As an undergraduate at UC Irvine, I took biology courses completed research that helped me realize how the tiny world of insects and plants influences so much around us, which led me to earn my Ph.D. in entomology at Texas A&M University. Here as an Insect Ecologist, I learned how bugs, plants, and their ecology work, as well as taught undergraduates about these interactions. It was here that I began to greatly enjoy teaching and looked forward to teaching more students about insects and ecology.

In 2016, I joined the University of the Ozarks where I continue to teach as well as research insect and plant interactions. This university provides a student-centered environment where I can get to know my students, learn their interests, and best help them succeed.