Deirdre is originally from Portland, Oregon, and completed her undergraduate studies at University of Montana. Inspired early on by Jane Goodall, she knew she wanted to pursue a career in wildlife biology. As an undergraduate, she gained experience across diverse projects—from plant genomics to moose habitat selection—but always intended to return to the Pacific Northwest. She later spent three years contributing to the long-term demography study of northern spotted owls in the central and southern Oregon Cascades, where her interest in old-growth conifer specialists deepened. Building on these experiences, her master’s thesis examines how marten and other species respond to the Dixie Fire through occupancy studies in Lassen National Forest. In her free time, Deirdre enjoys hiking, backpacking, and exploring the beauty of old-growth forests.