I am an Associate Professor in Animal Welfare in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. I received my PhD in Animal Behavior at the University of California-Davis and my MSc in Cognitive and Behavioral Ecology at Memorial University of Newfoundland.
My work brings together three primary areas: (1) understanding and mitigating pain and disease in livestock; (2) connecting animal welfare science with broader sustainability goals and socially responsible food production; and (3) supporting emerging food systems in the United States—such as dairy sheep and insect farming—by integrating rigorous animal welfare science as these sectors develop.
Across these areas, my overarching aim is to ensure that advances in agricultural production are grounded in scientific evidence about animals’ experiences and are aligned with long-term environmental and societal priorities.