I am a Ph.D. Candidate in Agricultural and Resource Economics at University of Maryland, College Park. My research addresses challenges associated with promoting sustainable management of environmental and natural resources and enhances our understanding of current political efforts. My current research is in the fields of design and evaluation of Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) program that restores nature-based infrastructure, such as forests and wetlands. In my dissertation, I examine (i) the cost-effective structure of payments and penalties in PES contracts and (ii) the contribution of PES programs to climate change mitigation and adaptation. I hold a B.S. in Agricultural Economics from Texas A&M University and a M.S. in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of Maryland.