Education and Certificates:
BSc Wildlife Biology, University of Montana, 1983
MSc Wildlife Management, West Virginia University, 1988
Professional Certificate in Geostatistics Rutgers University, 1998
Phd Wildlife Ecology, Utah State University, 1999
Professional Training in GIS Applications Wildlife Conservation Society, 2003

Experience:
Catherine joined the CNRIT team in June 2006.  Catherine is an ecologist with over 25 years experience working on issues related to sustainable natural resource management and biodiversity. She has expertise in plant taxonomy, botany, wildlife and vegetation research, ArcGIS and Geostatistics.  Catherine became interested in natural resource issues at an early age during her upbringing in the Canal Zone, Panama.  Catherine started her career as a wildlife biologist, working mostly on endangered species issues.  When it soon became apparent to her that humans were a part of the equation for solving the problem, she steadily turned her attention to solving the problem of how to integrate humans into the management of species and protected areas.  Catherine became interested in pastoralist societies during her work in Ethiopia.  She is co-author of a management plan for Awash National Park which stressed the importance of integrating the Kereyu in the management of the park.  She has published papers on the ecology of red and gray foxes, the impacts of armed conflict on biodiversity and protected areas, the use of geostatistics with limited data, the status of elephants in Lac Tele Wildlife Reserve and constraints to vegetation distribution in savanna landscapes.  Catherine earned her doctorate degree at Utah State University, looking at large-scale constraints and vegetation dynamics in Omo National Park, Ethiopia.  In 1989, she was the co-recipient of the Kevin Kinsley Outstanding Graduate Student Award from West Virginia University.  Catherine is now working in Afghanistan to resolve issues related to the Kuchi, livestock production and rangelands, in the capacity of Pastoral Ecologist, on the PEACE Project.

Interests:
Hiking, hunting, canoeing, cross-country skiing, reading and quilting.  Catherine is member of the Tobacco Valley Improvement Association and has served in the past as its President and Treasurer.

Technical Skills:  SAS, R+, Mantel’s Test, Geostatistics, ArcGIS