Flint Lab Members

Dr. Courtney Flint

• Ph.D Rural Sociology. Pennsylvania State University (University Park), 2004.
• MS. Geography, University of Colorado (Boulder), 1993.
• BS. Geography, Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff), 1990.

National & International Engagement

• Scientific Advisory Board, BOKU Doctoral School HR21 (Human River Systems in the 21st Century), Vienna, Austria.
• Associate Editor and Guest Special Issue Editor for Socio-Ecological Practice Research

Mike Englert

Michael Englert recently completed his Master's degree in Environment and Society and continues to support the Flint Lab with GIS services. He led development of a matrix tool to highlight the social, ecological, and technological vulnerabilities downstream of dams in utah.  Michael is from the Snyderville Basin in Utah. He graduated from Oregon State University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Geography, with a Professional Certificate in Geospatial Information Systems. Michael started working for Dr. Flint in August of 2024, specifically on the I-GUIDE project. Michael has real world experience working in excavation, where he fixed water infrastructure in Park City, Utah. In his free time, Michael enjoys being outdoors, cooking, exercising, and reading books.

Contact Mike at Michael.Englert@usu.edu

Bailey Holdaway

Bailey completed her master’s degree in Environment & Society at Utah State University (USU) in the Spring of 2025. She also holds a B.S. from USU, where she studied seed-based wetland restoration in the Great Salt Lake ecosystem. Her masters thesis research focused on risk perceptions and decision-making among irrigation companies in the Great Salt Lake Basin.  Her PhD work explores the intersection of water-related hazards, such as water quality, quantity, and flooding, in Intermountain West communities. She has also worked on a project to assess Utah agencies’ water data management practices and needs. Bailey is active in campus initiatives, serving on the EcoLunch coordination committee and the Community and Natural Resources Institute (CANRI) Steering Committee as a student representative. In her free time, she enjoys painting, knitting, watching movies, and playing board games.

Contact Bailey at Bailey.Holdaway@usu.edu

Check out Bailey's Masters Thesis Here

Nicolas Holden

Nicolas completed his undergraduate degrees of Data Science and Mathematics/Statistics at USU in the Fall of 2024, and he is currently a master's student in the Environment & Society Department at USU. His research interests focus on using data science to help solve environmental and social problems. He has been working with Dr. Flint on the Utah Wellbeing Project since the Summer of 2023, and he has also worked on the I-GUIDE Aging Dams project. He is a native of southern Utah and loves to go canyoneering, climbing, and mountain biking when he can.

Contact Nicolas at Nicolas.Holden@usu.edu 

Britton Miller

Britton is a master’s student in the Environment and Society Department at USU, with research interests in climate resilience, geohazard response, and community-based planning. At the end of 2025, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies (Geology minor) from the University of Colorado Boulder. Britton began working with Dr. Flint in August 2026, to contribute to the Utah Wellbeing Project’s community engagement efforts and data analysis tasks. Having previously worked in warehouse logistics, he is excited to apply his earth science knowledge to improve wellbeing in communities across the Western states. In his free time, he loves going for a long day hike, riding any type of bike, cruising on skis, identifying birds, and spending time with family. Britton is from Mead, Colorado.

Contact Britton at britton.miller@usu.edu 

Allison Rafert

Allison is a master’s student in Environment and Society, with research interests in protected land, co-stewardship, and community resilience. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Political Science from St. Olaf College in 2023. Allison began working with Dr. Flint in May of 2026, studying emergency preparedness and water-related hazards through both the I-GUIDE project and the Transformation Network project. She comes to the Flint Lab with a background in wilderness management and environmental education, having previously worked with the National Park Service in Alaska and Arizona and with several place-based learning NGOs. In her free time, she enjoys backpacking, writing, making art, and pretending she can play the guitar.

Contact Allison at Allison.Rafert@usu.edu 

Alex Theophilus

Alex is a Ph.D. student working towards a degree in Sociology with a focus in Environment & Community. Alex completed his Bachelors at Colgate University, where he earned a degree in Environmental Geography with a minor in Sociology. In 2024, Alex completed his M.S. in Sociology at USU, with a thesis titled “Linking Community-Level Food Sovereignty to Subjective Wellbeing: Framing Perspectives on Food Systems in the Upper Yakima River Basin.” Alex’s current research focuses on the impacts of amenity migration on rural community wellbeing, particularly in the Mountain West and Upper Midwest. Alex also serves on the Community and Natural Resource Institute (CANRI) Steering Committee. In his free time, Alex loves nordic skiing, running, and a variety of other outdoor activities.

Contact Alex at A.Theophilus@usu.edu

Check out Alex's Masters Thesis Here

Sara McCulley

Sara is an undergraduate student at USU studying Environmental Studies and Recreation Resource Management. She is interested in natural resource stewardship and the role of Indigenous Knowledge and how it can lead to more ethical, place-based, and collaborative approaches to land and resource management. Sara currently works as a research assistant for Dr. Flint, supporting research related to water-related hazards and emergency management in the Intermountain West. Her background includes communications, project management, public engagement, and environmental education work as a naturalist. She currently lives in Salt Lake City with her husband and dog, Mr. Biscuit.