Ernie is a native Vermonter and holds a BA in International Studies from Colby College in Waterville, Maine. Following his graduation from Colby, Ernie moved to Santiago, Chile, where he worked for an IBM sales team and gained fluency in Spanish. Upon his return to the US from Chile, he joined Tetra Tech in Burlington, Vermont where he was a project manager for various USAID projects across Latin America. Since early 2022, Ernie has worked at UVM Extension where he currently serves as the Northwest Regional Coordinator for the Vermont Migrant Education Program. In this role he works closely with Vermont’s agricultural migrant community and has conducted research aimed at improving farmworker health and safety conditions. His interests include migration, international development, governance, and Latin American affairs. He enjoys riding his bike, playing volleyball, and traveling the globe with his wife Eliana.