Growing up on the Rainy River and Lake of the Woods in Northern Minnesota sparked my interest in nature and has continued to shape my career path. In my current position I teach a variety of fisheries and natural resource management courses and conduct research related to fisheries and aquatic sciences. In addition to my teaching and research, my family and I operate Cooperstown Kennels (www.ckpoiintinglabs.com) where we breed and train Labrador Retrievers. We also own a bicycle shop (The Hostel Shoppe; https://hostelshoppe.com/) that is primarily run by my wife. I enjoy fishing and camping, spending time with my family and am an avid hunter and a baseball fanatic.