Charlene received a B.S. in Environmental Studies, Summa Cum Laude, from the University of Central Florida in 2014. While at UCF, she conducted undergraduate research on climate change impacts on the Caribbean. As a participant in the President’s Scholars Study Abroad Program, Charlene constructed a shade house on the island of St. Kitts in which Kittitians could research sustainable agricultural practices. She spoke at the 2013 UNESCO Sub-Regional Climate Change Conference in Nevis about the viability of hydroponic farming inside of a shade house as a climate change adaptation strategy for small island nations. After graduating from UCF, she served a term as an AmeriCorps Volunteer in Service to America (VISTA). She currently works at the University of Central Florida and serves as the United States liaison for Standard Hydro, a sustainable agricultural company that aims to increase agricultural resilience in the Caribbean.