I grew up in Glenville, W.Va., and I am thrilled to return to make West Virginia my permanent home. I received my B.S. from Shepherd University in Biology. The next jaunt of my education led me to The University of Georgia where I earned an M.S. in Medical Microbiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine. I finally finished my degrees (but not my learning…which will never end) at West Virginia University, earning a Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology. My dissertation research focus was examining the effects of pesticides on the developing cells in the bone marrow. In 1998, I married my husband Jeff. Up to now, we have happily lived with two golden retrievers, but now we are embarking on the adventure of starting a (human) family. I began at FS in April 2005, and I have enjoyed this experience so far. I really like the smaller class sizes, which allow me to really connect with the students. I am thoroughly rewarded by teaching here at FS. I also am excited to be able to keep my hands in research here through a project examining cardiovascular disease in people in West Virginia.