I grew up in Carson City, Nevada and spent my free time outdoors riding horses and competing in rodeo. After high school I attended Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, CA studying agriculture education. While at Cal Poly I took classes in ecology and fell in love with that branch of biology. This led to me transferring to Utah State University where I graduated with a Bachelor's of Science in Rangeland Ecology. From there my husband and I moved to Stillwater, Oklahoma where I pursued a Master's of Science in Rangeland Ecology. After graduating from Oklahoma State University in 1999, my husband and I were hired at USDA-Agricultural Research Station in Burns where I worked for several years as a science field technician. This experience gave me a strong understanding of the process of science. But, I always had teaching on my mind and when an opportunity at  Burns High School opened up to teach biology I applied and was hired in fall of 2008. In 2013 I earned a Master's of Art in Teaching Secondary Education.  I hope to make science interesting and real for students. I believe that hands-on learning is essential to understanding science.