I am an Assistant Professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the 2010 recipient of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Kathryn Fuller Science for Nature Fund Fellowship, and a professional photographer associate with the International League of Conservation Photographers.

I obtained my PhD at the Center of Marine Biodiversity and Conservation at Scripps Oceanography, and was awarded the Jean Fort Award by the University of California, San Diego.

My research has focused on marine reserves and commercially exploited marine species and their fisheries. As a part of my responsibilities as coordinator of the Gulf of California Marine Program at Scripps, I have been working on studies that involve Mexico and other Latin America countries such as Belize, Costa Rica, and Ecuador, as well as the US. Through this program, I have helped to build a diverse scholarly environment that is effective in training students and professionals from these countries in field techniques, writing and presentation skills, and general professional development.