I am a policy researcher and scientist with an educational background in geology and mathematics. I received a Bachelor of Arts from Carleton College in 1998. My major field of study was Geology; I also studied mathematics extensively. In 2007, I took courses in intermediate microeconomics and macroeconomics at the University of Washington.
I have worked in environmental research and consulting for over 20 years. During the last fifteen years, my professional focus has been on GHG emissions accounting and the role of policy mechanisms in reducing GHG emissions and developing low-carbon energy and services. Specifically, I have conducted and led research projects on these topics on behalf of numerous partners and clients, including international institutions (e.g., the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the World Bank), the U.S. government (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency), state governments (e.g., State of Washington, State of Oregon), and local governments (e.g., City of Seattle).
I have authored numerous peer-reviewed studies on how policies, actions, or infrastructure projects increase or decrease greenhouse gas emissions. These include studies about the GHG emissions implications of proposed new fossil fuel infrastructure, of the United States government’s fossil fuel leasing practices, and of federal and state-level subsidies to U.S. oil and gas production. In addition, I was an invited reviewer to the GHG emission reduction chapters in Working Group III of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report, published in 2022. I have also served on national and international committees devoted to GHG emissions accounting: one convened by the International Council of Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) to create a U.S. Community-scale GHG Emissions Accounting and Reporting Standard, as well as one convened by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol to create the Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Goals Standard. I have led major research efforts to evaluate the effects of various policies on fossil fuel production and consumption and their associated CO2 emissions.