Nico is an independent researcher as a biophysical chemist and earns a living as a licensed residential general contractor. After working as a chemist for the USACE Omaha District for 5 years cleaning up soil and groundwater on DoD sites (including Camp Adair), they moved to Eugene in 2019 to attend graduate school at UO. After earning their PhD in 2025, Nico moved into a cabin on a 20-acre property about six miles west of Monroe. Transitioning from city- to forest-life has been a rewarding experience personally, which they hope to pay forward by contributing their skills to the BSWCD.