02 / The beginning

Where it started

My curiosity about living things started with turtles. One question led to another — and gradually, the questions became bigger than the terrarium.

Small creatures,
big questions ↗
A little bit about me

Curiosity is my favorite starting point.

I’m the kind of person who can start with a question about turtles and somehow end up talking about economics, environmental policy, or designing a card game. I love exploring random ideas, trying things out, and seeing where curiosity takes me.

When I’m not researching green finance, working on LURFT, or hanging out with my reptiles, you’ll probably find me painting, skiing, or coming up with my next little project. I also love teaching and meeting people with different perspectives.

My interests might seem a little all over the place, but I like connecting the dots between them — and I’m always excited to see what I’ll get curious about next!

Joey in a quiet moment with her laptop

Same girl,
different interests. ☺

One curiosity leads to another

I started by paying attention to turtles. Then came lizards and snakes, and the chance to get involved in a Reptile Club.

Over time, my curiosity about biology and environmental science grew into questions about economics and policy. I became interested not only in how natural systems work, but also in how human decisions shape them.

Turtles→Lizards→Snakes→Reptile Club
Biology→Environmental Science→Economics→Policy
A turtle close upA gecko being held carefullyA reptile habitat with plantsA snake among green leaves

Meet some of my favorite neighbors

A little collection from my reptile world.

A pale turtle in a habitat
Every turtle has a story
The patterned shell of a turtle
Patterns worth a closer look
A patterned gecko
Small details, big personality
A turtle looking toward the camera
A closer look
Two turtles in an aquatic habitat
Sharing a habitat
Turtles interacting in a habitat
Habitat observations
A patterned turtle shell
Patterns in nature
A turtle in water
Every detail matters
A small surprise

My favorite snake

Meet the little white snake that changed how I think about reptiles.

“It was surprisingly friendly and very cute.”

Reptiles aren't the extroverts of the animal world, but they have personalities too.

A light-colored snake shown in a photo strip

A reminder that the animals we know the least can still surprise us.