Abbie was born and raised on the dusty plains of Lubbock, Texas. She earned dual Bachelor of Science degrees at Texas A&M University in College Station, in Microbiology, with emphasis in evolutionary ecology, and in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, with an emphasis on conservation biology. After working for two years as a wildlife technician, catching snakes, birds, and tortoises, Abbie worked as a Wildlife Biologist looking at bat and bird mortality under large wind turbines. Abbie earned a Master’s of Science degree from Texas Tech University in 2020. Her master’s thesis involved leading a field team in catching American alligators and analyzing their parasitic gut fauna. Abbie and her husband recently moved to the Conroe area and bought 10 acres of forested land, which they manage for wildlife and plant diversity. Abbie owns Living Wild Landscaping and uses native plants to attract and feed wildlife. She is a member of the Heartwood Chapter, Texas Master Naturalist. She is extremely interested in habitat restoration and management for native wildlife and plants, passionate about all things herpetological, and can’t wait to go on a plant walk with you!