CV

Policy

Key policy interests: biosecurity, public health, biotechnology, pandemic preparedness, food systems. Nexus of nutrition, biotechnology, and sustainability.

• Senior Fellow, Brown University Pandemic Center – 2024–Present
• Advisor, Convergent Research – 2024
  • Developed an executive roadmap for launching a nonprofit science startup on indoor air quality (with a focus on farUV light for air disinfection)
• Senior Advisor for Biotechnology and Bioeconomy, White House – 2021–2023
  • Drafted and led implementation of the Bioeconomy Executive Order, which launched the National Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative. Coordinated with a dozen federal agencies and >100 federal staff.
  • Coordinated the announcement of new funding, research programs, and initiatives from federal agencies on biomanufacturing in conjuction with White House leadership
  • Launched the White House Clean Indoor Air Initiative to promote cleaner indoor air and building ventilation during the Covid pandemic
• Science Officer, U.S. Department of State, Office of Biological Policy – 2020–2021
  • Engaged with foreign partners to promote U.S government position on preventing biological weapons, serving as the main coordinating office for the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC)
  • Drafted three meeting papers presented at the Sept 2021 BWC Meeting of Experts
  • Supported the kick-off of a $5 million U.S. project to strengthen BWC national implementation
• AAAS Congressional Science & Engineering Policy Fellow – 2019–2020
  • Drafted and introduced 3 bills in the U.S. Senate while serving in Senator Markey’s office
  • One bill, the bipartisan Bioeconomy Research and Development Act, became law through the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (pages 235-245)
• Alumni Relations Officer, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Science Policy Initiative – 2014–2017

Bioengineering & life sciences

Expertise: Bioengineering, microbiology, data analysis, DNA sequencing, computer programming

• Scientist – DSM Nutrition Innovation Center – Lexington, MA – 2018–2019
  • Developed agricultural animal feed products that improve microbiome health and reduce antibiotic usage
• Graduate student & postdoctoral associate – Broad Institute of MIT & Harvard – Cambridge, MA – 2013–2018
  • DNA sequencing and infectious disease: Sequenced and analyzed 3,000 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) genomes from a clinical trial comparing MRSA treatment methods
  • Bioengineering: Created microfluidic device for low-cost, high-throughput bacterial genome sequencing preparation. Reduced cost 100-fold and increased production speed 6-fold
  • Microbiome: Discovered correlation between lung cancer progression and the lung microbiome by analyzing the lung and gut microbiomes of experimental mice that develop lung cancer
  • Won $40k for a 1-year research project as principal investigator
  • Mentored 8 undergraduate students with independent research projects
  • Coordinated research with Univ of Calif Irvine doctors and Harvard School of Public Health researchers

Communication & leadership

• Communication Fellow – Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Cambridge, MA – 2014–2016
  • Coached >50 student-clients on scientific writing and presentations over 150 hours
• Co-founder – Massachusetts Institute of Technology conflict management & peer coaching program – 2014–2018
  • Coached graduate students in 1-on-1 conflict management sessions and successfully advocated for policy changes
  • Received conflict mediator certification after 40-hour conflict management training
• Genetics & Evolution Outreach Program Volunteer – Broad Institute – Cambridge, MA – 2014–2018
  • Taught 3 classes/semester to local 8th grade science students (topics related to genomics and health)
• Vice Chair – Broad Institute Graduate Student & Postdoc Association – Cambridge, MA – 2013–2018
  • Developed “JuniorVoices” initiative to present Institute leadership with student research proposals
• Student Body President – Rice University – Houston, TX – 2011–2012
  • Led student government of 65 officers and 3,800-student body
  • Convened joint student/administrator committee to allocate $6M campus fund

Education

• PhD, Biological Engineering – Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Cambridge, MA – 2018
• BS, Bioengineering – Rice University – Houston, TX – 2012
• Valedictorian, A&M Consolidated High School – College Station, TX – 2008

Personal: Marathon runner (10 full races, incl. Boston Marathon), cyclist, triathlete; certified Wilderness First Responder (80-hour course).