I grew up in a small town in Tennessee where I developed a love of nature and biology. My high school biology teacher instilled in me an excitement for life in the ocean and thereafter I dedicated myself to the goal of becoming a marine biologist. I received my Bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology from the University of North Alabama, focusing on fish ecology. I studied Marine Science at the University of South Carolina and received my Master’s degree, researching growth and ecology of larval stages of coastal fish. After spending a year studying aquaculture in Japan, I worked as a field biologist researching fish communities in salt marshes of Louisiana. This eventually led to my Doctorate of Philosophy in Marine Sciences from Louisiana State University. My research focused on growth and ecology of coastal fishery species. This led to a position as professor at Missouri State University for the next two decades, teaching fish biology, wildlife conservation, and marine biology courses and researching fish communities in streams and reservoirs in Missouri, and coral reefs in the Caribbean.
I came to Idaho in 2017, where I continue to teach online courses through Missouri State University and Introductory Biology at CWI. In my free time, I enjoy travelling and spending time outdoors, running trails in the foothills with my dog, whitewater rafting, kayaking, and fishing.