I grew up in Minneapolis, MN but took the trek to Azusa Pacific University outside of Los Angeles where I received a B.S. in Biochemistry and where I fell in love with proteins and teaching. I moved back to the midwest to pursue my PhD in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics at the University of Minnesota, where I studied the the structure-function relationship of proteins involved in muscular dystrophy. Last year, I returned to Los Angeles and joined the lab of Dr. Rachelle Crosbie-Watson at UCLA as a postdoc studying cardiac fibrosis in the context of muscular dystrophy-associated cardiomyopathy and myocardial infarction. Outside of the lab, I enjoy reading, cooking, the LA music scene, serving at my church, and the beach.
My goals are to achieve excellence in both research and teaching with a focus on being part of the movement to bridge the achievement gap for underrepresented minorities and people with different abilities in the STEM fields. I look forward to taking the valuable lessons and experiences gained from the IRACDA fellowship and applying them to my future laboratory, classroom, and academic community.
