Social-Ecological Scientist, The Nature Conservancy

Biography

Ash is a Social-Ecological Scientist with The Nature Conservancy (TNC), specializing in the integration of people and nature values into land-use planning and renewable energy siting. She holds a BSc from Rutgers University and a Ph.D. from the City University of New York. Her current work builds on her postdoctoral research with TNC, where she developed spatial approaches to map and integrate social indicators and potential conflicts across India and Europe. Ash's interdisciplinary background spans fieldwork in a variety of ecological systems, stakeholder engagement, and landscape-level analysis in regions including Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America. Her PhD research examined scavenger biodiversity and ecosystem service patterns across an elevation gradient in Nepal. Ash is committed to advancing conservation and policy through scientifically rigorous, socially informed research that supports equitable decision-making and climate resilience.