People

My interest in primate socio-ecology dates back to long days spent watching the bonobos at the Milwaukee County Zoo in Wisconsin as a little girl. I have always been fascinated by primate behavior and conservation, and knew that it was the type of study I wanted to pursue in college.

During my undergraduate years at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, I had opportunity to work with Dr. Mary Schneider at the Harlow Primate Laboratory. As a research assistant, I studied the effects of low-level fetal alcohol exposure on the adolescent cognitive and social development of Rhesus Macaques.

In 2004, my interest in primate behavior led me to the University of Cape Town, South Africa. My travels throughout Sub-Saharan and East Africa enabled me to observe a variety of primate species in the wild and solidified my decision to pursue a career in Primatology. In 2005, I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a BS in both Zoology and Biological Aspects of Conservation and a concentration in African Studies.

In October 2005, I joined the Capuchin Lab at the Living Links Center with Dr. Frans de Waal. As a Research Specialist, I am responsible for supervising Dr. de Waal's NSF funded studies and collecting, coding, and evaluating behavioral data on two colonies of brown capuchins. I also coordinate enrichment activities, assist in the research projects of resident graduate students, and train undergraduate research assistants in various laboratory procedures.