​Kyra is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University. She is part of the project, Aquatic and Riparian Ecosystems: Biodiversity and Economic Service Transformations from Nature-based Solutions (ARE BEST NbS). She uses mental modeling to understand stakeholder perceptions of the benefits of nature-based solutions in Europe.

She received her PhD in Ecology (Environmental Policy and Computational Social Science Emphasis) from the University of California Davis. She was in the Graduate Group in Ecology (GGE) and member of the Center of Environmental Policy and Behavior (CEPB). Her main research interests are in collaborative environmental governance, nature-based solutions implementation, and climate change adaptation. She is also interested in urban stormwater management, drinking water system governance, and Human Right to Water outcomes in California.

​Prior to beginning her studies at UC Davis she worked as a researcher at the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation on research projects related to drinking water equity and affordability, green infrastructure adoption, and park access and equity. She holds a B.S. in Environmental Economics and Policy from UC Berkeley and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from UCLA. In her free time she can usually be found baking or reading.