About me

I find this world fascinating and it seems silly to limit my interests to a small list, however, interests that have become particularly special to me include community based conservation, road ecology, environmental education, camera trapping and urban ecology. I am sure that this list will only continue to grow.

Animals have always fascinated me since I was young. My family shared a little point and shoot camera that I would try and take pictures of our pet guinea pigs and wild animals with. When I was ten years old, during the summers, my family would go to Costa Rica for my dads work, a large mammal project based out of the Quetzal Education Research Center, in San Gerardo de Dota, where I have been fortunate enough to live and work for over three years of my life now. I borrowed my parent's camera the first couple years and it was there that I developed a love for taking photos of wildlife. Thanks to my parents, Mike and Emma Mooring, and many others, I had the opportunity to not only to learn how to use a camera, but more importantly, how to respect nature and wildlife. Respect and understanding of others is at the heart of my approach. I am constantly learning. Over the years I have been blessed to see many beautiful places and animals across the world.

Holding a camera invites me to pay more attention to my surroundings and enables me to visually communicate parts of my lived experience that I often cannot find the right words for.

At Point Loma Nazarene University, in San Diego, my family and I lived on campus for 19 years of my life. There, I grew up, and in 2022 graduated with an Environmental Studies degree, while fulfilling my childhood dream of playing on the schools football team (soccer).

I am currently an MFA student at the University of Montana in their Science and Natural History Filmmaking Program, and am really enjoying the challenge and process of becoming a filmmaker.

Education and Work

Montana State University, Bozeman, MT

Current MFA Science and Natural History Filmmaking Candidate, May 2027

Point Loma Nazarene University, San Diego, CA

B.A. Environmental Studies, Biology Concentration, May 2022
Men’s soccer varsity athlete

Point Loma High School, San Diego, CA

June 2018

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Ecological Monitoring Crew Lead
May 2024 – Aug 2024 – University of Montana, EMMA group, O’Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West, Bozeman, Montana

• Crew lead for ecological monitoring hitches using A.I.M protocols on BLM land

• Vegetation data measured: species richness/identification, vegetation and heights of line point intercept, ground cover, plant pressing
• Soil data measured: soil horizon levels, soil stability, soil characterization, effervescence, clay percentage, color
• Ecological data measured: slope and aspect, land observations, water flow patterns, recent disturbances, MLRA assessment, wildlife observations, grazing observations,
• 8-day hitches in remote locations across eastern Montana and Wyoming

Quetzal Education Research Center, Station Intern

Jan 2024 – May 2024; Jan 2023 – May 2023 – Quetzal Education Research Center

Tropical Field Research project manager
- Maintenance and sampling of long-term monitoring projects
  - Stream macroinvertebrate sampling
  - Resplendent Quetzal tourism analysis
  - Mosquito species monitoring
  - Neotropical predator monitoring
Resident Assistant for university students studying abroad

Hiking, guiding, species identification
Construction of an Orchidarium
Museum care and tours

Supporting students’ cultural adjustment
- Leading engagement in Spanish immersion

QERC Social media management

Southwest Conservation Corp Assessment Inventory Monitoring Crew Member

Jun 2023 – Nov 2023 – Roswell, New Mexico

• Crew member for ecological monitoring hitches using A.I.M protocols on BLM land
• Vegetation data measured: species richness/identification, vegetation and heights of line point intercept, ground cover, plant pressing
• Soil data measured: soil horizon levels, soil stability, soil characterization, effervescence, clay percentage, color
• Ecological data measured: slope and aspect, land observations, water flow patterns, recent disturbances, MLRA assessment, wildlife observations, grazing observations,
• 4-day or 8-day hitches in remote locations in southeast New Mexico

Larimer County Conservation Corps Member

Aug 2022 – Nov 2022 – AmeriCorps

Fire mitigation
Erosion Control
Trail maintenance
Tree planting
Species identification
Public and private land

Wolf Care, Maintenance, and Education Intern

Jan 2022 – Apr 2022 – California Wolf Center

Endangered Mexican Gray Wolf and Northwestern Gray Wolf husbandry (feeding, cleaning, enrichment)
Assisted in facility work with plumbing, electrical, mowing, sawing, soldering, cleaning, etc.
Gave tours to up to 30 guests at a time. Private tours, conservation tours, and enrichment tours
Customer Service

Costa Rica Large Mammal Research Project

QERC, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica

2020 – Data Analysist

Location: Remote

Provided data analysis on thousands of camera trap photos and organization of data files

2016 – Summer Research Intern for PLNU

Locations: Savegre Preserve, Los Quetzales National Park, Tapanti National Park, Chirripo National Park, Los Cusingos Bird Sanctuary, Osa Conservation Reserve

Hiked and navigated over 50 trails with research team

Deployed and maintained over 100 camera trap stations and scent stations
Identified 29 different mammal species in photos as part of database management

2011-2015 - Volunteer Field Assistant

Locations: Savegre Preserve, Los Quetzales National Park, Tapanti National Park, Chirripo National Park

Hiked and navigated over 50 trails with research team

Deployed and maintained over 100 camera trap stations and scent stations
Part of team that collected field scat for nationwide genetic survey using scent dogs