I completed a Bachelor of Forest Science degree (Honours) at the University of Melbourne, a Ph.D. at the University of British Columbia, and a Master of Public Administration (Executive) at the Australian and New Zealand School of Government, Monash University. I am a Full Professor in the Department of Natural Resource Sciences at McGill University specializing in sustainable natural resource management, policy and governance. In 2024, I was appointed Director of the Brace Water Centre at McGill.

My work employs qualitative, quantitative and mixed-method techniques to examine diverse socio-ecological and socio-technical systems with a view to informing decision-making and supporting innovative public policies. I have conducted research in over 30 countries on six continents working in collaboration with end-users including government, the private sector, NGOs and local/Indigenous communities.