I was born in Miami, Florida and raised in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.  Growing up near the ocean, it just seemed natural to fall in love with it, and my mother still tells me about how I made her record "shark week" on VHS tapes as a little kid.

 

I've come a long was since those days.  I completed a Bachelor's degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Florida Gulf Coast University in Ft. Myers, Florida.  It was during my junior year there that I realized that my love for the sea was more than just a passion.  From there I got involved in a research project where we performed stable isotope analysis and mercury analysis on shark and fish tissues.  That project worked as a springboard to where I am now.

 

I have done research in Florida, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and South Africa.  Each one of these places came with a its set of experiences and obstacles and taught me life lessons I will carry forever.

 

Now I am here in Falmouth, UK, to complete a Master's of Conservation and Biodiversity at the University of Exeter.  Thus far it has been a great challenge, the various modules have tested my abilities to write scientifically and think critically.  Our recent trip to Kenya was an amazing experience.  I now look forward to getting the ball rolling with my research project.