After an enriching experience taking AP Biology in high school and a lifelong interest in species conservation, Randi decided that she would pursue a career in STEM. Randi moved from southern California to Monterey Bay in 2015 to earn her B.S. in Biology at CSU, Monterey Bay. During this time, Randi found great interest in both terrestrial and marine systems, and was fascinated by both ecology and molecular biology. She eventually discovered population genetics, a field that used molecular techniques to answer ecological questions, and decided to continue her education with this field as the focus. Randi began her graduate studies at MLML in 2020.

     Co-advised by Dr. Amanda Kahn and Dr. Alison Haupt, Randi is interested in using genetic tools to better understand the relationship between parasite transmission strategy and their dispersal capacity, using the Pacific Line islands and French Polynesia as a case study.

     In addition to graduate school, Randi also works as a Lab Assistant for Granite Canyon Marine Pollution Studies Laboratory, an environmental toxicology lab that focuses on acute and chronic toxicity testing of environmental samples. Randi also works as a Teaching Associate for CSUMB, where she teaches the very introductory biology lab course that she took as an early undergraduate! When not at work or in school, you can find Randi biking along the coastal trail, antique and thrift shopping, or in bed napping with her two cats.