James is originally from rural northwestern New Jersey. After graduating from Rutgers University with a B.S. in ecology, evolution, and natural resources, James worked two seasonal jobs: first as an integrated pest management technician with the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, where he supported vegetable farmers’ use of sustainable pest management techniques; and second as a freshwater restoration assistant with The Nature Conservancy, where he planted trees as part of an effort to reforest critical riparian habitats in the Paulins Kill River watershed. Before coming to SPIA, James spent two and a half years with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, where he managed Clean Water Act Section 319 water quality restoration grants and helped write science-based updates to New Jersey’s water quality standards. This summer, James worked as a Rural Development Policy Intern with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. His professional interests include water quality monitoring, citizen science, ecological restoration, and how decisionmakers manage water resources for simultaneous ecological, social, and economic uses. In his free time, James enjoys birdwatching, gardening, cooking, and reading as much as possible.