Ava grew up in Michigan surrounded by the Great Lakes, developing an early love for the outdoors and water. Through STEM camps and programs, her interest in natural sciences grew, and her Flint River water quality research project in high school ultimately sparked her passion for a career in environmental science.

In college, Ava began her career in a lab researching Lake Erie cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms before broadening her work to assess Lake Michigan tributaries for lake whitefish reintroduction. She also worked with her university’s Student Sustainability Coalition, facilitating collaboration among student organizations and university administration.

Ava graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.S. in Earth/Environmental Science and Environmental Conservation Anthropology. She went on to explore the American West, gaining experience in river habitat restoration with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and then developing a deeper understanding of water systems in extreme climates while living in Death Valley, California.

Ava joined CVI in 2026 as a habitat restoration technician, stationed at the USFWS Southwestern Virginia Ecological Services Field Office in Abingdon, Virginia. When she’s not restoring Southwest Virginia’s watersheds, you may find her running or hiking the trails, reading and needle felting in a cozy nook, or practicing yoga on her mat.