Summary
Agriculture-business and management graduate with extensive experience in hydroponics, urban agriculture and business management. Academic foundations in controlled-environment agriculture, business development and curriculum development. Strong leader and team player pursuing a full-time position in the agriculture industry.

Education
Bachelor of Science in Agriculture – Agriculture-Business and Management, Cum Laude                     May 2018

Texas State University                                                                                                                                         

Experience
Lead Grower                                                                                                                                     06/2018 – Present

80 Acres Farms, Springdale, AR                                                                                                                            

•  Directly responsible for the cultivation of over 132,000 edible plants in a 11,000 square foot state-of-the-art hydroponic facility
•   Successfully increase yields of leafy greens from 52%-100% within the first three months by constant care, sanitation, and monitoring of climate, pH, electrical conductivity, and dissolved oxygen
•   Selected specific cultivars to be commercially produced which led to an increase in product requests by multiple clients and an expansion of systems to increase capacity and meet demand
•   Collaborate with engineers to modify or construct new hydroponic systems, software developers to track crops from seed to sale, and the regional sales manager to plan for multiple scheduled crop rotations
•   Assist in the development of high quality standard operating procedures to successfully obtain a Global Food Safety Initiative certification
•   Lead a team of six in research and development pertaining to the optimization and efficiency of hydroponic systems
•   Establish and supervise an intern program with the University of Arkansas
•  Create and implement an Integrated Pest Management program and Water Quality Program
•   Collect and analyze nutrient solutions and tissue samples to create and modify fertilizer recipes for optimum crop quality and yield
•   Purchase and inventory seeds, media, equipment, chemicals, and biological controls

Teacher Assistant, General Horticulture                                                                                       01/2018 – 05/2018                              

Texas State University Agriculture Department, San Marcos, TX                                                                             

•   Assist the General Horticulture professor with laboratory instruction, presentation development, field trip facilitation and instructional garden management for 60 undergraduate students
•   Develop curriculum pertaining to niche vegetable and fruit crops, hydroponics, organic and intensive gardening
•   Proctor quizzes and tests, and perform other duties as needed by the professor

Propagation and Research Project Manager                                                                                01/2016 – 01/2018

EverGreen, San Marcos, TX                                                                                                                                  

•   Designed and constructed a United States Department of Agriculture-sponsored hydroponic system prototype through management of an interdisciplinary team of 10 undergraduate and 2 graduate students from the Agriculture and Engineering departments at Texas State
•   Conducted research and analysis to determine which crops grow most efficiently in the hydroponic system, observing plant growth, plant physiology, crop yield, light quality, photoperiodism and other characteristics
•   Created and maintained operating procedures, data collection procedures, and system efficiency to maximize space utilization, time management and data analysis
•  In charge of propagation of horticulture crops and delegating responsibilities to undergraduates pertaining to ordering supplies, assembling and sterilization of equipment, harvesting, and business development