Areas of Expertise: state legislation, community engagement, program administration

Monica leads community engagement, tracks state legislation and manages several program initiatives for the California field office. Prior to joining Defenders, she conducted research on the role of science in conservation decision-making, worked as a Marine Science Instructor on Catalina Island and led service-learning trips to Fiji, Australia, Ecuador and the Galápagos. Monica holds an M.S. in Environmental Policy and Management from University of California Davis and a B.S. in Environmental Studies from University of California Santa Barbara.