Michelle came to Splash in 2021 when she was searching for an internship opportunity during her undergraduate studies with Oregon State University (OSU). A few weeks later, she was officially a Splash Field Guide.
Camping with her parents at Collins Lake as a child brings back fond memories for Michelle. She loved roaming through the woods and the whole camping experience. Her parents were dedicated to “leaving no trace” and made sure that they followed that rule. She knew then that she wanted to play a part in environmental conservation.
Michelle has a BS in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences from OSU and has been a nature and animal enthusiast for her entire life. She has owned and cared for: hamsters, rats, guinea pigs, dogs, cats, horses, bearded dragons, leopard geckos, a ball python, and a king snake! It’s no wonder she makes a great member of the Critterville team, where Michelle’s main focus is the amphibians and turtles.“
Educating kids about the environment and all the life teeming in vernal pools and the surrounding grasslands is a joy for Michelle. She also has fun teaching them how they can make a difference in their community and protect our watershed with simple actions like cleaning up dog poop and not letting soap go into stormdrians. Seeing how the kids respond to Michelle shows that, in turn, the kids have fun learning!