I joined Department of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Arizona as a faculty member in August 2006.  My doctoral and postdoctoral work at the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University applied a regional atmospheric model to the investigation of North American summer climate.  Current research within my group at the University of Arizona focuses principally on physical understanding and prediction of climate in North America through regional atmospheric modeling and analysis of observations.  Specific topics being investigated in the scope of our projects include improving seasonal climate forecasts, convective-resolving simulations of severe weather, water resource projection at the regional and local scale, and contributions to parameterization development in the Weather Research and Forecasting model.  Our projects engage the operational weather forecast community and water resource providers in the Southwest.  Through my collaborations and outreach activities, I am also working to develop improved capacity for weather climate research in other parts of the world, especially Latin America.