Thanks for taking the time to check out Chesapeake Ecotours! Like many of you, my love for the flora and fauna of the Chesapeake Bay began at an early age. Whether I was birdwatching or fishing, it usually happened from a kayak. I found that kayaks were perfect for getting close to wildlife and accessing shallow areas that larger boats couldn’t reach.

That early interest in nature led me to earn a B.S. in Biology from the College of William and Mary, where I focused on the developmental biology and ecology of invertebrate animals—like sea urchins, crabs, oysters, and jellyfish. During my summers, I interned with ornithologist Ruth Beck, monitoring shorebird diversity and conservation throughout Hampton Roads, VA. It was during those field seasons that I learned to identify birds by ear—a skill that continues to enrich every paddling trip.

After graduating, I worked on oyster reef conservation at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, then went on to earn a Ph.D. in Ecology, Genetics, and Evolutionary Biology from Washington State University in 2020. I completed my academic path with a postdoctoral research fellowship in Mathematical Biology at the University of Utah.

By 2020, I realized that my work—mostly data analysis, statistics, and building mathematical models—had taken me far from the fieldwork that first inspired me. I missed being outside. In 2021, I moved back to the East Coast and took a 9-to-5 job in data analysis that gave me the time and flexibility to reconnect with nature.

For the past two years, my wife and I have lived in Urbanna, VA. It didn’t take long to realize how many incredible kayaking opportunities surround Urbanna and Middlesex County. I founded Chesapeake Ecotours in 2025 as a way to feed my soul—and to share my passion for the natural world with others.