Curriculum vitae

EDUCATION

M.S., Environmental Studies, College of Charleston, 2020

B.S., Environmental Studies, University of North Carolina at Asheville, 2012

WORK EXPERIENCE

Public Health Data Analyst, May 2022 - May 2025
Environmental Protection Agency (Chapel Hill, NC)

• Researched the public health impact of pressing environmental issues including wildfire, emerging contaminants (e.g. PFAS), and climate change
• Applied advanced statistical methods (e.g. machine learning, linear modeling, time series analysis) to study relationships among health outcomes and the environmental exposures
• Developed and managed large relational databases to facilitate environmental and epidemiological studies
• Used R Statistical Software to create, process, and visualize large datasets
• Used ArcGIS Pro software to analyze, interpret, and visualize geospatial data
• Supported and collaborated with an interdisciplinary team of agency staff, university faculty, student researchers, and medical professionals
• Performed exploratory analyses, developed exposure metrics, and handled large databases with a systematic approach and attention to detail

Biologist, Apr. 2021 - Nov. 2021
San Juan Island National Historic Park (Friday Harbor, WA)

• Participated in the captive rearing program of the endangered island marble butterfly on San Juan Island
• Monitored species of interest throughout the park including sand verbena moths, Propertius duskywing butterflies, sharp-tailed snakes, and bats
• Built and maintained fencing, controlled exotic invasive plants, and revegetated disturbed sites
• Maintained a native plant nursery and interpretative native plant garden
• Developed ArcGIS Online maps and Survey123 apps for field data collection
• Wrote and reviewed proposals for natural resource management projects
• Coordinated and led field crews of volunteers and AmeriCorps conservation groups in natural resource management projects

Research Technician, May 2018 - Dec. 2020
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Marine Resources Research Institute (Charleston, SC)

• Primary researcher for a Sea Grant-funded project exploring relationships among land cover, climate change, and coastal ecosystems
• Compiled, analyzed, and visualized environmental data using Excel, Access, and R
• Ran spatial analyses and created maps using ArcMap and ArcPro GIS software
• Worked on a small research vessel collecting environmental data (e.g., water quality, fisheries) across South Carolina’s inland coastal waters

Environmental Hydrologist, Jan. 2020 - Apr. 2020
Robinson Design Engineers (Charleston, SC)

• Temporary contract position with an environmental engineering firm surveying streams for a mitigation bank stream restoration project
• Measured stream dimensions by transect, monitored groundwater wells, assessed riparian vegetation, and collected data on reference stream conditions in nearby Francis Marion National Forest

Forestry Technician, May 2017 - Nov. 2017
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Cherokee, NC)

• Seasonal forestry position with the National Park Service
• Managed exotic invasive plants and forest pests (e.g., hemlock wooly adelgid) with chemical and mechanical treatments
• Worked on a variety of habitat restoration projects and monitored native plant populations

Wildlife Biologist, Nov. 2016 - Apr. 2017
The Great Basin Institute (Death Valley, CA)

• Seasonal wildlife biologist position at Death Valley National Park
• Monitored park’s invasive burro population
• Built and maintained fencing
• Wrote park’s coyote management plan to address wildlife habituation in the park
• Communicated wildlife information to the public via social and printed media
• Developed an online, wildlife observation database to encourage citizen science in the park
• Coordinated and led volunteer groups on desert tortoise and endangered plant surveys

Biological Science Technician (Wildlife), May 2016 - Nov. 2016
Olympic National Park (Port Angeles, WA)

• Seasonal wildlife biology position with the National Park Service
• Collected data for an occupancy analysis study of the park’s reintroduced fisher population
• Installed wildlife survey stations with bait, lures, hair snares, and game cameras
• Recorded and entered wildlife and GPS data into park’s database
• Performed elk and deer browse and pellet surveys for a habitat restoration project

Biological Science Technician (Wildlife), May 2015 - Oct. 2015
Cape Hatteras National Seashore (Buxton, NC)

• Seasonal wildlife biology position with the National Park Service
• Surveyed beaches for sea turtle nests and nesting shorebirds
• Kept detailed and organized field notes on the National Seashore’s wildlife
• Educated the public on the park’s wildlife and the rules to protect its natural resources

Biological Science Technician (Wildlife), Nov. 2014 - Mar. 2015
Haleakala National Park (Kula, HI)

• Seasonal internship with the Student Conservation Association (SCA)
• Managed exotic invasive predator populations through trapping
• Monitored park’s endangered bird species

Forestry Research Technician, May 2014 - Oct. 2014
Juneau Forestry Sciences Laboratory (Juneau, AK)

• Seasonal internship with the SCA collecting data for a long-term, forest regeneration study in the Tongass National Forest
• Evaluated forest structure using a variety of silvicultural tools (e.g., laser dendrometers, range finders)
• Established transects and quadrats to study understory vegetation and wildlife use

Vegetation Technician, Sep. 2013 - Apr. 2014
Death Valley National Park (Death Valley, CA)

• Seasonal internship with the SCA
• Managed exotic invasive vegetation around Death Valley National Park using herbicides and hand tools
• Surveyed for rare and endangered plant species
• Mapped plant populations with GPS

AmeriCorps Conservation Crew Member, May 2013 - Sep. 2013
SAGA (Juneau, AK)

• Built and maintained hiking trails across Southeast Alaska
• Worked on conservation projects including stream restoration, native plant propagation, and exotic invasive plant removal

Wildlife Biologist Intern, May 2012 - Aug. 2012
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (Asheville, NC)

• Monitored at-risk wildlife populations across Western North Carolina for a summer internship
• Studied birds, small mammals, reptiles, and amphibians
• Learned a variety of monitoring techniques including radio telemetry, mist-netting, camera traps, live trapping, and eDNA sampling

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE

Botany Assistant, Dec. 2019
Black River Cypress Preserve (Georgetown Co., SC)

• Assisted in botanical field surveys at a conservation site

Oyster Farmer, Jan. 2019 - May 2019
Charleston Oyster Farm (Charleston, SC)

• Volunteered on a small oyster farm for an applied mariculture course

Student Garden Worker, Jun. 2018 - Sep. 2019
The College of Charleston at Stono Preserve (Hollywood, SC)

• Volunteered on the College’s organic garden preparing beds, planting, weeding, harvesting, and assisting with environmental education events

Trail Worker, Feb. 2016 - Mar. 2016
Triangle Land Conservancy (Durham, NC)

• Built hiking trails during volunteer workdays for a local, non-profit land conservancy

Conservation Volunteer, Mar. 2015
Maui Forest Bird Recovery Project (Makawao, HI)

• Helped with general maintenance tasks for a bird conservation center

Archaeology Volunteer, Jul. 2014
Denali National Park (Denali Park, AK)

• Documented historic mining features in Denali’s Kantishna Hills

Undergraduate Research Assistant, Jun. 2012 - Jul. 2012
University of North Carolina at Asheville (Asheville, NC)

• Helped classmate with undergraduate research project collecting data on fish populations in Western North Carolina’s streams

Elementary School Tutor, Jan. 2012 - May 2012
Emma Elementary School (Asheville, NC)

• Tutored 2^nd grade ESL students in reading, writing, and math

PUBLICATIONS

O’Lenick, C. R., Cleland, S. E., Neas, L. M., Turner, M. W., Mcinroe, E. M., Hill, K. L., … & Rappold, A. G. (2025). Impact of heat on respiratory hospitalizations among older adults in 120 large US urban areas. Annals of the American Thoracic Society, 22(3), 367-377.

Keeler, C., Cleland, S. E., Hill, K. L., Mazzella, A. J., Cascio, W. E., Rappold, A. G., & Rosman, L. A. (2025). Effects of extreme humidity and heat on ventricular arrhythmia risk in patients with cardiac devices. JACC: Advances, 4(1), 101463.

Feng, B. R., Yanchenko, E., Hill, K. L., Rosman, L. A., Reich, B. J., & Rappold, A. G. (2024). Mediation analysis of community context effects on heart failure using the survival R2D2 prior. arXiv preprint, arXiv:2411.04310.

Williams, L. A., Beane, J., Hardman, R., Hill, K. L., & Stroebel, M., (2012). Ambystoma opacum (marbled salamander) geographic distribution note. Herpetological Review, 43(4), 611.

PRESENTATIONS

Hill, K. L., Tsai, W., Rappold, A., Hubal, E., Keeler, C., (2025, April). Exploring spatial and demographic variation in exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in public water systems in the United States [poster presentation]. EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) Spring Poster Session, Research Triangle Park, NC.

Hill, K. L., Short, R., Neas, L., Rappold, A., Steinhardt, W., Sheng, A., Hubal, E., Reich, B., Yang, S., (2024, January). PFAS contaminated groundwater and chronic condition incidence among Medicare beneficiaries in California [oral presentation]. Air and Waste Management Association’s Science of PFAS Conference, Raleigh, NC.

Hill, K. L., Short, R., Neas, L., Rappold, A., Steinhardt, W., Sheng, A., Hubal, E., Reich, B., Yang, S., (2023, December). PFAS contaminated groundwater and chronic condition incidence among Medicare beneficiaries in California [poster presentation]. American Geophysical Union (AGU) 2023 Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA.

Hill, K. L., Cleland, S., Rosman, L., Mazzella, A., Rappold, A., Neas, L., & Ward-Caviness, C., (2023, August). The impact of temperature and relative humidity on ventricular arrhythmias in patients with implanted cardiac devices: a case time series analysis in North Carolina, 2010-2021 [oral presentation]. International Society of Exposure Science (ISES) 2023 Conference, Chicago, IL.

Hill, K. L., Tweel, A., Johnson, S., & Sanger, D., (2019, November). Linking land use, climate, and coastal ecosystems: a watershed perspective for a changing South Carolina coast [oral presentation]. Twenty-fifth biennial Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation (CERF) conference, Mobile, AL.

Hill, K. L., Tweel, A., Johnson, S., & Sanger, D., (2019, June). Linking land use, climate, and coastal ecosystems: a watershed perspective for a changing South Carolina coast [oral presentation]. Seventeenth annual Climate Prediction Applications Science Workshop, Charleston, SC.

Brown, C. E., Hill, K., & Fanning, R., Callahan, T., & Robinson, J., (2018, October). Modeling stormwater runoff in a suburban coastal watershed: interpreting the past to better predict the future [poster presentation]. Fifth annual South Carolina Water Resources Conference, Columbia, SC.

Hill, K. L., Phillips, M., Rence, E., Callahan, T., & Robinson, J., (2018, April). Long Branch restoration: improving ecosystem services of a tidal creek in a changing city [poster presentation]. College of Charleston Science and Mathematics Poster Session, Charleston, SC.

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