Born in Hendersonville, NC, I spent weekends at my grandmother’s house, playing outdoors and learning about all the wildlife around me – except I could do without the mosquitoes, they seemed to like me a little too much! My interest in nature and animals led me to study biology for both my undergraduate and graduate degrees and eventually led me to the world of research. I have explored topics in microbiology, botany, developmental, and cell biology. My path eventually led me to translational research where I performed experimental drug combinations for multiple myeloma patients. After 8 years of research, I shifted my focus in clinical research to compliance where I supported brain, head and neck, and solid phase I clinical trials. Today, I am honored to serve as the Regulatory Consultant for the ARISE Cancer Consortium™, the first children’s cancer consortium in the Carolinas. Our mission is to develop research protocols that improve the lives of kids with sarcomas. Outside of work, I find joy in volunteering with wildlife rescues, where I developed a special bond with rehabilitating squirrels, one of the most common animals around us, but vastly misunderstood.