She holds a Master's degree in Biosciences (Zoology) from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (1999) and a PhD in Biological Sciences (Genetics) from the University of São Paulo (2004). Since 1994, she has been a member of the Mammal Study Group of Rio Grande do Sul (GEMARS), focusing on marine mammals with an emphasis on conservation genetics. Recently, her research has shifted toward understanding conflicts between humans and wildlife, sustainable tourism, conservation medicine, and One Health, particularly involving marine mammals. Since 2009, she has been a professor and researcher at the Graduate Program in Biology at the University of Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS). In 2012, she became a research productivity fellow at CNPq, and in 2024, she joined the Association for Research and Preservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (AQUASIS) as a technical-scientific coordinator.