Tim was born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa and attended the University of Iowa. He earned his Ph.D. under Dr. Frank Weirich studying the effects of forest disturbance on watershed sediment production in northern Colorado.

In 2014, Tim was selected as a Presidential Management Fellow (PMF). As a PMF, he was hired by the USDA Forest Service as the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Coordinator for the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests in western Colorado. In 2016, he transitioned to a position as a hydrogeologist with the Forest Service’s National Groundwater Program. He primarily supports the Forest Service’s efforts to steward groundwater-dependent ecosystems with an emphasis on springs and peat-accumulating wetlands, including fens.

Tim also consults on large-scale mining projects and other groundwater and geology issues across 193 million acres of National Forest System lands that includes 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands.