Hailing from southern California, Selena has loved the beach and nature from the start. So when she developed interest in research, studying wildlife that lives near the ocean made sense. Selena has been passionate about coastal birds and conservation for over a decade, since receiving a BSc from San Diego State University. She’s tried her hand at different avenues in just as many locations — teaching biology in California, seabird rehabilitation in Hawai’i, and working in well-known natural history museums. While with shorebird recovery plans, Selena caught the fieldwork bug, and there was no turning back! 

Since relocating to South Africa, she has worked with seabirds and others through wildlife rescue, and as field assistant with conservation projects. Calling upon her experience with a successful coastal management programme, Selena is now conducting her postgraduate research examining the effects of tourism on shorebirds along South Africa’s Garden Route. 

Selena focuses on developing and evaluating conservation interventions, balancing human activity and environmental protection. Having served in various positions and initiatives, she also found importance in communication between stakeholders, aspiring toward liaison roles to ensure measures remain effective. With public engagement, Selena aims to get communities excited about nature and invested in it’s protection!