Current employer:
Penn State Center for Agricultural and Shale Law

Education and work experience:
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Edinboro, PA

• Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice
• Minor in Political Science

The Pennsylvania State University, The Dickinson School of Law, University Park, PA

• Juris Doctor

AALA leadership roles:
Co-chair of the newsletter committee

How did you get interested or involved in agricultural law?
Growing up, I spent a lot of my time outdoors in our garden at home or hiking in the woods. In high school and college, I worked as a camp counselor, teaching outdoor nature and wilderness survival. When I went to law school, I didn’t have a specific plan for the future, but knew I was interested in “probably something environmental.” Through a series of fortunate events, I wound up working at the Ag Law Center. Once I realized part of my job would require me to go to farms and outdoor field events, I was hooked. With agricultural law, there’s such a visible connection from our work to real-world application that makes every day interesting and keeps me inspired to do more.

What is your current role and what type of work are you doing?
As a staff attorney at the Center for Agricultural and Shale Law, I do research, create educational materials, and provide presentations on agricultural law. I coordinate our team of Penn State Law students and work with them to publish various projects each semester and during the summer. This semester, I’m also acting as a supervising attorney for students in our Rural Economic Development Clinic, where we address the needs of farmer clients, especially relating to agritourism. I am also the director of Pennsylvania’s Agricultural Mediation Program, through which we provide alternative dispute-resolution services to agricultural clients.

How does AALA help or benefit your profession or current role?
While the basic purpose for attending AALA might be the CLE credits, the real value for me is probably the networking and connections to other attorneys in this area of law. It’s been so helpful to learn about other support organizations and hear about other careers in agricultural law. These connections have helped me support both my law students and my clients.

What is one of your favorite AALA memories or experiences?
One of my favorite memories from AALA might be from the first symposium I attended in 2016 in Oklahoma City. I was expecting a basic conference and was blown away by the welcome I received as a new attendee. I loved seeing the camaraderie between old friends, and I really enjoyed the sessions and overall atmosphere.