are you looking forward to learning or exploring during your internship?
I am excited to become familiar with a host of new GIS tools and platforms, including Collector and Survey123, ArcGIS Online, and ArcGIS Pro. GIS is a rapidly evolving field and the Olmsted Center has done a great job of integrating it into its operations and staying abreast of new developments. I also hope to be able to visit some nearby National Parks — my home state of Vermont has only one. Finally, I am looking forward to developing connections with my coworkers and fellow associates.
What types of opportunities will Designing the Parks provide you with?
Designing the Parks will give me access to new learning opportunities across a variety of fields: GIS, natural and cultural resource management, landscape planning, and arboriculture. I always enjoy learning new and unfamiliar things, so working in a multidisciplinary environment like the Olmsted Center will keep me on my toes!
Designing the Parks 