Angie began her career in vector control as a seasonal laboratory assistant with the District in 2005.  From 2006-2012 she was a Vector Ecologist at the District. She was the Vector Ecologist for Santa Clara County from 2012-2025, performing all in-house PCR testing for Lyme disease in ticks and WNV in birds and mosquitoes for three years. In 2015, she moved to supervise all aspects of the Marin/Sonoma Mosquito and Vector Control District laboratory as the Scientific Programs Manager in 2015.  In 2017, she returned to San Mateo County Mosquito and Vector District as the Laboratory Director. 

Outside work, Angie has volunteered with sick and injured wildlife at the Marine Mammal Center in the Marin Headlands since 1996 and helps conduct insect surveys for the Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve at Stanford University.

Angie's answers to a few questions about working with the District:

What is your favorite part of your job?

Despite my job duties gradually becoming more managerial and less field-based over time, I really enjoy it when I can directly help residents solve their vector-related problems.  I especially like untangling unusual household mysteries, like why lots of flies suddenly appeared in someone’s bathroom, or why there is a mass of honeybees hanging out on the side of a house.

What interest/background brought you to this job?

I went to grad school for forensic entomology, but I’ve really loved all kinds of bugs since I was a kid.  Sometimes I still can’t believe I found a job where I get paid to work with insects.

What is something you've learned on the job that you wish everyone knew?

When used as directed, there is nothing “toxic” about insect repellents you apply to your skin.  Active ingredients like DEET and picaridin don’t kill or even harm mosquitoes...they just mask the chemical cues your skin gives to the insects that triggers them to bite.  I think of insect repellent like sunblock.  Like sunblock stops the UV rays from penetrating your skin, repellent stops the bugs from biting.

What is your favorite fact about mosquitoes?

Some species of mosquitoes have a structure in their digestive system called “cibarial armature,” that helps them grind up the blood cells from their blood meals.  It’s like having a set of teeth in the back of your throat. Having a robust cibarial armature helps defend mosquitoes against certain types of parasites.  It’s one of the reasons why only certain species of mosquitoes can transmit dog heartworm, as the baby heartworms get chewed up by these teeth before they can develop into an infective stage inside the mosquito.

What residents have to say about Angie