Leah is an aquatic ecologist and algal taxonomist who has over 25 years experience related to water quality analysis, drivers of aquatic community structure, and the identification of macrophytes, phytoplankton, and algae in fresh, tidal, and marine systems. She ran a water quality and nutrient laboratory in Wisconsin for over 5 years prior to joining the Phytoplankton Analysis Laboratory at Old Dominion University in 2014. Since becoming the laboratory supervisor in 2016, Leah has worked with the local, state and federal partners by conducting taxonomic enumerations and toxin assays in the state’s fresh, tidal, and coastal waters for monitoring, rapid response, and research efforts. Her research interests include drivers of harmful algae blooms in estuarine and coastal waters, the use of imaging technology in monitoring and HAB detection, transport of cyanotoxins along the freshwater to marine continuum, and the verification of satellite products for HAB forecasting, detection, and monitoring. She loves living near the beach, seeing live music, and her golden retriever, Althea.
