Meet the team | governanceandecology

Meet the team

Dr. Ed Gallo-Cajiao

Lab lead

Ed is an environmental social scientist with an interest in biodiversity conservation research from an interdisciplinary perspective drawing on ecology and political science. He loves doing research that contributes as much to conservation practice, as to theory and ongoing scholarly debates. Taxonomically, his work typically focuses on birds, but he also has an interest in mammals. His current research questions gravitate towards understanding the governance dimensions of migratory species conservation, with a particular focus on effectiveness, agency, fit, and institutional complexity. He also has an interest in natural history, as well as in understanding the impacts of anthropogenic activities on biodiversity. He considers outreach an integral component of his research, so in addition to publishing in scientific journals, he is committed to engaging with the media and publishing in outlets targeting the broader community.

Cassiopeia Camara

PhD student

Cassi is a PhD student and social scientist, serving as the Environmental Education Specialist for the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. Her interests focus on the intersection of communication and conservation, with a special emphasis on generational communication and outreach. Her research explores the media portrayal of wolf reintroduction in Colorado and evaluates educational programs aimed at fostering human-carnivore coexistence. Passionate about connecting theory with practice, she strives to develop effective conservation messaging that resonates across diverse age groups.

Jose Guzman, M.A.

PhD student

Jose is a a Ph.D. student in the Human Dimensions of Natural Resources department at Colorado State University. Jose has a strong background in entrepreneurial business, having founded four successful companies in retail trade, wholesale textiles, adventure travel, and hospitality. His academic background spans anthropology, sustainability, nonprofit management, tourism, and electronics technology. Jose’s research focuses on sustainable education, specifically on methods to educate stakeholders about preserving cultural identity and promoting responsible travel. He studies environments that inspire sustainable behaviors through experiential and action-oriented education, with the goal of cultivating present and future stewards of the natural world. Jose is a resident of both the Vail Valley in Colorado and Cusco, Peru. He has worked as a ski instructor in Vail and a mountain guide in Cusco, experiences that reflect his deep connection to outdoor environments.

Julia Lankisch

MSc student

Julia is a conservationist with passions for habitat restoration and connectivity. She is currently working toward her M.S. in Environmental Leadership at CSU. Her thesis research is focused on exploring secondary barriers to wildlife crossing projects in Summit County, CO. Julia completed her undergraduate degrees in Environmental Science and Music at Xavier University, where she established her commitments to outdoor access and social justice. She has previously been engaged through research and employment with such topics as invasive species, forest entomology, urban agriculture, environmental education, and community co-management of green spaces. When she's not doing conservation, Julia enjoys birding, hiking, canoeing, reading, and spending time with her little cat Goober.

Andrew Sampson

MSc student

Andrew is a devote student of nature and the mountains. He has earned BS in Geography and a BS in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability from Colorado State University as well as an Avalanche Science certificate from Colorado Mountain College. He now serves as a masters student in the Human Dimensions of Natural Resources department of the Warner College working on the governance dimensions of migratory pronghorn conservation. His academic interests involve the governance of and dynamics between humans and popular large mammals found in North America. In addition, he teaches as a co-instructor in the Wilderness Leadership Program at CSU. When not taking classes or teaching on campus, you can find Andrew climbing and skiing all of the snow, ice, and rock he can find in Colorado and the rest of the West.

Kate Laidlaw

Undergraduate student

Kate grew up in Michigan surrounded by highly diverse vegetation which built much of her love for nature. This appreciation led Kate to study Ecosystem Science, where she has focused on understanding how populations within systems interact with one another, and how these interactions change across different landscapes. She has taken particular interest in how these relationships occur in freshwater systems and hope to further her education and experience in freshwater ecosystems in the future. Kate is currently doing research with the Traits and Ecosystems Lab and the Biodiversity Governance Lab evaluating the role of protected areas in bird conservation.

Margaret Monaghan

Undergraduate student

Margaret is a student of Human Dimensions of Natural Resources and Geospatial Information Science for Natural Resources at Colorado State University. She has a wide range of interests in conservation and ecology, though her real passion lies in using Geospatial Science to combat environmental issues. Margaret grew up along the coast of Michigan’s Great Lakes and has enjoyed the outdoors from a young age. When not in the classroom, you can find Margaret shredding Colorado’s ski slopes or climbing her next mountain. Margaret joined the Traits and Ecosystems Lab and the Biodiversity Governance Lab in Fall 2025 to work on an independent study project evaluating patterns of country-endemic bird species distribution.

Katherine Stroh

PhD student

Kat is a PhD student in Chris Funk's lab in the department of Biology/Graduate Degree Program in Ecology. Her research focuses broadly on using different tools and approaches (e.g. genetics, genomics, occupancy modeling) to inform conservation of amphibians and reptiles in South America. She will be branching into the interdisciplinary space for one chapter of her dissertation focused on conservation governance in Ecuador.

Drake Haley

Research Assistant

Drake is a senior at Colorado State University, pursuing a degree in Human Dimensions of Natural Resources with a minor in Conservation Biology. He currently works as a research assistant in the Biodiversity Governance Lab, contributing to a global literature review on migratory ungulates. His academic passions center on human wildlife conflict and coexistence, with a particular interest in large predators like mountain lions. His previous work has focused on stresses on agriculture such as water rights and agricultural pests. When he’s not in the lab, you’ll likely find him out on the river fly fishing, exploring trails on his mountain bike, or catching lizards and frogs in the great outdoors. Drake is currently working on a global analysis of ungulate conservation at the Biodiversity Governance Lab.

Mocha

Lab manager

Mocha is a native to the Pacific Northwest, where she was born. Upon moving to Colorado, she has adapted really well to the Front Range, where she enjoys sunshine year round and great adventures in and around Fort Collins. Mocha is of great support to the Biodiversity Governance Lab by means of cuddles and zoomies. When she is not greeting people out and about wagging her tail, she is napping dreaming she one day will succeed in her pursuits for bunnies and squirrels.