I grew up in Ballston Lake, NY and attended Nazareth College of Rochester in Rochester, NY for an B.S. in Biology with a minor in Spanish. I spent a semester at the American Institute for Spanish Studies in Valencia, Spain during my undergraduate years and was fortunate to return to Valencia following graduation on a Fulbright Fellowship at the University of Valencia.

Upon returning from Spain, I completed a M.S. in Zoology at the University of New Hampshire with a focus on the biological activity of the microcystin-LR, a freshwater cyanobacterial toxin. After completion of my Masters, I worked on data development for NH GRANIT, the NH state GIS database, and worked with lake sampling and watershed analysis with the Lakes Lay Monitoring Program with UNH Cooperative Extension.

I am currenty a PhD Candidate in the Zoology Department at UNH studying the use of remote sensing to measure lake water quality in lakes, with a specific focus on the detection of cyanobacteria. Since beginning my PhD program, I have also been involved in the development of the UNH Center for Freshwater Biology online CFB Zooplankton Key and have taught GIS and GPS workshops for UNH Cooperative Extension's NH Geospatial Technologies Training Center.

In January 2006, I began as the Geospatial Extension Specialist in the Water Resources Program in UNH Coopertiave Extension My principal responsibility in this role is the development and coordination of educational workshops on GIS, GPS and remote sensing for the citizens of New Hampshire through the NH Geospatial Technologies Training Center. In conjunction with the GES's from thirteen other states, I participate in the National Geospatial Technology Extension Network.